Mozambique mobilising funds to boost agriculture – Finmin

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Mozambique mobilising funds to boost agriculture – Finmin

10:49 CAT | 15 Jun 2017

Notícias

The Mozambican government is mobilising financial resources to boost agricultural production, with the emphasis on rehabilitating irrigation systems, agrarian mechanisation and the production of quality seeds.

The government will channel US$300 million over the coming years through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MASA) to be applied to the rehabilitation of the means of agricultural production and productivity.

The news was announced yesterday in Maputo by the Minister of Economy and Finance Adriano Maleiane, during a visit to learn about the implementation of the Action Plan for Agricultural and Fisheries Production (PAPAP).

Maleiane, who was accompanied by the Minister of Combatants, Eusébio Lambo, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Ana Flávia Azinheira and the Governor of Maputo, Iolanda Cintura, visited associations of farmers, chicken producers and the Values Aggregation Centre in KaMavota Municipal District.

“We have selected areas to focus more efforts in terms of inputs and investment. These are agriculture, infrastructure, tourism and energy. In agriculture alone, our survey suggests US$300 million more or less is urgently needed to boost production,” Maleiane said.

The government is mobilising funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other partners supporting the agriculture and food security sector to rehabilitate these factors and make them available to producers.

“US$300 million is urgently needed over the next two to three years because we need to rehabilitate irrigation systems, implement a mechanisation program and produce quality seeds. Everything depends on that,” he said.

Regarding agricultural production in the country’s capital, the official said he had a positive impression, especially considering the production achieved in the first quarter of this year in vegetables, poultry and fish farming.

“Actions being taken, especially in the area of horticultural production, like reorganisation and support to producers, signals that things will go very well. Even in the area of poultry, mapping has been done to identify who the producers are and the type of assistance that is being given. Everything points to goals being met,” he said.

In the production of vegetables, the city of Maputo has the goal of producing 103,000 tons and in the first quarter managed to bring to market 14,000 tons, a positive achievement considering that the vegetables have better productivity later in the year.

Poultry is expected to produce 3,800 tons and so far 500 tons have been produced. Projection suggest quantities will be within the programmed. In fish farming, where 7,000 tons are expected, 70 tons had been exported to neighbouring South Africa in the first quarter.

Source: Notícias