- Pyxus Agriculture Limited (PAM) has entered into a partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), securing $14.6 million in funding over five years.
- The collaboration aims to enhance PAM’s operational efficiency, reduce risk exposure, and promote sustainable agricultural development in Malawi.
- The partnership is expected to lead to the availability of high-quality, climate-adaptive groundnut seed varieties, boost groundnut production and processing, improve farmer livelihoods, and contribute to soil health improvements and clean energy utilisation in Malawi.
Pyxus Agriculture Limited (Malawi) (PAM), a subsidiary of the international agricultural company, Pyxus International, has announced a partnership deal with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Within the purview of this partnership, USAID will award PAM $14.6 million over the next five years, to ensure PAM’s optimal operational efficiency, and reduce its risk exposure as it continues agriculture development and sustainability actions in Malawi.
PAM provides support to farmers in Malawi, promoting sustainability practices and crop diversification efforts, while also creating value chain and emerging market opportunities for smallholder farmers.
This partnership was initiated at PAM’s industrial groundnut processing facility in Lilongwe, Malawi, which is also home to the company’s headquarters. It also aligns with Pyxus’ global environmental, social, and governance goals, which entail improving the legume seed production system in Malawi (particularly groundnut production), increasing access to high-quality crops, thereby increasing yields and income, and providing financing and ensuring market success.Â
PAM and USAID will strive for increased availability of high-quality, climate-adaptive groundnut seed varieties, boost groundnut production and processing, support improved farmer livelihood and reduce the deforestation rate in Malawi.
(Read also: AgWare and CamoAg Forge Strategic Partnership for Enhanced Agricultural Workflow Efficiency)
“Our company has a 30-year history of operating in Malawi and has one of the largest networks of smallholder farmers – most operating on two hectares of land or less – in the country. We have worked diligently to help our contracted farmers successfully grow and market high-quality, sustainable crops, thus improving the livelihood of the farmer(s), their families, their communities and the country as a whole,” said Pyxus President and CEO Pieter Sikkel.
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USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman, also spoke about the partnership, stating that it would accelerate opportunities for more sustainable, inclusive and resilient economic growth, as well as contribute to soil health improvements, utilisation of clean energy generated from recycled agricultural waste and increasing availability of nutritious food for the Malawian people.
PAM operation was founded in 2019 under Pyxus’ Value-Added Agricultural Products division. Having gained government support, they’ve commercialised five new legume seed varieties, cultivated and maintained more than 7,000 hectares of forestry, and unlocked additional income potential for over 20,000 smallholder farmers.
Pyxus International, Inc. has 150 years of experience delivering value-added products and services to businesses and customers. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are trusted providers of responsibly sourced, independently verified, sustainable, and traceable products and ingredients.Â
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