Mining & Trade News

With Malawi seeking to diversify from its overdependence on tobacco as the major economic crop, cassava has come into the limelight as Salima based National Cassava Processors Association (NCPA) has scaled up production of cassava-based industrial and energy products targeting both the local and international markets.

Through its processing factory, NCPA, which was established in 2011, produces a wide range of products including High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF), Sauce, fire briquettes, and animal feeds, among others, from the tuber.

NCPA’s Marketing Representative Geoffrey Chikaonda said in an interview that the association is comprised of about 1,500 voluntary membership of local farmers and processors across the country.

Chikaonda said: “NCPA was established with support from Cassava: Adding Value for Africa (CAVA), which is coordinated by the Chemistry Department at Chancellor College and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).”

“The Association is owned and controlled by its members, cassava processors, who join on a voluntary basis with the objective of increasing income through the provision of value-adding services, and identifying and facilitating access to domestic and foreign markets for processed cassava products.”

NCPA also promotes structural changes at both a macro and micro level to create opportunities for processors to the wider benefit of Malawi’s cassava farmers.

The Association has managed to institutionalize its operations, establish internal operational structures including the executive, and facilitate the development of a draft strategic plan to guide its operations.

Chikaonda said: “This far, the Association also facilitated capacity building services to members with support from C:AVA, Food and Agriculture Association (FAO) and German Technical Cooperation (GIZ), which helped 17 processors to acquire machinery and 13 to initiate the process of procuring machinery.”

“We also coordinated networking and collaboration initiatives with stakeholders for provision of inputs such as clean cassava planting materials to farmers, and initiated the marketing of HQCF to MALDECO Fisheries.”

Chikaonda said NCPA envisions to be one of the major contributors to the Malawi economy through cassava value addition and processing.

NCPA conducted a market assessment which forecast potential growth in the medium and long term for its HQCF despite the current market for the product being narrow in the country.

The assessment estimated that the market could attain a six-fold increase from 40 MTs to 252 MTs of HQCF sold annually within the next few years.

“It was also found that there is significant unused processing capacity, so scaling up to meet this demand should be achievable. Currently, there are approximately 61 MTs of HQCF being produced annually, against a capacity of 869 MTs (representing a capacity utilization of 7%). This means that some NCPA processors, if properly supported, could increase production to meet the demand,” he said.

Chikaonda, however, lamented inadequate capital to capacitate processors to maintain and purchase the much needed machinery.

He said the association, therefore, intends to coordinate efforts with development partners, research institutions and supply chain stakeholders to ensure that members have access to affordable and up-to-date inputs and machinery.

“It is important for processors to have affordable and functioning inputs and technology in order to meet market demand and compete with international enterprises, therefore NCPA will provide support throughout the input purchasing process including communication, negotiations and potentially funding.

Local firm, the Foundation for Irrigation and Sustainable Development (FISD), says is implementing a new business model dubbed “Irrigation water supply initiative” which will involve selling of water for irrigation to farmers through advanced irrigation infrastructure.

FISD Marketing and Communications Manager Wezzie Benson Chiumia told Mining and Trade Review that FISD rolled up the programme to complement government’s efforts in promoting agriculture industrialization through supply of more efficient technologies to spearhead productivity in the sector.

Chiumia observed that there are many irrigation schemes that are farmer managed in Malawi and some are not in operating state due to both minor and major faults hence FISD intends to resuscitate these schemes by investing in already existing and even new ones with solar powered irrigation facilities.

“The initiative is a pilot project being implemented under Kaombe Irrigation Scheme in Nkhotakota district, and it is a business model whereby our company will be providing irrigation infrastructure to farmers using our own resources and we will take control over the management of these structures,” he said.

Chiumia said: “Tentatively the project seeks to supply farmers with water for their irrigation needs at an affordable fee, thus K12,500 per 0.1 hectare per season.”

“We came up with this price upon a proper gloss margin analysis with types of crops farmers tend to cultivate, and has been structured to carry away burdens by the farmers of having to monitor irrigation operations as we will be conducting those for them.”

The pilot project has received partial financing from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through the Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund (MICF)
In terms of project’s benchmarks, Chiumia disclosed that the company has managed to rehabilitate Kaombe Irrigation Scheme including installation of solar powered irrigation systems.

