Keep Your Farm Growing: Lessons from the MSF Deal Room Event

Picture this: your mango or macadamia trees, heavy with fruit, a good harvest just around the corner. You remember the hard work it took to get here, and maybe the struggle to find the money to get started or expand. Well, there are new ways to get that support. Recently, at the Malawi Value Chains MSF Deal Room Event, farmers and those who can help them with financing got together. These partnerships can make a real difference, whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your farm. It's worth keeping an eye out for these opportunities.

Why You Need to Stay Ready for Financing?

1. 💸 Fuel Your Farm’s Growth

Mangoes and macadamia nuts are valuable crops that can transform your livelihood. But they require significant upfront investment for planting materials, irrigation and equipment. Financing enables you to cover these costs and unlock your farm’s true potential.

2. ⏳ Prepare for the Long Haul

Tree crops take years to mature and financing bridges the gap between planting and harvesting and the resultant cash in the bank. With the right funding, you can plant fast-growing cash crops to sustain your farm while waiting for long-term returns.

3. Stand Out to Financiers

The MSF Deal Room showed that commercial banks, development finance institutions and other investors are willing to invest in agriculture—but only when they see well-prepared farmers with solid plans. When you operate a well-run farm and be ready to showcase your farm’s potential, is the first step to standing out and have a warm introduction to pertinent investors

Peterson Nyasulu presenting on behalf of all macadamia’s mid-sized farmers at the Deal Room Event

4. 🚜 Invest in Innovation

Financing opens doors to modern farming practices, advanced equipment and value-added processing. These investments not only boost your profits but also make your farm more resilient to challenges like climate change through irrigation and market fluctuations through innovation and value addition.

5. 🤝 Build Lifelong Partnerships

Beyond funding, connections with financial institutions and investors provide valuable advice, mentorship and access to new markets. These partnerships can become the foundation of your farm’s success and a platform for further growth and scale.

What Can You Learn from the MSF Deal Room Event?

1. Well-Prepared Farmers Win

Farmers who came to the event with clear proposals and detailed business plans were able to secure meaningful conversations with financiers. Whether it’s a new farm or an expansion plan, preparation is everything. Also, well prepared farmers are able to confidently engage the FFIs and articulate the investment plans and the required financing including the suitable instruments.

2. Financiers are Interested

Banks and investors expressed growing interest in supporting agriculture, especially in crops with export potential like mangoes and macadamias. However, they need confidence in the projects they fund. The confidence is paraded through an agronomically sound farm, with proper business processes and the investor facing documentation.

Financial Institutions Connecting with Green Valley General Farming Farmer

3. 🤝 Training and Networking are Key

All farmers who pitched participated in MVC training sessions before the event might have found it easier to pitch their ideas and connect with the right financiers. Networking opportunities allowed farmers to learn from peers and industry experts.

How You Can Stay Ready for Financing Opportunities

1. 📄 Develop a Bankable Plan

Create a detailed proposal that includes financial projections, risk management strategies and your vision for growth. Even if you’re just starting out, show how your idea can succeed.

2. Understand Financial Products

Learn about the different types of financing—loans, equity, mezzanine, grants—and what each means for your farm. Know the terms, interest rates, repayment profile and collateral requirements.

3. 🌐 Network and Learn

Attend events, join farmer groups and stay informed about financing opportunities. Networking helps you learn from others’ successes and connect with the right partners.

4. 🎤 Sharpen Your Pitch

Practice presenting your farm’s story. Highlight your achievements, potential and how financing will help you grow. Be ready to answer questions and address concerns.

5. Be Sustainable

Investors value sustainability. Investors would not like to lose money, hence sustainability is measured through your projects ability to pay back the investment with the requisite return.

Inspiration for Upcoming Farmers

Whether you’re a seasoned farmer or just starting your mango or macadamia journey, the MVC MSF Deal Room Event prove that financing can change the fortunes of farm businesses and the lives of the stakeholders. Farmers who once struggled to expand are now thriving thanks to partnerships with financial institutions. This could be you. All it takes is preparation, persistence and the willingness to seize opportunities.

Your Next Steps

Don’t wait for the next event to start preparing. As long as you have 1000 trees of macadamia or mango, begin now. Work on your business plan, explore the MVC website for upcoming training programs and connect with farmer networks. Keep your goals clear and stay vigilant for opportunities to grow. The future of farming in Malawi is bright and it’s driven by farmers like you.

Your hard work deserves to be seen, supported and celebrated. Let’s keep moving forward together.