Some 160 hectares of land will benefit from the irrigation system, following the construction of the M’ziva irrigation system (block 2) in Nicoadala district in Zambézia province.
To achieve this objective, the National Irrigation Institute (INIR) has just announced the launch of a public tender to hire a contractor to carry out the works.
In the announcement, INIR notes that the bidders must hold the licence to carry out hydraulic works in categories I to V.
In Mozambique, it is estimated that around 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas and practices agriculture as the main source of income.
Agricultural production is mainly developed by the family sector, which accounts for 99% of the approximately 4.3 million farms in the country, occupying over 97% of the approximately 5.7 million hectares currently cultivated.
In the specific case of Zambézia, the province has a total of 11 irrigated lands in the districts and three are currently fully operational: Limane (Mopeia), Mungonhane and Mutage (Namacurra) and 9 are partially operational, Chiverano and Paz (Mopeia), Moriri (Morrumbala), M’ziva, Mucelo and Ilalane (Nicoadala), Itabo and Munda-Munda (Maganja da Costa).
There are 3,750 hectares with irrigation infrastructure, but only 1,220 hectares are being used.
It is believed that the construction of M’ziva irrigation can benefit hundreds of members of local agricultural associations, many of them dedicated to rice production.
Apart from rice, other main agricultural products most commercialised in Zambezia province are maize, potatoes, beans and vegetables.
These products are sold locally and/or to retailers who in turn supply the towns of Nampula and Quelimane.
In recent times, the province has also produced locally marketed sesame and soybeans, and another part has the towns of Chimoio and Nampula as its market.
