By Leah Malimbasa

Chikwawa, December 17, Mana: Minister of Trade, Sosten Gwengwe has urged farmers under the Shire Valley Transformation Programme (SVTP) to prioritize value addition to their agricultural products to increase profitability and empower themselves economically through exports. 

Speaking during an interaction with farmers on Monday, Gwengwe noted the potential for local farmers to compete internationally by processing their produce. 

“We should only import things we cannot produce locally. Products like peanut butter, for instance, can easily be made here with the right expertise and machinery. Our farmers can and should take advantage of these opportunities,” said Gwengwe. 

According to Agriculture Commercialization Specialist, Adrian Masebo, the initiative aimed at transforming farming practices through irrigation and commercialization. 

“For construction, we have completed 36.5 kilometers of the planned 52 kilometers of the main canal, translating to 70% progress. The overall goal is to irrigate 43,370 hectares of land, with 10,656 hectares designated for the 13 cooperatives in Phase 1. By June 2025, three cooperatives are expected to start utilizing water from the canal,” Masebo said. 

The programme has also established 15 cooperatives, 13 focused on crop production and two on livestock comprising 16,175 members. These cooperatives are registered with the Ministry of Trade. 

Chairperson for Mwanaalirenji Cooperative, Robert Makion expressed optimism about the programme’s potential to transform the livelihoods of farmers.

“We are banking our hope on the SVTP to develop economically. We have received training on value addition and in the future, we plan to start processing our produce to fetch higher prices as advised by the minister,” said Makion.

Once fully operational, the SVTP is expected to benefit 48,400 farming households, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and enabling farmers to access lucrative markets.