181122E – EUROPEAN UNION TO DISBURSE 15 MILLION EUROS TO BOOST FOOD PRODUCTION IN MOZAMBIQUE

181122E – EUROPEAN UNION TO DISBURSE 15 MILLION EUROS TO BOOST FOOD PRODUCTION IN MOZAMBIQUE

Maputo, 04 Nov (AIM) – The European Union (EU), in a partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Fund (FAO), on Friday pledged to disburse the sum of 15 million euros to mitigate the impact of high cost of food production and boost strategic food stocks in Mozambique.

To that end, the director of Mozambique Grain Institute (Instituto de Cereais de Moçambique/ICM) Mohamed Valá, and by the FAO representative, Hernani da Silva signed the Operationalization Agreement of the Food Reserve Project this Friday in Maputo that was witnessed by Industry and Trade Minister, Silvino Moreno.

“Mozambique will receive a total of 23 million euros for immediate food assistance of people in need and to stimulate sustainable national production. This sum is part of the 600 million euros granted by the European Union to the member countries of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACP). Of the 23 million, the European Union is channelling 15 million”, said the EU Ambassador to Mozambique Antonino Maggiore.

The sum, according to Maggiore, aims at mitigating the impact of food cost and strengthening food reserves so that the country is properly prepared to respond to the current food security crisis.

“The objective is to support the production of 20,000 tons (16,000 tonnes of maize and 4,000 tonnes of beans), which is the total commercial demand of ICM”, the ambassador said, adding that the current food crisis is aggravated by “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.”

FAO’s representative in Mozambique, Hernani da Silva, said the sum will strengthen grain reserves, mitigate food and nutrition insecurity among the most vulnerable populations.

“This funding will help reduce the risk of gains shortage and contribute help to stabilize food prices and reduce the risks of nutritional insecurity among the population, especially the most vulnerable”, Da Silva said.

The FAO representative stresses that the funds will enable to strengthen national food reserves and increase nutritional resilience.

“For greater synergy and effectiveness, the activities will be anchored to the Agribiz program, which is being implemented across the country”, Da Silva said, adding that current global food crisis is the most severe of the last 15 years.
(AIM)
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(AIM / AIMENG)