Gift of the Givers Foundation in partnership with Takamoto Oil Company and Itochu Corporation has launched the construction of a warehouse at group village head Chamanga in Chikwawa District to promote agriculture commercialisation.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, the foundation’s country manager Sherifa Mia said they decided to support sesame farmers to go commercial.
She said: “We are implementing this project with two companies which buy sesame from Malawi and other African countries. They saw that sesame from Malawi is of good quality, therefore, we want to encourage farmers to grow more sesame.
“We will also train the farmers how to take care of sesame to fetch good prices.”
Mia said sesame farmers have for many years not benefitted from their crop because vendors have been buying it at a low price.
“Therefore, organising the farmers into cooperatives will help them to negotiate for better prices as a group,” she said.
Itochu Corporation deputy manager Masahiro Shiraishi said they partnered Gift of the Givers because of the high quality and volume of sesame the area produces.
Chamanga Village Agriculture Stakeholder panel chairperson Tamani Mkuzi thanked the foundation for the gesture, saying the project will help improve the lives of 3687 sesame farmers in the area.
He, however, said many farmers are struggling with pests that are destroying the crop and appealed to well-wishers to support them with pesticides.
Mkuzi urged other farmers in Chikwawa not to give up growing the crop due to low prices, saying the new project will make them realise more income.
The project will cost K130 million and the construction is expected to be completed by October 2024 while the project will end in May 2025
