The National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD) in Niassa province in northern Mozambique needs approximately 56.7 million meticals to implement the contingency plan for the 2024-25 rainy and cyclone season. During this period, it is estimated that at least 30,400 people will be affected in the districts of Cuamba, Mavago, Mandimba, Mecanhelas, Metarica and Mecula.
According to the newspaper Noticias, the INGD provincial delegate, Maria Cavo, explained that the budget is intended to mitigate the impacts of climatic events such as strong winds, urban flooding, droughts, floods and cyclones.
‘This is an estimate of everything we need to purchase various goods, both food and non-food. The overall budget includes activities such as monitoring, pre-positioning, assistance in the first 72 hours and follow-up actions. We are counting on the support of cooperation partners, private entities and individual citizens to mobilise the necessary resources,’ she said.
Despite its efforts, INGD faces significant challenges, such as assisting food insecure families, including internally displaced people in the north of the country, resulting from last season’s natural disasters.
For the current period, it is estimated that 2299 tonnes of food will be needed to support food insecure people for six months. However, the province only has 69 tonnes of cereals, beans and sugar, a quantity considered insufficient to meet the expected demand. In addition, the shortage of cooking oil, a basic item, is a cause for concern for the organisation.
In this context, INGD plans to position the available goods in the areas identified as priorities. One of the items most requested by displaced families during the rainy season is plastic to cover temporary housing. Meanwhile, the provincial warehouse has 66 family tents, which helps to partially reduce the concern about temporary shelter.
On the other hand, the Secretary of State for the province, Lina Portugal, recommended that the INGD publicise the prognosis of the rainy and cyclonic season through the local risk management committees. According to the source, this strategy ‘can mitigate the negative impacts and avoid significant human and material damage’.
On the other hand, the governor of that province, Judite Massengele, called on the health, agriculture and road infrastructure sectors to draw up a contingency plan capable of responding adequately to the challenges expected during the rainy season.
