Country Mozambique

Mozambique and Agricultural Investment

Mozambique has a clear vision for the long-term growth of the agricultural sector, as outlined in its CAADP compact and the Strategic Plan for Agricultural Sector Development (PEDSA). PEDSA details steps to unleash the vast potential of Mozambican agriculture by creating an integrated, prosperous, competitive and sustainable agriculture sector over the next decade. It aims to: ‘Contribute towards the food security and income of agricultural producers in a competitive and sustainable way, guaranteeing social and gender equality.’

Agricultural Growth Corridors

The PEDSA identifies agricultural growth corridors as catalysts to drive agricultural development in Mozambique, and attract increased public and private sector investment. These locations are targeted due to their huge production potential for food, cash crops, livestock, plantation forestry and fisheries, and also their integration with domestic, regional and international markets. Agricultural growth will be pursued through a ‘cluster’ approach, allowing smallholder production to benefit from economies of scale and making farming more reliable and profitable.

Each corridor focuses on specific commodities:

  • Beira: sugarcane, fruit, potato, livestock, rice, horticulture, poultry, and soya
  • Nacala: banana, vegetables, grains, soybeans, sesame, tea, groundnuts, cotton, livestock
  • Zambezi: cotton, maize, rice, soybeans

The government and its partners are investing in infrastructure, equipment, scientific research, human capacity development services and markets in order to expand the agricultural opportunities available to investors.

A regular National Agribusiness Forum has been launched by the Agriculture Promotion Centre (CEPAGRI), which engages the private sector, brings together major stakeholders and disburses information on investment opportunities.

A $20m catalytic fund exists to make investments in agri-businesses engaging in the Beira Corridor.

Existing and in-progress investors include: SAB Miller, Nestle, TATA, Prio Foods, Olam, Portucel, AgDevCo, Chiquita, Green Resources, and Principal Energy.

Investment Opportunities

Domestic and international investors are engaging actively, and in September 2012 many declared their concrete intentions within a Country Cooperation Framework. The Country Cooperation Framework also lists commitments from the government and donors for public investment and policy reforms.

Many investment opportunities exist. There are significant opportunities to develop input supply chains (seeds, fertilisers, machinery, etc.), and crop production and agro-processing in priority value chains

An Investment Brochure prepared for the Grow Africa Investment Forum 2012 provides an overview of the opportunities and highlights 3 in detail:

  • Rice – a small rice mill to process rice in partnership with farmers (Beira Corridor)
  • Soybeans – Soy extraction and refining center, with inputs and training to get new smallholder farmers into the supply chain (Zambezi corridor)
  • Bananas – A mid-sized operation in existing banana region (Nacala Corridor)

Further investors are sought from:

  • Food & Beverage Companies
  • Financiers
  • Agribusinesses (seed, fertilizer and chemicals, and processors)
  • Retail and Consumer Goods
  • Logistics

Further Information

Contact (Ministry): Abdul Cesar, Agricultural Promotion Centre, Ministry of Agriculture, abdul.cesar@cepagri.gov.mz

Contact (Beira Corridor): Emerson Zhou, Beira Agricultural Growth Corridor Partnership. ezhou@beiracorridor.com

Website: www.beiracorridor.com

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