The Director of Economic Affairs of the Sub-regional Section of Initiatives at the United Nations Office for Southern Africa, Bineswaree Bolaky, has challenged Mozambican farms to increase production and improve quality in order to compete on an equal footing in the African agricultural market.
Bolaky was speaking on Friday (24-03) on the second and last day of the National Consultative Meeting and Sensitization Seminar on the African National Strategy for the Continental Free Trade Area of the Republic of Mozambique, an event that took place in Maputo.
Bolaky highlighted greater competitiveness and better-quality goods as the secret to making an impact on the continent.
“The biggest challenge is the entry of Mozambican farms into the African market. But for that to happen, Mozambican farms need to be more competitive, and produce more goods, of better quality, at low prices,” she stressed.
According to Bolaky, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is an opportunity for Mozambique to diversify its economy, accelerate industrialization and connect farms to the market.
For this to happen, she explained, the government and the Mozambican private sector must work hand in hand to create a more favorable business environment in the country.
In a brief interview with AIM, Bolaky revealed that among the immediate gains of Mozambique’s accession to the AfCFTA were greater commercial connectivity and job creation.
“Calculations made so far indicate that Mozambique and other African countries will benefit in terms of trade, employment and well-being, among others,” Bolaky said.
AIM