Sustainability is a topic on the agenda and in recent years it has become the latest and most indispensable production factor in agriculture, with various public and private projects being born and developed in line with the global decarbonisation agenda.
In this issue, we look at the Moza Hydroponic project. Legally created in 2020, the company has existed since 2018, founded by Samuel Alexandre, a young 30-year-old agronomist.
It works with hydroponic greenhouse farming systems, as well as training and supplying production technologies for agriculture.
Samuel Alexandre was working in an ornamental plant production company when he had the idea of developing a productive activity, taking advantage of the favourable hours for an additional activity that his previous job allowed. He then started working with the assembly of greenhouses and the production of vegetables, and developed his own business in this area.
In the meantime, the more customers he gained, the more he felt the need to organise himself and set up a formal company. Because some customers asked for invoices and receipts, which were impossible to provide while operating informally, as was the case when he was starting out. So as not to lose customers, he registered the company in 2020 and started operating as a formal business the following year.
The hydroponic greenhouse production system benefits the environment by avoiding the deforestation and felling of trees to set up the production field, as is the case in traditional agriculture
Moza Hydroponic began with agricultural production in simple greenhouses, but went on to develop hydroponic systems, its current core business. Its activities have included the production of inputs and training in agricultural production technologies.
“We started with a training course that was our own initiative, in honour of Mozambican Women’s Day, but we started to provide training courses as a commercial component of the company. Among the trainees we have received entrepreneurs, representatives of various public and private institutions, as well as individuals looking for knowledge about domestic production,” she explained. The company currently has offices in Maputo (the head office), Gaza, Inhambane and Manica, and will soon be in Tete. One of its great ambitions for the near future is to expand its coverage throughout the country, opening offices in all the provinces.
Samuel Alexandre revealed that the company is now working with a partner to set up Mozambique’s largest hydroponic greenhouse in Tete, valued at around seven million meticais, with advanced technology.
The region was chosen because of the climatic characteristics considered appropriate for this type of project. The intense heat makes vegetable production difficult. Therefore, with the greenhouse in place, it will be possible to break down this barrier and guarantee the production of quality vegetables at all times of the year. The entrepreneur argues that, despite the high initial costs involved, greenhouse production should be a strategic bet for Mozambique, due to its many advantages: “the faster return on investment compared to soil production; the possibility of producing close to the end consumer; greater production in a smaller space (we have greenhouses measuring 15 metres by 6 metres and produce more than 2,000 lettuce plants a month, which allows us to make a monthly average of 60,000 meticais); constant supply to the customer; and production with a great reduction in agro-toxins. We only use chemical products in the water. For spraying, we use natural products and we have an antiophidic net that doesn’t allow pests to enter, from the smallest to greenhouse pests.
In addition to the advantages for the consumer and the producer, the hydroponic greenhouse production system benefits the environment by avoiding the deforestation and felling of trees to set up the production field, as happens in traditional agriculture, and avoids the death of the microorganisms that inhabit the subsoil and the waste of resources such as water.
Moza Hydroponic has ten permanent employees, but always runs internship programmes with students from different educational institutions in the country, both at secondary and higher education level. It currently has 15 trainees, but along the way it has given opportunities to many others who are interested in this area.
At its headquarters in Maputo, the company has more than four production fields and works with various national and international brands to test seeds.
