Ghanaian-owned Renaissance wins K4.6bn FISP contract

A seed company recently snapped up by a Ghanaian firm is poised to land a K4.6 billion government maize seed contract, raising fresh interest in one of the biggest deals under Malawi’s flagship Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP).

The Ministry of Agriculture has announced its intention to award Renaissance Agriculture and Food Systems a contract worth K4.59 billion to supply 765 metric tonnes of maize seed under the 2026/27 FISP programme after the company emerged as the successful bidder for Lot 2 of the tender.

The development comes shortly after Ghana-based Legacy Crop Improvement Centre (LCIC) Limited completed its acquisition of Renaissance Seeds, a long-established player in Malawi’s seed industry.

LCIC hailed the takeover as a major step in its ambition to expand across Africa’s agricultural sector, describing Renaissance as a trusted seed brand with deep roots among Southern African smallholder farmers.

The acquisition gave the Ghanaian company immediate access to Renaissance’s distribution networks, technical expertise and established market presence in Malawi and the wider region.

Now, the newly acquired company is in line for one of the largest seed supply contracts under FISP, a programme through which government provides subsidised seed and fertiliser to smallholder farmers in an effort to boost food production and strengthen food security.

The proposed award was published in accordance with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act, with unsuccessful bidders given until 31 October 2026 to challenge the decision should they wish to do so.

The contract is likely to further strengthen Renaissance’s position in Malawi’s seed market and provide an early boost for its new Ghanaian owners as they seek to establish a stronger footprint in Southern Africa.