By Brighton Tchongwe
Farmers in Kasiya are poised for an enormous increase in maize yields this season, following a four-fold rise in crop performance last year.
This success is attributed to a pioneering mining and land rehabilitation program being implemented by Sovereign Services.
The company recently announced the successful rehabilitation of its Kasiya test pit site under a pilot phase of its rutile-graphite project, cementing its commitment to responsible mining and land rehabilitation practices.
Frank Eagar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sovereign Services, during our visit to Kasiya said that the rehabilitation program involved a comprehensive five-step process, including applying lime to improve soil pH levels, introducing carbon and essential nutrients, grading, ripping, and discing, followed by the planting of rehabilitation crops and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
Eagar noted that all soil remediation and planting activities were conducted by hand, utilizing a grader and tractor for soil preparation.
According to Eager, local landowners were engaged to collaborate on soil remediation and planting, allowing them to gain firsthand experience and knowledge about rehabilitation efforts.
To ensure optimal yields in 2025, Sovereign is working closely with landowners to promote Conservation Farming techniques while testing various rehabilitation crops.
This includes intercropping giant bamboo with maize, which will be retained by the landowners.
“The empirical data collected from these trials will directly inform our Definitive Feasibility Study designs for livelihood restoration, mine closure, and land rehabilitation. This achievement reflects our commitment to responsible mining practices and our dedication to collaborating with local communities,” said Eagar.
He further explained, “This mining trial exemplifies Sovereign’s commitment to responsible mining. The successful return of farmers to their land within such a short period—without missing a single planting season after mining and backfilling 170,000 m³—is an outstanding outcome. This demonstration of responsible mining and land rehabilitation will strengthen our positive community relationships.”
The rehabilitation program following the test mining trial has transformed the site into productive agricultural land, with local farmers already planting and cultivating crops. Soil remediation work was completed in December 2024, allowing landowners to access the site between December 2024 and January 2025 to plant and cultivate crops without missing a planting season.
Eagar added, “A total of 36 farmers were directly affected by the mining trial. These farmers received compensation for one season’s worth of lost crops due to the disturbance, along with job opportunities created by the trial. They also received support for conservation farming on unaffected farmland, ongoing engagement from our Community Liaison Officers, access to an operational grievance mechanism, and the chance to plant crops on rehabilitated land. Compensation for disturbances will continue into the second year while we monitor the soil remediation trials.”
Vulnerable farmers within this group were identified and further assisted through a low-intensity vegetable farming program and food assistance.
Sovereign also recruited community road traffic safety agents during the mining trial and collaborated with local schools to ensure the safety of children and pedestrians amidst increased traffic in the area.
Under Sovereign’s Conservation Farming program, which began in the 2023 planting season, participation grew from 90 farmers to 350 for the upcoming season. Early indications suggest that the second season may exceed the 300 percent yield increase achieved in the program’s first year.
Sovereign is committed to ensuring that all mined-out land is appropriately rehabilitated to support sustainable farming practices after closure. As part of the pilot phase, the company has constructed small rehabilitation demonstration pits to showcase ongoing rehabilitation processes.
Sovereign Services is the Malawi operation of Sovereign Metals Limited, focused on developing its Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project to become a leading global supplier to the titanium and graphite industries.
Kasiya is home to the world’s largest natural rutile deposit—the purest, highest-grade naturally occurring titanium feedstock—and the second-largest flake graphite deposit, a critical battery mineral essential for the energy transition.
