The 2023/2024 agricultural season faces unprecedented challenges in Maputo province, where severe flooding has jeopardised vast swathes of arable land. The Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Food Security (DPASAM) recently confirmed the loss of 28,000 hectares of agricultural production, while an additional 51,000 hectares were completely submerged, leading to the loss of 38,000 units of agricultural products, according to the newspaper O País.
The magnitude of this natural disaster has prompted an emergency recovery plan, with efforts focused on assisting small farmers and rehabilitating the fields. Mariamo José, director of DPASAM, said: “The preliminary data reveals a devastating panorama, intensified by the drought and the El Niño phenomenon. There is little hope, with the first agricultural season considered lost.”
With the southern region of the country already facing a critical food situation since 2018, the impact of the floods could considerably worsen food insecurity.
Reports from the United Nations warn that between October 2023 and March 2024, approximately 3.3 million Mozambicans faced acute levels of food insecurity, including 220,000 individuals in a state of emergency.
The Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Food Security is now turning its attention to safeguarding the second agricultural season, in a race against time to mitigate the consequences of this natural disaster and strengthen the region’s resilience.