The Mozambican government has approved a new regulation reserving cooperatives a quota of up to 30% of annual public procurement, particularly for the supply of locally and community-produced goods and services, in a move designed to strengthen the role of these organisations in the national economy.
According to Lusa, the provision is contained in the regulation of the General Law on Cooperatives, approved in July, which operationalises legislation that has been in force since 2009 and introduces new mechanisms for the protection, prioritisation, and market access of legally constituted cooperatives.
Beyond the public procurement quota, the regulation provides for a participation of up to 15% in exclusive contracting for the supply of food goods to large public and private projects operating under active investment contracts. The practical application of these quotas is to be subsequently regulated by the ministries of Economy, Finance, Agriculture, and Fisheries, which will be responsible for defining implementation and monitoring mechanisms.
The new framework also establishes activities reserved exclusively for cooperatives, including the exclusive right to operate as tourist guides in National Parks, Conservation Areas, and Environmental Reserves, as provided for under environmental and tourism legislation. Cooperatives will also gain exclusive participation in community co-management and access to a share of resources derived from corporate social responsibility activities by companies operating in their respective areas.
The regulation additionally grants cooperatives priority access to primary markets for agricultural, mineral, and financial products, within annual limits to be set at a later stage by the government. Reserved activities also include the local sale of products intended for food fortification, provided applicable health standards are met, as well as the operation of rural micro-scale industrial activities, with particular emphasis on agro-processing and artisanal processing.
The regulation further introduces administrative facilitation measures, including simplified access to economic licensing — in some cases through mere notification — preferential access to public financing lines and donor resources, and priority service at government offices linked to economic activity.
These measures form part of the National Cooperative Development Programme 2026–2046, approved by the Council of Ministers in July, which envisages the formalisation of 10,000 cooperatives, the integration of 1.5 million informal operators, and the creation of 500,000 direct and indirect jobs over the next two decades.
Through this programme, the government also aims to increase local processing of agricultural, fisheries, forestry, and mining output, strengthen cooperative participation in the supply chains of major national projects, and expand their contribution to exports and gross domestic product.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/08/19/negocios/executivo-criou-quota-de-30-nas-compras-publicas-para-cooperativas/
