Director of Agriculture and Environmental Stewardship
Senior Strategic Advisor for Community Development & Innovation
Arise and Shine International Ministries (ASIM)  Senior Analysts for Awardees

Mr. Oliver Midian Ndhlovu is an accomplished development practitioner, agribusiness strategist, and environmental advocate with over 40 years of service in public, private, and nonprofit sectors across Malawi and Southern Africa. He currently serves as the Director of Agriculture and Environmental Stewardship and Senior Strategic Advisor for Community Development & Innovation at Arise and Shine International Ministries (ASIM).

In his leadership role at ASIM, Mr. Ndhlovu directs initiatives aimed at empowering smallholder farmers, building sustainable agricultural systems, and promoting climate-resilient livelihoods. He also provides high-level strategic support to ASIM’s leadership team and awardees, helping shape community transformation models that align with the ministry’s vision for holistic, faith-based development.

Legacy of Agricultural Excellence and Rural Transformation

Mr. Ndhlovu is a graduate of the University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture (LUANAR), where he majored in Agricultural Economics, Extension, Agronomy, and Engineering. He furthered his qualifications with a Certificate in Financial Management from the Malawi College of Accountancy, equipping him with critical skills in agricultural finance and cooperative economics.

Beginning his career in 1976 as an Evaluation Officer with the Ministry of Agriculture, he spent two decades serving in high-impact roles such as Agricultural Credit & Marketing Officer, working across Malawi’s major agricultural divisions, Karonga, Mzuzu, Kasungu, and Lilongwe. His public sector work laid the foundation for his deep understanding of rural economies, farmer mobilization, and agro-based enterprise development.

Later, as Operations Manager at the Malawi Rural Finance Company (MRFC), Mr. Ndhlovu became instrumental in pioneering microfinance systems that supported farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs, eventually becoming a trusted authority in rural finance, cooperative development, and agricultural value chains.

Strategic Consulting and Capacity Building

Over the past two decades, Mr. Ndhlovu has led or contributed to more than 30 major training, consulting, and strategy development initiatives, including:

  • Training over 13,000 beneficiaries under Malawi Rural Development Fund (MARDEF) in group dynamics, financial literacy, business planning, and marketing.
  • Training institutional staff from organizations like MUSCCO, CADECOM, FITSE, MRFC, and SACCOs in Northern Malawi in areas of entrepreneurship, supervision, lending procedures, and customer care.
  • Designing strategic plans and project proposals for NGOs such as Henwood Foundation, Better Life For All (BELIFA), Find Your Feet, and the Joyce Banda Foundation, with focus on natural resource management, women’s empowerment, agribusiness, and youth development.
  • Developing feasibility studies and investment plans for agricultural innovation hubs, agro-cooperatives, and farmer-led enterprises in Malawi’s underserved regions.

Through his consultancy firm, Elephants Business Consultants (EBC), and other platforms, Mr. Ndhlovu has supported over 45 NGOs in registering legally and strengthening their organizational management, governance, and impact frameworks.

Faith, Stewardship, and Socio-Economic Transformation

Mr. Ndhlovu brings to ASIM a rare combination of faith-driven leadership, technical expertise, and strategic vision. He is a champion of creation care, seeing environmental stewardship as a biblical mandate and an urgent call in today’s climate-vulnerable world. His work in organic farming, land restoration, and community-based agribusiness reflects his belief in aligning economic growth with ecological sustainability.

As CEO of Better Life For All (BELIFA) a nonprofit he founded he continues to lead programs that empower women, youth, and smallholder farmers in agricultural production, processing, and marketing. His farmer-led models emphasize self-reliance, dignity, and the practical outworking of faith in economics.

At ASIM, he serves as a mentor and strategic advisor to emerging leaders and awardees, helping them translate vision into action through sound planning, ethical practice, and culturally relevant innovation.

Notable Achievements and Affiliations

  • Served as Special Adviser to the Office of the Vice President of Malawi (2012–2014), offering expertise in socio-economic development and rapid response strategies.
  • Attended international trainings and seminars in Malawi, Kenya, Swaziland, the UK, and the USA, focusing on institutional management, budgeting, and community mobilization.
  • Founding Director of WILBROL Consultants and General Dealers, linking investors with government initiatives in energy, agriculture, and infrastructure.
  • Founder of Muru United Growers Producer (MUGRO), a 84-member cooperative growing high-value crops like Cannabis Sativa, garlic, and ginger for both local and export markets.
  • Active member of United Organic Producers (UNOP), promoting organic, environmentally friendly farming techniques for the 21st century.

“True development begins when we combine faith, knowledge, and the empowerment of the rural poor.” Oliver M. Ndhlovu