Seed Production

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Afri-Seed Limited is a limited liability company incorporated under the Companies Act in Malawi. Its business model is to employ rural women for seed production. The organization’s goal is to combine traditional farming methods, irrigation farming and mobile technology to improve the efficiency and quality of legume seed yields. Afri-Seed provides the agri-inputs, access to contract commodity buyers, extension services, grading services, packaging services, and farm mechanization to sustainably achieve its goals.

Afri-Seed is a growing company with huge potential, given the fact that 90% of Malawi’s economic activities are linked to agriculture. Currently, annual turnover is more than USD 2 million. Activities cover soya and groundnut seed production, packaging, hiring out farming equipment and seed marketing. There is huge demand for these products on the local, regional and extra-regional markets. The company has developed pigeon peas on 1,000 Ha (community-based) for export.

The proposed investment will be used for buying breeder seeds and all required farm inputs, purchasing farm and irrigation equipment, constructing warehouses for seed storage and setting up distribution points across the country, as well as purchasing packaging equipment.

PROJECT LOCATION:

At present, Afri-Seed is active mostly in the east of Malawi, and parts of the Central Region, but it has the potential to extend to the northern and southern regions.

LEAD AGENCY/ PROJECT PROMOTER:

Afri-Seed Limited

CURRENT STATUS/ STAGE OF PROJECT:

Operational

ACTIONS REQUIRED/ IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS/ CONTRACT TYPE:

An equity or financial partner

AVAILABILITY OF PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDIES, FEASIBILITY STUDIES, AND OTHER STUDIES:

A feasibility study report is available.

ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROJECT:

The project is estimated at USD 5 million to enable cost-effective sustainable operations.