The district of Gorongosa, in Sofala province, is projecting a harvest of 608,000 tonnes of various crops during the 2025-26 agricultural season, to be cultivated across 135,000 hectares. Despite the scale of the forecast, the figure represents a 4.5% decline from the previous season, reflecting the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity, according to the Mozambique Information Agency (AIM).
The projection was announced by district administrator Pedro Mussengue, who noted that Gorongosa achieved a total output of 635,000 tonnes in the prior campaign. He said that result would be difficult to replicate this year given irregular rainfall patterns and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
Mussengue identified the district’s principal crops as maize, beans, sorghum, vegetables, sesame, and soya. These commodities play a central role in ensuring food security and generating household income for farming families in the district.
Despite the anticipated decline in overall production, the cultivated area is expected to record a marginal increase, rising from 134,902 to 134,918 hectares. Support metrics also improved, with the number of farmers receiving assistance climbing from 8,762 to 10,640 in the current campaign.
Seed availability showed notable improvement, increasing from 91.7 to 148.6 tonnes. In contrast, the number of production plots declined, falling from 428 to 345.
In the area of agricultural mechanisation, Gorongosa exceeded its targets. The area prepared using machinery reached 7,164 hectares, surpassing the planned 4,080 hectares and representing a 50.4% increase over the 4,762 hectares prepared during the same period in the previous season. A total of 3,017 farmers benefited from mechanised land preparation.
To sustain this progress, the district currently operates a fleet of 34 tractors equipped with the necessary agricultural implements. Administrator Mussengue also highlighted advances made through the implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process.
According to Mussengue, the Programme for the Promotion of Peace, Reconciliation and Social Cohesion (ProPaz) has contributed to strengthening community relations by integrating former Renamo members into local governance structures and decision-making processes. “The district of Gorongosa is in a period of strong development,” he concluded.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/07/14/negocios/agronegocios/sofala-gorongosa-preve-producao-agricola-de-608-mil-toneladas/
