4 November 2008
Manguiza — The Mozal Community Development Association, set up by the Mozal aluminium smelter, on Monday handed over an expanded irrigation system to the farmers of Manguiza, in Boane district, some 40 kilometres west of Maputo.
This scheme can now irrigate 18 hectares, compared with the previous capacity of only nine hectares. The work was funded by Mozal at a cost of two million meticais (about 80,000 US dollars).
During a ceremony to inaugurate the expanded infrastructure, the patron of the Mozal Association, Edna Namitete, explained that besides purchasing the necessary equipment and installing it, the project also includes a topography study.
"It includes training of the farmers' association in the adequate development of agriculture using irrigation systems", she said. "We have provided them with agricultural inputs necessary for production and auxiliary equipment, such as sprayers, hoes, and boots".
For her part, Maputo provincial governor Telmina Pereira stressed that there is no longer any reason for the land to remain idle during part of the year, because the irrigation system will create conditions for the farmers to produce all year round.
Pereira urged the farmers to work harder to increase production and productivity, contribute to higher incomes and improve their own lives.
"We must increase not only the cultivated areas, but also our productivity, to supply other markets, including Maputo city, with agricultural products at an accessible price", she said.
The chairperson of the Manguiza Farmers Association, Daniel Silva, explained that with an expanded capacity, this system will now benefit 64 members, while before expansion, only 32 people were benefiting.
Local farmers produce maize, beans, tomatoes, and vegetables such as cabbage, onions, and peppers.
Building irrigation systems is one of the major challenges facing the Maputo provincial government, taking into account that the province suffers from cyclical droughts. Drought is currently affecting seriously the districts of Magude, Matutuine, Moamba, and Namaacha. The total capacity of irrigation systems in the entire province is estimated at 2,000 hectares.
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