From hoe to hope: How Lucas Malembo is redefining agribusiness in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. On a warm morning in Dar es Salaam, long before the city fully stirs to life, Lucas Elias Malembo is already at his desk at Malembo Farm—the agribusiness consultancy he founded and now leads.

With the city skyline in the background and his phone buzzing constantly beside a well-worn notepad, it’s difficult to picture this soft-spoken entrepreneur beginning his journey with little more than determination and a borrowed hoe.

Born and raised in Nyanguge, Magu District, Mwanza Region—an area known for farming, fishing, and livestock rearing—Mr Malembo hails from a family deeply rooted in agriculture.

His earliest memories are of tending animals, pulling nets from Lake Victoria, and helping his family cultivate maize, cassava, and vegetables.

“It was in Nyanguge Village that I first felt the heartbeat of farming—seeing food grown not just for the body, but for the soul,” he recalls.

In 2012, Lucas was working at a friend’s guesthouse in Mwanza. Though titled “manager”, his duties included scrubbing sheets, serving tea, and selling milk from the owner’s cows.

For five months, he earned no salary—only the chance to prove himself.

“The owner set a target—Sh105,000 a day. Anything beyond that, I could keep. It was tough, but I learnt to manage pressure, cut costs, and serve with a smile,” he says.

Instead of breaking him, those challenges taught Lucas resilience. With savings earned through grit and discipline, he established his first greenhouse in Nyanguge.

That modest project would become the seed of what is now Malembo Farm Company Limited.

“Malembo Farm was born out of frustration. Too many farmers relied solely on rain. We imported food when we had the land and hands to feed ourselves,” he explains.

Today, the company provides technical support, irrigation solutions, aquaculture services, greenhouse installations, soil testing, training, and business development across Tanzania. More than just a firm, it has evolved into a movement.

From tomato tunnels in Kigamboni to fish cages in Lake Victoria, Mr Malembo’s mission is clear: modernise agriculture, reduce hunger, and empower a new generation.

“We aim to create evidence-based farming models that are profitable, resilient, and inclusive,” he says.

A passionate advocate of irrigation, Mr Malembo believes it is the antidote to agricultural uncertainty. “A farmer who waits for rain is gambling. Irrigation is planning. It’s freedom.”

He also led efforts to revolutionise aquaculture in Tanzania by investing in cage fish farming.

“One six-metre cage yields up to 12,000 tilapia. I know exactly when I’ll harvest and how much I’ll earn. It’s predictable,” he notes.

Despite regulatory challenges and start-up costs, Mr Malembo insists aquaculture holds the key to food security and job creation.

But perhaps his most influential work lies in how he connects with people. Through social media—X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram—Mr Malembo, shares his knowledge not for self-promotion, but for public education.

He posts frequently on climate-smart agriculture, livestock rearing, urban farming, and aquaculture.

His online series, MF Kilimo Talk, offers a platform for Tanzanian youth to ask questions and find practical solutions.

“Social media is my classroom,” he says. “It’s where I meet farmers from Kagera to Kibaha, inspire youth, and simplify complex ideas.”

Among his most impactful outreach initiatives is the Ndoto Yangu University Tour, where Mr Malembo visits higher learning institutions to mentor students and promote agribusiness.

“Agriculture is not dirty work. It’s not a fallback for dropouts. It’s for thinkers, dreamers, and creators,” he insists.

Sharing his own story—from unpaid guesthouse work to leading cross-border projects—he tells students: “Start small. Even a spinach patch can turn into millions.”

Then there’s UgaliElimu—a unique campaign where Lucas invites youth, changemakers, and community leaders to share a meal and a conversation.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner—when you come to my table, we eat ugali and talk about our dreams,” he says.

These sessions have become symbolic. Around plates of steaming ugali, participants share ideas, tackle challenges, and draw inspiration from Malembo’s journey.

