Maputo, 31 Jul (AIM) – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) signed, on Wednesday, in Maputo, two agreements for the implementation of projects to protect the miombo forest and facilitate trade in the border region between Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
The projects are budgeted at over eight million dollars, which will be disbursed by Italy within the framework of the “Mattei Plan for Africa.”
The initiative aims to promote sustainable development and cooperation between Mozambique and Zimbabwe by increasing food security, improving livelihoods and promoting resilience against environmental and economic challenges.
The first project, entitled “Integrated Transboundary Sustainable Management of the Miombo Forests”, aims at protecting, restoring and promoting the sustainable use of the Miombo forest shared by Mozambique and Zimbabwe, which is vital for millions of people in rural areas, providing essential resources such as firewood, food and water.
The second project is linked to the development of the agricultural value chain and trade between Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Regarding the ecosystem restoration and sustainable management of the natural resources along the Zambezi River, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia recently signed the Transfrontier Conservation Agreement (ZIMOZA-TFCA), which aims at promoting biodiversity conservation of the natural resources that the three countries share.
The miombo woodlands cover around two million square kilometers in southern Africa and provide countless goods and services that guarantee the livelihoods of over 300 million inhabitants.
The miombo is a biome that includes tropical and subtropical grasslands, bushlands and savannahs. It also includes four bio-regions and is responsible for maintaining the Greater Zambezi, one of the most important transnational river basins.
According to the representative of the Mozambican Ministry of Land and Environment, Teresa Pinto, said “These initiatives will allow our country and Zimbabwe to implement coordinated actions and cross-border surveillance to combat the illegal trade in forest resources”, she said.
For his part, the FAO representative in Mozambique, José Fernandes, said “these forests are not just a source of biodiversity, they are a lifeline for millions of people who depend on them for firewood, food, shelter, medicines and water.”
According to Fernandes, FAO is committed to ensuring that at least 50 percent of the beneficiaries of these activities are women and 30 percent young people.
“In doing so, we aim to promote inclusive growth and build resilient communities, capable of thriving despite environmental and economic challenges”, he said.
The Italian ambassador, Gianni Bardini, said the projects will mobilize resources and guarantee the sustainability of the miombo forest.
“The initiatives will strengthen regional integration as well as tackling common challenges, including promoting agriculture and food security, covering close to 5,000 families in selected areas”, he said.
(AIM)
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