Sovereign Metals’ expanded farming program boosts Malawi crop yields fourfold

Sovereign Metals Ltd (ASX:SVM, OTC:SVMLF, AIM:SVML) has reported strong results from its 2025 Conservation Farming Program in Malawi, with participating farmers recording average maize crop yields four times higher than those achieved through traditional methods. The program, designed to support communities near the company’s Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project, saw its top performer increase yields by a remarkable 10 times.

This year’s initiative expanded significantly, growing from an initial 90 participants to 350 local smallholder farmers — half of whom are women — demonstrating strong community uptake and the potential for scalable impact. According to the company, participating households are now producing enough to meet their food needs and generate surplus for sale, enabling investments in home upgrades and small businesses.

Conservation farming vs. conventional farming methods

“The success of our Conservation Farming Program near Kasiya demonstrates a scalable solution to food insecurity and otherwise perpetual land degradation in Malawi,” said Sovereign managing director and CEO Frank Eagar.

“By restoring soil health and significantly improving yields, the program promotes lasting self-reliance for local communities. It also reflects our broader commitment to sustainable development and responsible investment in Malawi’s future — where environmental stewardship, social impact and economic progress go hand in hand.”

A cornerstone of ESG strategy

Launched in 2024, the Conservation Farming Program is a key element of Sovereign’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy, developed in parallel with its Kasiya project — the world’s largest rutile deposit and second-largest flake graphite resource. The company’s goal is to demonstrate responsible development through community-led agriculture, health and education initiatives.

Conservation farming practices include permaculture techniques such as minimal tillage, crop rotation, mulching and composting. These regenerative methods help combat soil erosion and degradation, long-standing issues in Malawi’s predominantly subsistence-farming economy. Farmers are also trained under the program’s philosophy of working “on-time, to standard, no wastage, with joy”.

Sovereign's Program Results with fourfold yield

Results from the inaugural season, despite being impacted by an El Niño-driven drought, saw yields triple compared with traditional farming. With the expanded 2025 program now showing even greater productivity, Sovereign says these outcomes will inform its definitive feasibility study for Kasiya’s mine closure and rehabilitation planning.

Collaborative development with global partners

The program complements Sovereign’s broader sustainability initiatives, including a collaboration with US-based impact firm The Palladium Group. Through this partnership, Sovereign is delivering improved agricultural inputs, training and financial support to help integrate local farmers into high-growth agricultural value chains.

Sovereign has also demonstrated responsible land use through rehabilitation trials, including the rapid backfilling and restoration of a 170,000 cubic metre test pit. This effort enabled farmers to resume crop cultivation without missing a planting season, further reinforcing community trust and the project's long-term viability.

With its Conservation Farming Program continuing to outperform expectations, Sovereign aims to scale its reach and further embed sustainable agriculture into the Kasiya Project’s development framework — highlighting its potential to deliver not just mineral wealth, but lasting value for Malawi’s communities.