MOZAMBIQUE— The Mozambican government wants the private sector in Gaza to create agro-processing factories in order to generate market for rice produced in the province, thus avoiding post-harvest waste and stimulating local production said Prime Minister, Adriano Maleiane.
In the last Executive Council of the province of Gaza, it was revealed the existence of huge amounts of rice in the hands of the producers, in the districts of Bilene and Chókwè, due to the lack of buyers.
During a meeting with businessmen based in Gaza province, Maleiane said that it is the business sector’s role to invest in agro-processing, in order to close the value chain of agricultural production.
In turn, entrepreneurs ask the State to pay the debt to companies, in order to avoid bankruptcy and expand their businesses.
International Rice Research Institute accompanied Mozambique in its initiatives to upgrade the rice agri-food systems in the country and build the capacity to expand and sustain its rice industry.
It is the business sector’s role to invest in agro-processing, in order to close the value chain of agricultural production
IRRI is actively forging partnerships between public and local private companies and other organizations in Mozambique for the benefit of smallholder farmers and consumers.
Since 2006, and in collaboration between IRRI and Mozambique, high priority has been given to promoting and accelerating exchange of rice information and personnel as well as on research on rice and rice-based farming systems.
Effort has also been put towards integrated natural resource management and human capacity building including testing of machinery for small-scale farming, and the formal academic training and specialized non-degree training of Mozambican scientists, as well as the development of Mozambique Rice Knowledge Bank.
Today, IRRI has identified different research and development focus provinces in Mozambique including Gaza (Chokwe and Xai Xai research stations) and Maputo (Umbeluzi and Matutuine research stations) for irrigated ecosystem and Zambezia (Namacura and Mucelo research stations) for rainfed ecology.
The rice sector is still performing poorly in Mozambique. Currently, there are not many policies aimed at improving the rice value chain performance. As a result, the outcomes from the rice value chain have consistently shown a mixture of incentives for retailers and disincentives for farmers.
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