The government has defined industrial and digital agriculture as a central pillar of its new strategy to increase agricultural income, promote sustainable production, protect the environment, and integrate smallholders into value chains, within the framework of sector modernization and the adoption of new technologies, reported the Mozambican News Agency.
According to the agency, this orientation was reaffirmed on Thursday (February 5) in Dubai by the Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Fisheries, Roberto Albino, on the sidelines of a session dedicated to the future of energy and industry.
The minister stated that the choice of market-oriented, private sector-led agriculture does not exclude smallholders; on the contrary, it aims to integrate them into a more efficient and inclusive economic model. “We are saying that small farmers, small producers, should be integrated to increase their income and contribute to the country’s overall growth,” he said.
Roberto Albino rejected the idea that agricultural industrialization poses a threat to the environment, arguing that, when well planned, it can have a positive impact. “Currently, to increase global production, we rely on expanding cultivated areas, which leads to deforestation because yields per hectare are low. Industrialization allows us to produce more in a smaller space, with less environmental impact,” he explained.
As an example, he highlighted the Mapai Dam project in Gaza province, emphasizing that the infrastructure will enable high levels of agricultural production concentrated in a small area. “With 200,000 hectares of irrigable land, we can achieve production that today requires about one million hectares with low productivity levels,” he stressed, adding that the dam will also impact flood control, energy production, and environmental protection of the Limpopo basin.
In the area of technological innovation, the minister emphasized the government’s commitment to modern agricultural solutions, including conservation practices, rational use of inputs, and technologies that do not rely on fossil-based products harmful to the environment. “It is possible to industrialize agriculture in an environmentally friendly way. That is our approach,” he assured.
Regarding digitalization, Roberto Albino noted that Mozambique cannot be left behind in global trends associated with new technologies and artificial intelligence. “The world is becoming digital, and Mozambique must become digital,” he said, recalling the creation of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation as a clear sign of this government orientation.
In the agricultural sector, he explained that digitalization is essential to integrate smallholders into value chains, facilitate access to credit, and increase transparency in processes. “If we have digital platforms, we can identify who the producer is, where they are, and what they produce. This makes processes more accountable and gives confidence to financiers,” he added, noting that banks will better understand the agricultural sector.
The minister also highlighted the growing use of drones and other technologies in production processes, emphasizing gains in efficiency, safety, and attractiveness for young people. “Young people quickly learn to use these technologies. Agriculture must be modern, attractive, and income-generating,” he argued.
Addressing the impacts of recent floods in the southern and central regions of the country, Roberto Albino reiterated the need to invest in water infrastructure, again pointing to the Mapai Dam as a national priority. “If the Mapai Dam had been built, it would not have completely prevented the floods, but it would have significantly reduced their impact,” he said.
The minister explained that the government is working in a coordinated manner across the agriculture, public works, and energy sectors, in an integrated project that links water, energy, food security, and environmental safety. “The Limpopo is out of control. All the rainwater from local areas and neighboring inland countries flows directly to the lowlands of Limpopo and Chókwè. That is why the Mapai Dam is a national priority,” he concluded.
The session also included the participation of the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Gerd Müller.
Source: Diário Económico