He said: “Specifically, we have managed to drill high yielding boreholes, installation of pumps and associated structures, and the rehabilitation of canals,”

“We mobilize farmers to work in the developed schemes through close collaboration with Water Users Association (WUA); as at first farmers are required to register with WUA before they are referred to a FISD technician responsible for the distribution of the water to paid-up farmers.”

FISD has also recently introduced floating irrigation pumps comprising of 24v DC floating pump and 275w solar module in its effort of promoting mechanization of agriculture practices by smallholder farmers.

Chiumia explained: “We have pumps for smallholder farmers which are mobile and flexible enough to ease mobility of farmers when commuting to and from their farmland, and they are effective as they have 275W solar module capacitating water flow of up to 11,500 litres per hour.”

“Times have changed with continued climate change so it is high time the country adopted irrigation farming on large scale to triple our agriculture earnings.”

The company has also a financing arm under FISD Finance for Agricultural Development which is registered with Reserve Bank of Malawi as a Micro Credit Agency providing loans for investments in Irrigated Agriculture.

FISD which started its operations in the country in 1985 is a revenue generating entity of the Foundation for Irrigation and Sustainable Development (FISD); a local NGO that was formed with an aim of spearheading Sustainable development and promoting the livelihood of the rural to complement Malawi Government’s efforts for the same.

FISD Ltd specializes in design and implementation of innovative irrigation, water supply engineering works, clean energy agribusiness and financing.

The Malawi Government is scouting for a strategic investor to construct the Beira-Nsanje oil pipeline based on the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) arrangement.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy Upile Kamoto explained that Government is failing to execute the proposed multi-million kwacha project, which has been on the cards for a long time, due to lack of funds.

Once completed the project is envisioned to aid in reducing landing costs of fuel into the country, apart from securing adequate fuel supplies.

Kamoto said; “The project is still on the cards. It seeks to construct a petroleum fuels transportation pipeline either from Beira to Nsanje or from Beira to Blantyre. Due to limited government finances, the preference is to engage a private company on Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) arrangement.”

“The project is envisaged to improve cost, safety and reliability of transportation of petroleum fuels and hence improve on fuel security in Malawi.”

She said currently the project is at a stage where the government is looking for funds to conduct feasibility studies including possibilities of securing an investor who will do all the feasibility studies and develop the project under BOOT arrangement.

Kamoto, however, said there are no tangible timelines for the project due to unavailability of funds
“Since there are no funds yet for feasibility studies and its development, no tangible timelines are there yet for the project and the project cost will only be arrived at when the full feasibility study has been carried out,” she said.

Currently, National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) has the capacity to keep 60 days of fuel for the country in its reserves with plans underway to increase to possibly 180 days.

Malawi hauls fuel imports from the ports of Nacala and Beira in Mozammbique and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania mainly through road transport.

Meanwhile, NOCMA is working on increasing fuel imports through rail, which is a cheaper means of transport compared to road haulage.

One of the local insurance firms in the country, General Alliance Insurance Limited says it is committed to work with different stakeholders in conserving environment through afforestation.

The company’s head of corporate affairs, Pamela Mazengela made the remarks during a tree planting exercise in Michiru Forest.

The campaign sponsored by General Alliance Insurance Limited, with 2,000 tree seedlings is promoted by Sustain Green Campaign.

According to Mazengela the 2,000 seedlings are an initial contribution for this year’s tree planting season. Other contributions are expected to be made to various stakeholders across the country.

She said; “We donated trees to sustain a green Malawi as part of our corporate social responsibility and giving back to the environment having realized the impact of carbon emissions from the vehicles we insurer has on the environment.”

“This is just a preamble as we plan to plant trees in Blantyre, Lilongwe Mzuzu and Zomba.”

In her remarks, Idah Mbalume who is a plantation manager at Michiru forest commended General Alliance for the gesture saying that it has complimented their efforts in restoring vegetative cover of the forest which has encountered several setbacks in previous years.

Mbalume said; “It is imperative that corporate entities like General Alliance are coming our way with these tree planting exercises which is very welcoming, as it helps us to save on labour costs since we have limited capacity to recruit more labourers to work on this forest.”

