Mozambique, October 2022

Working Week for revising NRDS

Background

Rice has become one of the major staple food crops in Mozambique.  Owing to a rapidly increasing consumption, rice has gained more prominence over traditional food crops such as cassava, sweet potato, and other cereal grains such as maize and sorghum in recent years.  At an annual growth rate in consumption of 8.6%, rice has superseded other cereal grains such as maize (5.5%), wheat (7.4%), and sorghum (4.7%) in the local markets.

In 2022, the Government of Mozambique (GoM) revised its Strategic Plan for the Development of the Agricultural Sector (PEDSA, 2030) to promote the accelerated transformation of the agricultural sector through competitive, inclusive, and sustainable growth, ensuring greater inclusive private sector engagement, and contributing to improved food and nutrition security, employment, strengthening resilience and adaptation to shocks and disasters, and poverty reduction. As a consequence, the National Rice Development Program (NRDP2) drafted in 2020, needed to be adjusted to address the new directives of PEDSA2.

Methodology

The workshop was organized in Macaneta Vamili Lodge, Marracuene district, Maputo province during the 4^th week of October (25^th-27^th) 2022. It was chaired by the National Director for the Development of Small-scale Agriculture and was attended by 21 participants from the public and private sectors namely: The National Directorate for the Development of Small-Scale Farmers (DNDF), Mozambique Agriculture Research Institute (IIAM), National Institute of Irrigation (INIR), Low Limpopo Irrigation Authority (RBL), Agricultural Promotion Fund and Rural Extension (FAR, FP), National Directorate for Commercial Agriculture (DNAC), Directorate of Planning and Policy (DPP), Seed Production Association of Lionde (APROSEL), Provincial Services of Economic Activities of Gaza Province (SPAE), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and, Inácio de Sousa (Rice Milling Factory).

Following opening remarks by the National Director for the Development of Small-scale Agriculture, the NRDS Focal Point presented the welcoming remarks. After the opening ceremony, the reporter refreshed the participants on the template emerging from the 13^th CARD Steering Committee meeting for the development of NRDS for CARD Phase 2 and guided them on the identification of gaps to be filled in the existing document in each province. This was followed by the discussion chapter by chapter in plenary. Three breakout groups were also organized to discuss specific issues like the diagnosis of the rice subsector, the main challenges and opportunities in the rice value chain, and projections in terms of area, seed, fertilizers, herbicides, and grain production.

Key Outputs/Results

During the workshop, the NRDS Task Force revised the existing NRDS and formulated a new strategy. The revised NRDP2 outlines how the various segments of the rice value chain can be cohesively developed in Mozambique. The objective is to increase the production, productivity, and competitiveness of national rice for consumption, export, and income generation for producers. At the end of the workshop, the participants came up with a conclusion that the new NRDS should be called the National Rice Program 2030 (PNA 2030) in line with the time horizon of the Strategic Plan for the Development of the Agricultural Sector and the CARD Phase 2 of 2030.

Way forward

The PNA 2030 needs to be approved and politically validated by the Consultative Council of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development before its launching eventually on November 30.  After the approval of PNA 2030, the main activities include the elaboration/review of the Concept Notes, the baseline study to establish the M&E indicators, and the realization of the Annual Rice Sector Review Meeting.