Plantations, legumes rank highly in Mega-farm project
A study into the Mega farms project has revealed that plantations and legumes rank highly on the list of preferred crops earmarked for the multi-billion kwacha government-backed initiative.
An independent agricultural policy think tank Mwapata Institute carried out the research whose results were presented during a round table discussion on mega farms in Lilongwe on Wednesday.
The event drew together civil society, government and private sector representatives who deliberated on how best to implement the project.
The study results, which came out of interactions with key stakeholders such as farmers and agri-experts, showed that the preferred crops in the plantations category are sugarcane, tea and coffee while legumes, included peas and beans.
Edible nuts, specifically macadamia, are ranked third while oil seeds—sunflower, soybeans and groundnuts—are fourth. Maize, the country’s main staple food, is fifth alongside livestock and horticulture crops; onion, ginger and garlic.
The research titled ‘Mega farms: Lessons from regional experiences and national experts’ puts the newly-adopted industrial hemp sixth, a step below the least preferred rice, aquaculture and paprika.
Mwapata Institute executive director William Chadza said the choice of crops showed that there is a strong will for the country to reduce imports and enhance exports.
“Some of the products that we import, such as cooking oil, are made from some of those. Those in the plantations category are on demand both locally and on the export market,” he said.
For the project to succeed, the research has recommended promotion of good agricultural production practices, tailored extension services and conducive marketing and trade policies.
In June this year, President Lazarus Chakwera instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to roll out the mega-farms project within six months.
The project aims at establishing large-scale production units in one place with the ability to integrate able surrounding smallholder farmers in an out-grower system which is anchored on a large-scale production unit.
The farms are expected to create jobs as well as increase production and productivity within the crop and livestock value chains and strengthen access to both local and international markets
In an interview on the sidelines of the round table discussion, controller of agricultural extension and technical services in the Ministry of Agriculture Alfred Mwenifumbo expressed optimism that they will meet the deadline set by the president.
“We are in process of bidding and by the end of this month we should be able to identify operators of these farms. Thereafter we will be flying and not running in order to achieve what we are expected to do,” he said.
Through the project, the government will be facilitating procurement of machinery and equipment, construction of access roads, linking farms to public utilities such as water and electricity, provision of matching grants and loans and construction of storage and agro-processing facilities.
