The government acknowledged that limitations in access roads and the logistics system continue to hinder the realization of Niassa Province’s agricultural potential, despite the existing capacity to supply national and regional markets.
According to the Agência de Informação de Moçambique (AIM), the issue was addressed during a meeting between Agriculture Minister Roberto Mito Albino and representatives of the province’s private sector, during which they analyzed the main challenges hindering the transformation of agricultural production into a value chain capable of generating higher incomes and attracting new investments.
Alberto Soares, a representative of the Niassa Provincial Business Council, stated that the province already has a significant production base, comprising family farmers, commercial producers, and companies capable of supplying products to Mozambican and regional markets.
According to Soares, Niassa has already managed to supply Malawi, Tanzania, and other regions of Mozambique with corn and beans, but the lack of roads in good condition continues to hinder the sector’s growth. “We have already managed to supply Malawi and Tanzania, as well as other markets and Mozambique, with corn and beans. But there is one crucial factor that the government must address: road infrastructure,” he said.
Alberto Soares explained that much of agricultural production takes place in rural areas, where local roads play a crucial role in connecting producers, buyers, and marketing centers. “These roads are impassable, which means we will continue to face problems related to prices, product shortages, and other difficulties,” he said.
For the private sector, improving access roads could stimulate economic growth, facilitate the movement of goods, expand transportation services, and increase the purchasing power for agricultural produce. “Production is already underway. If I can produce on two or four hectares today and have a suitable road and a market to sell my products, the transport operator will be able to buy another truck the following year and then another one. That’s how you build a value chain,” he explained.
For his part, Minister Roberto Mito Albino acknowledged that logistics is a key element in realizing the ambition to transform Niassa Province into a national agricultural hub.
The minister stated that the government intends to work directly with local economic actors, as it believes they have a better understanding of the province’s main challenges and opportunities. “We didn’t want to do this without first talking to business leaders. You are the ones on the ground every day and know Niassa better than we do. You understand the challenges and can help us set priorities,” he said.
According to the minister, Niassa’s agricultural development strategy is structured around three main areas: strengthening family farming, promoting commercial production, and supporting export-oriented producers. In the export sector, Roberto Mito Albino identified macadamia nuts, cashews, eucalyptus, sesame, soybeans, and Boer beans as crops with potential for expansion.
The minister also highlighted the importance of creating production clusters involving cooperatives, companies, and young entrepreneurs, with a view to increasing production scale and facilitating the link between producers and markets. “Young people can come together, form a company, and operate within a production cluster. That is the way forward,” he stated.
The minister also advocated for the revitalization of agricultural training centers to strengthen the capabilities of producers and technicians in the areas of mechanization, irrigation, and production. “There can be no agricultural transformation without qualified people,” he concluded.
