ASX- and Aim-listed titanium and graphite miner Sovereign Metals has commissioned a conservation farming programme, in Malawi, as part of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) obligation in developing its tier-one Kasiya rutile/graphite project.
Supporting local communities in addressing their social priorities is a core principle of Sovereign’s ESG strategy as the company advances the development of Kasiya.
The programme is being implemented by the company’s experienced team on the ground, which previously ran a successful initiative for copper miner First Quantum Minerals’ (FQM's) Zambian operations where its conservation farming programme has been effectively operating since 2010.
Between 2020 and 2022, harvest crops increased by 67% from 6 000 t to 10 000 t of maize, with over 7 000 farmers in the programme at the end of 2022.
Malawi’s food security depends on maize as the major staple food crop in the country, with 60% of cropped land devoted to its production.
Hence, Sovereign has commissioned the initial Program for 90 Malawian maize farmers from within the project area, of which at least 50% are female.
The programme aims to provide training in low-input-cost, high-yield sustainable farming techniques, with the aim to provide a platform for the farmers to increase yield and productivity, thereby helping to reduce malnutrition and poverty.
As part of the programme, local farmers will be trained in sustainable farming techniques to increase maize crop yield, protect soil from erosion and degradation, and improve long-term food security.
Sovereign’s owner’s team has previously implemented this programme at FQM’s Zambian operations where over 7 000 farmers were participating in the programme by 2022.