“As Michiru forest we intend to plant at least 20 thousand tree seedlings during this year’s tree planting season, and I would therefore urge other companies to emulate the good gesture portrayed by this insurance firm in giving back to environment.”

The Sustain Green Campaign which runs under hashtag #Plant4TheFuture initiative,  is comprised of 22 young people who found synergy on creating solutions for reforestation and their goal is to plant 1million trees across Malawi in areas highly affected with deforestation as well as creating awareness in primary schools by involving students to plant trees at the campus and in their homes.

The US$5 million Chintheche 5-Sstar hotel project by Countrywide Hotels & Resorts Limited, a subsidiary of Countrywide Group of Companies (CWG) seeks an investor to enter into a 70:30 rate joint venture partnership arrangement.

According to Mike Mlombwa, the CWG Group chairperson, the market feasibility study of the 400 square metres ecofriendly water and resort themed beachfront establishment situated along the northern shores of Lake Malawi shows a 30 percent Internal Rate of Return.

He said having already completed both the technical feasibility documents and technical designs, CWG is now waiting for an environmental impact assessment to be conducted.

 “We expect that activities at the hotel will yield spill over benefits to surrounding communities by providing a readily available market for their fishing and farming activities as well as promoting different value chains to do business and generate sustainable revenues from the hotel.

“The project aims at complimenting government efforts to ensure that tourism brings meaningful economic benefits to the people of the country,” he said.

Once completed, the hotel, which is expected to create over 200 jobs for Malawians, will have accommodation, conference facilities and various water sport activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, cruise boat rides among others.

Mlombwa said CWG is also constructing 3 other hotels in Blantyre with a 40-roomed 3-Star portfolio placed along Chirimba road near Chileka roundabout 5km away from Chileka airport.

CWG is an indigenous Malawian conglomerate which has been operating businesses in the country for over 20 years incepted with the group’s flagship Car hire business.

Malawi’s Food Balance Sheet (FBS) indicates that the country has enough food reserves for consumption and storage to last until the next harvest season.
Minister of Agriculture, Robin Lowe, has told the media that according to the FBS, the country’s food stocks, which stood at 1,693,997 as of December 2021, was enough to cover the 861 868 metric tonnes maize requirement for the 3 months (January to March 2022)
He explained that the total domestic surplus of 915 998 metric tonnes included stock under government custody as well as that being held by different stakeholders such as farmers and private traders.
“Out of the estimated surplus, the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) and ADMARC Limited had by December 2021 been holding about 265,253 metric tonnes,” he said.
Lowe parried away suggestions from other quarters that the country faces a food crisis saying that Malawi remains stable in terms of maize availability and market prices.
“Market prices have remained stable during the past three months and now as the country passes through the lean period,” he observed explaining that the decline in the current maize national average price to MK152.99 per kilogram for the month of December 2021 from MK200 per kilogram in December 2020, shows that the prices are stable despite an increase in the demand for maize.
Malawi’s maize prices have lately stabilized because of the Affordable Input Programme which subsidises cost of farm inputs like fertilisers.
Maize accounts for around two-thirds of all calories consumed in Malawi, which explains it high uptake under the subsidy programmes
Meanwhile, an IFPRI Monthly Maize Market Report for December shows a 4 percent increase in retail prices of maize in some areas since November 2021. The report explains that such an increase is a result of the commencement of the lean season when prices receive pressure from declining maize stocks.
But Lowe, while acknowledging that some areas across the country will experience food deficits, he said government was on high alert to implement necessary interventions
The districts include Chikwawa, Nsanje, Mangochi, Zomba, Lilongwe, Nkhotakota, Karonga and Nkhata Bay
The minister said government remained committed to responding to the food insecure areas through ensuring that affordable maize is distributed through relief programmes as well as through ADMARC.
Lowe further disclosed that government had already released about 17,000 metric tons of maize for distribution to the affected households as humanitarian food aid to compliment the stocks available at ADMARC depots.

