By Tiwonge Kampondeni

Karonga, July25 Mana: An Agro-processing company in Karonga, Homes Industries Limited has been awarded a grant of K101.9 million from the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) aimed at promoting agro-processing in the district. Speaking at the signing ceremony on Monday, Programme Coordinator for USADF in Malawi, Lynda Jere said they were excited to have granted Homes Industries Limited the funds with a focus on rice value addition. She appealed to Homes and Industries Limited to use the money with prudence saying experience has shown that grantees that use the funds prudently are able to achieve beyond the set goals. “We have seen that grantees that have used the resources well, were able to achieve their objectives and grew beyond the set targets. “We expect Homesand Industries Limitedto grow more and get their brand well known in supermarkets even beyond the borders of Malawi,” Jere said. She added that through the grant Homes Industries Limited was expected to provide training and a market to rice farmers, apart from constructing an infrastructure called a Community Reinvestment Grant.

Managing Director for Homes Industries Limited, Victoria Mwafulirwa said the grant would go a long way in promoting local farmers in Karonga. “We will be up to date as far as standards go and standards mean quality. Quality means more money and more money means more empowerment for a smallholder farmer,” she said. Mwafulirwa said empowering farmers was the gateway to economic activities that would result in growth. Agribusiness Officer for Karonga, Victoria Mhone said through the grant the district would be able to support the Malawi 2063 agenda pillar number 1 and 2 on Agriculture productivity and commercialization as well as industrialization.