Maputo — The Mozambican government is planning to reach, in the next 10 years, 80 per cent self-sufficiency in the production of basic food products.
According to Acubar Batista, the Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry, speaking at a meeting on "Cultivating the Future: Innovation, Technology and Governance in Agriculture', held in Maputo, reducing external dependence on essential foods requires a more modern, resilient agriculture focused on measurable results.
"Our vision is ambitious, but it is necessary to build a resilient, inclusive, and competitive agricultural sector capable of ensuring food sovereignty and driving sustainable economic growth', he said.
He explained that the country's agriculture needs transformation as it is one of the main drivers of economic growth, food security, and social inclusion.
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"The 80 per cent target emerges in a context where Mozambique continues to face structural challenges such as low productivity, limited access to financing, fragile supply chains, and strong exposure to climate shocks', he said.
Nevertheless, Batista understands that these constraints can be converted into opportunities for transformation.
In addition to food self-sufficiency, the government has established other strategic objectives for the next decade, including the annual production of 400,000 tonnes of fish in aquaculture, the recovery of one million hectares of forests and the creation of an equal area in commercial forest plantations.
The government also intends to reduce chronic child malnutrition to less than 20 per cent, but "goals alone do not transform realities. Change lies in concrete actions', Batista said.
"We need to strengthen seed production, expand irrigation, improve logistics, digitize agricultural services, and increase financial inclusion through subsidized credit and incentives for private investment', he said.
The meeting, which was organized by a Spanish NGO, brought together the government, academia, the private sector and international cooperation partners to discuss solutions applicable to the future of Mozambican agriculture.
