LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Mpatsa Holdings Limited and the Greenbelt Authority (GBA) signed a shareholding agreement to form a joint company through which the two parties will work together in implementing irrigation and livestock agriculture projects.
Signing the agreement on Tuesday, GBA Board Chairperson Counsel Wester Kosamu said this signifies the genesis of a long-mile journey that will see Malawians reap from the government’s investment.
“From this agreement, a new company named Mpatsa Greenbelt Mega Farm Limited will be born and into government will pump 40 percent and Mpatsa 60 percent of investment.
“This is a huge project which will create many jobs for Malawians while also contributing to the elimination of hunger in the country,” said Kosamu.
He added that the fact that the venture is involving a Malawian company is another plus as it gives assurance that the company will serve the interests of Malawians more.
According to the parties, the venture is one of its kind involving a local company with great capability of contributing to the drive to escalate agriculture commercialization and large-scale irrigation productivity.
The Mpatsa Greenbelt Mega Farm Limited is expected to champion the production of high-value crops at Khonjeni in Thyolo and cooking oil production which will be done at Namadzi in Zomba District.
In his remarks, Mpatsa Holdings Limited’s Chairman Jimmy Korea Mpatsa said the trust that the Malawi Government has given his firm is already a motivation for the company to deliver.
He said operations under the new company will primarily center around producing to end hunger and earn forex for the country through exports of farm produce.
Mpatsa further said on its own, his company could not get to the required production rates that the Mpatsa Greenbelt Mega Farm envisions to see, hence the need for a joint venture.
“We are a great combination because the Greenbelt Authority is bringing in a share into the capital of the company and their expertise in irrigation farming is needed for this venture.
“As we are business experts, we expect to see the partnership bring joy in Malawians’ hearts out of the project,” Mpatsa said.
Through the partnership, the company is expected to start growing winter maize at the 700 hectares mega farm in Khonjeni by August before an official launch of its work.
