Disc plough at work

Machinery hire

Tractor and farm machinery hire in Malawi

Our own fleet of farm machinery is available for hire, covering land preparation, planting, spraying, harvesting and irrigation. The equipment is well maintained and every machine is run by one of our experienced operators. We work anywhere in Malawi, so farms, estates and cooperatives can get the work done on time.

Why mechanise

Professional farm machinery, when you need it

In Malawi, preparing one hectare with a hand hoe takes 23–31 person-days; with machinery, including ridging, it takes about 2–2.5 hours. A two-week delay in land preparation can cut maize yields by up to 30%. Book early so your land is ready when the planting rains arrive.

Sources: land-preparation times from Malawi University of Science and Technology / MwAPATA Institute and SIMLESA/CIMMYT; yield loss from Malawi National Planning Commission and UNDP, Malawi 2063 policy brief (2022), citing IFPRI.

  • 23–31person-days to prepare 1 ha by hand hoe
  • 2–2.5 hto prepare 1 ha by machine, including ridging
  • 30%possible maize yield loss from a two-week delay in land preparation
  • 9types of machine available for hire

What we can do

  • Land preparation

    Disc ploughing, plus subsoiling to break up compacted layers.

  • Precision planting

    Multi-row precision planting for even seed and row spacing.

  • Crop spraying

    Tractor-mounted boom sprayers for weed, pest and disease control.

  • Combine harvesting

    A self-propelled combine that harvests and threshes in one pass, for maize, sorghum, wheat, soya beans and rice.

  • Mobile irrigation

    A hose-reel irrigator that moves between fields for supplementary watering.

  • Ditching & earthworks

    A crawler excavator for digging ditches, clearing obstacles and other farm infrastructure work.

The fleet

LOVOL 2204 tractor

LOVOL 2204

High-horsepower tractor

A 220 hp-class 4WD cab tractor for pulling disc ploughs, subsoilers and large planters.

  • Traction power
  • Land prep
  • Planting
Book machinery →
TK854 tractor

TK854

Utility tractor

A versatile tractor with a sun canopy, for planting, spraying, light tillage and farm transport.

  • Planting
  • Spraying
  • Transport
Book machinery →
Disc plough at work

7-disc

Heavy disc plough

A heavy seven-disc plough for primary tillage in hard, dry ground or fields with heavy crop residue.

  • Ploughing
  • Land prep
Book machinery →
Subsoiler (ripper)

Multi-shank

Subsoiler (ripper)

Breaks up compacted layers below plough depth, improving water infiltration and root growth.

  • Subsoiling
  • Land prep
Book machinery →
MUKEN precision planter

MUKEN

Precision planter

A multi-row precision planter with a seed hopper on every row unit, for row crops such as maize and soya beans.

  • Planting
  • Maize
  • Soya
Book machinery →
Mounted boom sprayers

3 units

Mounted boom sprayers

Hydraulically folding booms for applying herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and foliar fertiliser.

  • Spraying
  • Weed control
Book machinery →
Fengshen 4LZ-13 combine harvester

Fengshen 4LZ-13

Combine harvester

A self-propelled grain combine for maize, sorghum, wheat, soya beans and rice, shown here with a maize header.

  • Harvesting
  • Maize
  • Sorghum
  • Wheat
  • Soya
  • Rice
Book machinery →
Hose-reel irrigator watering young wheat

VODAR

Hose-reel irrigator

A travelling sprinkler for supplementary irrigation of wheat, maize, vegetables and pasture.

  • Irrigation
Book machinery →
MAXPOWER ME80-9 crawler excavator

MAXPOWER ME80-9

Crawler excavator

For digging irrigation channels, clearing obstacles, building farm roads and other earthworks.

  • Earthworks
  • Ditching
Book machinery →

How hiring works

  1. Tell us the job

    The operation, field location, area and preferred dates.

  2. Plan and quote

    We recommend the right machines, confirm the schedule and send a quote.

  3. Work in the field

    Our machines and operators arrive on the agreed date and do the work.

  4. Final check

    We check the finished work with you.

We agree the details case by case: the hire period, how charges are calculated (per hectare/acre, per hour or per day), and whether fuel and transport are included. Every machine comes with our own operator, and everything is confirmed in our quote.

Book before the season starts

Machinery is busiest during land preparation and planting. Tell us what you need and we'll confirm a slot as soon as possible.

Malawi's farming calendar

Malawi has two main cropping seasons: rain-fed crops, mainly maize, in the rainy season, and irrigated winter crops such as wheat in the cool dry season. Land must be prepared before each planting, so that is when demand for machinery peaks.

Rain-fed crops
Planting Harvest
Irrigated crops
Planting Harvest
Land-prep peak
Land prep Land prep
  • Planting
  • Harvest
  • Land prep

A general guide to Malawi's seasons; timing varies by region and year. Sources: FEWS NET, FAO GIEWS, Malawi Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services.

FAQ

Tractor and machinery hire: common questions

Does a hired tractor come with an operator?

Yes. Every machine we hire out is run by one of our own experienced operators, so you don't need to provide a driver.

How are machinery hire charges calculated?

We quote according to the job, the area and the location: per hectare/acre, per hour or per day. The quote states clearly whether fuel and transport are included.

Which areas of Malawi do you cover?

Anywhere in Malawi. We are based in Lilongwe and can send machines and operators to any part of the country. Tell us where your fields are and we'll confirm the schedule and set out the transport arrangements in our quote.

How far ahead should I book?

As early as possible. Land preparation and planting are our busiest times, so we recommend booking well before the rains start.

Which crops can the combine harvester handle?

Our combine can currently harvest maize, sorghum, wheat, soya beans and rice. Tell us the crop, the area and where your fields are, and we'll confirm a slot and send a quote.

Contact

Tell us what you need

Whether you're buying wheat, sorghum or other Malawi produce, discussing seed production or booking machinery, send us a message or call us, and we'll get back to you quickly.

Address
Chitipi, Lilongwe, Malawi
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