Government has woken up to the increased proliferation of counterfeit and substandard fertilisers, which has robed poor farming families substantial investments intended for this years’ farming season.
Unscrupulous agrodealers are reported to have flooded the local agro-input retail market. especially in the central and southern regions of the country, with maliciously adulterated and counterfeit fertilisers
Reacting, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Erica Maganga, has warned government-accredited suppliers of fertilisers under the Affordable Input Programme (AIP) against duping farmers saying perpetrators will face the law.
“Some unscrupulous suppliers are selling AIP beneficiaries fertilizer mixed with sand or sand packed in bags. The malpractices constitute crimes within this country’s laws,” she said in a statement that went on to stress that the Malawi Police Service had already made some arrests and that government would be deregistering and banning suppliers involved in the malpractices.
She said the Ministry in collaboration with the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) have intensified tests to ascertain the quality of fertilizers being sold through AIP.
Maganga has also requested the general public, farmers and stakeholders to be vigilant and immediately report to the Ministry or nearest police when the authenticity of any AIP fertilizer is under question.
A toll free number- 3013, has been issued for both Airtel and TNM subscribers to use in reporting any suspicious activity in the process of distributing AIP.
Apart from selling counterfeit fertilizers, the absence of some private fertilizer suppliers on the market is also hampering progress of the AIP as quasi government ADMARC and SFFRFM remain the only reliable suppliers. The situation has resulted in long queues at available selling points.
Famers are further warned to desist from selling away their National ID cards, as this deprives them the opportunity to benefit from the AIP.
The current AIP was launched on October 16, 2021, by the State President, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera. It is expected to improve household and national food security and will directly benefit 3.7 million farmers.

Sycamore Credit Limited, one of Malawi’s fastest growing microfinance institutions, has earmarked the country’s Micro, Small Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) as a priority sector for its wide ranging credit facilities.

The company’s Managing Director, Audrey Mwala, said the business growth experienced in the past year has necessitated expansion of services to accommodate a diverse range of clients seeking reliable and affordable services.

“In 2021, we introduced a new package targeting micro enterprises that are involved in selling of day to day consumables including vegetables,” she stated explaining that the initiative was one of the company’s biggest strides in ensuring financial inclusion.

Despite being affected by client failure to timely settle loan repayment targets, Mwala, stressed that Sycamore Credit Limited will continue to counter some of the Covid-19 knock-on effects on MSME’s by being more innovative.

“The unstable business environment experienced by our clients due to the pandemic has negatively reflected back to us,” she said pointing out that her company intends to expand its group lending facility to ensure that SME’s needing credits are adequately assisted.

She said Sycamore Credit Limited has since secured a special credit facility through the private sector led Malawi Industrial and Agriculture Corporation (MAIIC), which will facilitate access to financial services for deserving SME’s who have formalized their enterprises.

Mwala appealed to SMEs to formalize their businesses to win support from different microfinance institutions because they lack proper identification.

Sycamore Credit Limited opened its doors for operations in 2018 when it started to provide credit solutions to salaried employees, MSME’s as well as informal businesses.

The Malawi Government through its investment and trade promotion and facilitation agency, Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) will on February 12, 2022 host an investment and trade forum at the ongoing World Expo in Dubai.

The forum aims at showcasing trade and investment opportunities and the attractiveness of the Malawi’s business climate to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) business community and other potential investors from other countries patronising the international trade fair in Dubai, MITC Director, Cindy Kibombwe, says in a press statement.

Kibombwe says the forum is part of the Government’s economic recovery plans to mitigate against the negative effects of the global novel coronavirus pandemic on the local economy.  

She explains that the forum will bring together policymakers, private business and financial sector players and other relevant stakeholders to discuss Malawi’s business and legal environment and ways of channelling investments into key sectors like agriculture, energy,infrastructure, ICT, agro-processing, tourism andmanufacturing among others.

“This Forum will provide a platform for us as a country to interact and collaborate with potential investors that share our vision in improving investment flows into Malawi as well as positioning our export products in international markets,” she points out.

The director challenges investors to come and explore the opportunities that the Malawi possesses.

The discussions at the forum is will largely focus on Malawi’s business environment; key investment and trade opportunities; exploring funding and financial potentials for potential projects; and networking opportunities.

About 30 Malawian firms expressed interest to participate at the expo which started in October, 2021 and expected to end in March, 2022.

MITC identifies develops and packages investment opportunities in Malawi as well as markets the country as a viable investment destination.

MITC is also a One-Stop Service Centre for business trade and investment start-ups in the country.