Italy to grant 2.1 million dollars for food security

Maputo, 7 Feb (AIM) – The Italian government pledged on Tuesday to grant two million Euros (2.1 million US dollars, at the current exchange rate) to the World Food Programme (WFP) to support farmers of the central provinces of Mozambique, in the context of climate resilience.

The provinces in question are Tete, Manica and Sofala.

To this end, an agreement was signed between the Government of Italy, through the Italian Embassy, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Mozambique and the World Food Programme (WFP).

The agreement was signed by the Italian ambassador, Gianni Bardini, and the representative and national director of the WFP in Mozambique, Antonella D’Aprile.

The event was also attended by the director of the Italian Agency for Development Co-operation (AICS), Paolo Sertoli.

The contribution, allocated through AICS, comes at a time when the climate crisis is intensifying with extreme weather events, such as cyclones, floods and droughts, occurring with greater frequency and intensity.

Speaking minutes after signing the agreement, the Italian ambassador said “the initiative aims to guarantee the health and well-being of the Mozambican people.”

In fact, in many places it is clear that there are problems of malnutrition that must be combated, hence the importance of agriculture, which is the main source of livelihood for 75 per cent of the Mozambican population.

“One thing we cannot forget in this project is resilience to climate change, because here in Mozambique we realize how important it is”, said Bardini, adding that “drought damages the crops and this happens frequently in the localities.”

Farmers also lack the knowledge to produce with the means available, which is why there is an urgent need to transfer knowledge with a view to resilient production, he added

D’Aprile, welcomed the contribution which will help combat the vulnerabilities induced by climate change and strengthen the food and nutritional security of 10,000 people, including small farmers, young people and women from selected organizations in Tete, Sofala and Manica.

“Overcoming the adversities of climate change means improving the livelihoods of vulnerable communities dependent on agriculture. So consolidating climate-smart agricultural practices and improving post-harvest management is essential”, D’Aprile said.

“Thanks to this generous contribution from AICS, not only will small-scale farmers facing the wrath of extreme climate change be supported in adapting to climate change, but they will also improve their diet through greater access to nutritious food, essential for the healthy growth of a child”, she added.

For his part, AICS director, Paolo Sertoli, emphasized that the project is in line with the ongoing efforts of Italian cooperation to improve Mozambique’s agriculture in the face of climate change.

(AIM)

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