Agriculture Ministry signs MoU with seven mega farmers to revamp Dwambadzi Livestock Farm

* Allocated 5,000 hectares of land from a total of 6,100 hectares to the said farmers

* Each farmer has been allocated 500 hectares and above for their livestock management

Maravi Express

Ministry of Agriculture, through Mega Farm Unit, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with seven Mega Farmers to revamp Dwambadzi Farm to promote and enhance livestock farming.

A report on Malawi Government official Facebook page, says the farmers were selected from a pool of applicants who had responded to the Ministry’s advert for the privatisation of land in June 2022, to ensure high production in the livestock management sector.

At the signing ceremony held in Lilongwe, Controller for Agriculture Extension & Technical Services, Dr Alfred Mwenifumbo is quoted as saying the government has allocated 5,000 hectares of land from a total of 6,100 hectares to these farmers, in which each farmer has been allocated 500 hectares and above for their livestock management.

He said from this initiative, the country’s milk and meat production is expected to increase, adding: “Currently, Malawi produces 61 million litres of milk annually, and the Ministry hopes to increase this amount to 250 million litres.”

“By boosting milk and meat production through this initiative, these farmers can assist to maximise production in the livestock sector,” he said, adding that the Initiative aligns well with the agriculture, tourism and mining (ATM) strategy.

The ATM strategy aims to enhance livestock production in both local and foreign markets which will create job opportunities through milk and meat production processes and other livestock by-products.

Mwenifumbo further stressed that through export earnings, the country’s economy will be able to generate the needed forex revenue.

Representative of the farmers, Jonathan Kumwenda commended the government for initiating the first-ever livestock mega farm in the country, saying the move will improve the livelihoods of communities by creating job opportunities and other means of enhancement.

He also assured that the farmers will work alongside smallholders to ensure that they also benefit from this project. They are also engaged in negotiations with potential off-takers to secure markets both locally and abroad.

Additionally, Kumwenda revealed that the Middle East is one of the potential markets for goat meat, and the farmers will soon begin goat meat exports to the region — while emphasising the need for banks and financial institutions to invest in the project to ensure maximum productivity in the sector.

In April 2021, traditional leaders in Nkhotakota, Nkhata Bay and Mzimba districts alerted the government that they would continue encroaching Dwambazi Livestock Farm until it shares them part of the idle land for farm use.

Senior Group Village Head Katumbi Mbalale of Nkhotakota told the media that their subjects do not have land for farming yet government has several idle land.

It is reported that in 1971, Nkhotakota gave government thousands of hectares but now that the population has now grown tremendously, Senior Group Village Mbalale pleaded that their subjects needed land for farming.

Also quoted by the media was Group Village Head Tembo Nyaluwanga of Nkhata Bay who said there was need for a dialogue on how the idle land should be utilized as government was using only 400 of the 6,000 hectares of Dwambazi Farm, formerly owned by the defunct Malawi Young Pioneers agricultural training base.