Time to boost credit for women farmers, 80% of Mozambique’s agricultural workforce – govt

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Time to boost credit for women farmers, 80% of Mozambique’s agricultural workforce – govt

5:32 CAT | 27 Jan 2021

File photo: Voa Portugues

The Government of Mozambique accepts that that thousands of women farmers have been side-lined in the granting of agricultural credit for food production, and that this contributes to high rates of chronic malnutrition, especially in rural areas.

The director of Economic and Local Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Inês Cuambe, says that although women make up more than 80 percent of the workforce in the agricultural sector, they face many difficulties in accessing credit.

Cuambe said that taking into account the fundamental role of women in food production, the lack of credit makes women vulnerable in the production process.

Reaching the most needy

Cuambe points out that, although about 62 percent of households in Mozambique are female-headed, only about 15 percent of these have access to credit. This is the scenario that the SUSTENTA initiative wants to change.

Despite recognising that “SUSTENTA is an extremely important initiative for the Mozambican population, especially those in rural areas, where investment has been scarce”, sociologist João Colaço has reservations.

“It remains to be seen if the objectives of this project will, in fact, reach the most needy,” Colaço says.

Source: Voa Portugues