“I always tell them, I started with nothing. You don’t need millions to begin. What you need is vision, discipline, and grit.”

Through the Malembo Farm Academy, he has trained dozens of young people in modern farming techniques including aquaponics, rabbit and poultry rearing, vertical farming, and hydroponics. He strongly believes urban farming is the future.

“We can grow food in cities using small spaces—balconies, rooftops, even buckets. There is no excuse,” he says.

Mr Malembo often reminds audiences that the most underutilised resources in agriculture today are women and youth.

“This isn’t about charity. It’s smart economics,” he emphasises. “If we empower women and bring youth into agribusiness, Tanzania’s future will be unshakable.”

He is also active in policy advocacy. He argues for reduced taxes on farm inputs, clearer land policies, and subsidies for irrigation technologies.

“Why is fertiliser taxed when we’re trying to produce more food? Why make food expensive through taxation?” he questions.

As Malembo Farm expands, he is thinking beyond borders. With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opening new opportunities, he envisions Tanzanian produce and agricultural expertise reaching markets in Kenya, Uganda, the DRC, and South Africa.

“It’s trade without walls—a new era. Young African farmers must seize the moment,” he says.

Clients call him a visionary. Farmers regard him as a teacher. Peers see him as a relentless doer. Yet Mr Malembo remains grounded. “I’m just a boy from Nyanguge Village who refused to give up,” he says.

From the fishing villages of Mwanza to greenhouses in Kigamboni, from fish cages in Lake Victoria to investment boardrooms, Mr Lucas Malembo’s journey is proof that Tanzania’s agricultural future is not just a dream—it is already taking root.

Education, professional background

Mr Malembo pursued a Diploma in General Agriculture at Egerton University in Njoro, Kenya, between 2010 and 2012—an academic foundation that helped nurture his deep passion for agribusiness and youth empowerment.

In 2020, he launched the Malembo Farm Academy, a transformative initiative aimed at equipping young people with hands-on agribusiness skills.

“We began with a pilot project involving Form Five students from Msasani Islamic, Benjamin Mkapa, and Tambaza secondary schools in Dar es Salaam,” Malembo explains.

“We selected 15 students who attended agribusiness classes every Saturday—their day off—for an entire year. The first six months focused on theory, followed by practical sessions where they initiated small-scale farming projects at home,” he added.

The results, he says, were remarkable. “We witnessed genuine behavioural change. These students began to see agriculture not as a fallback, but as a viable business path.”

Encouraged by success in the pilot, the academy introduced age-specific programmes to foster early awareness of food systems.

“We developed beginner classes for children aged four to seven, intermediate classes for ages eight to ten, and pro-level courses for those aged eleven and above. In Dar es Salaam, for instance, we currently work with children from ILAZ Montessori Day Care,” he says.

What distinguishes the Malembo Farm Academy is its inclusive and flexible learning model. “We also offer remote learning, which has allowed us to enrol international students.”

That same year, Mr Malembo launched the Ndoto Yangu University Tour under the Malembo Farm umbrella, in response to the growing Tanzania’s youth unemployment crisis.

“Each year, between 800,000 and one million young people enter the job market, yet only about 10 percent find formal employment,” he notes.

“This campaign was our way of addressing that gap—by visiting universities and colleges to engage students directly on the opportunities within agriculture,” he said

The campaign reached more than 10,000 students across the country, including a notable session with over 1,000 students at Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST).

“Our goal was to inspire them to see agriculture as a serious career path and help them understand the wide opportunities along the value chain—from smallholder production to commercial agribusiness,” Mr Malembo.

Despite its success, the campaign faced financial constraints. “All costs were borne by the organisation, which was challenging.”

“But we believed in the mission. We were speaking directly to the future of this country,” he adds.

Through education, innovation, and advocacy, Mr Malembo continues to inspire a new generation of Tanzanians to view agriculture not as a tradition to be inherited but as a thriving, dynamic frontier for business and national development.