More than 40 rice farmers from the provinces of Zambezia and Sofala took part last Monday (15 June) in the Nicoadala District, Zambezia Province, in an exchange of experiences aimed at improving the production and productivity of basic seed of the Macassane variety.
The initiative, organised by the Zambezi Valley Development Agency (ADVZ) and the Mozambican Institute of Agronomic Research (IIAM), forms part of efforts to boost national production of high-quality seed, with a view to increasing smallholders’ productivity and strengthening the availability of rice on the domestic market.
The activity took place on a five-hectare demonstration plot, where production is estimated at around 17.5 tonnes of basic seed, which will subsequently be multiplied across a 100-hectare area of irrigated fields. This initiative is expected to enable the production of approximately 400 tonnes of certified seed for the 2026/2027 agricultural season.
The ADVZ Provincial Delegate in Zambézia, Eduardo Mucavele, stated that the initiative is expected to be replicated in other regions of the Zambezi Valley, particularly in the provinces of Zambézia and Sofala, with the involvement of smallholder farmers and seed multipliers.
“The strategy also provides for strengthening links with existing rice processing units in the Zambézia and Sofala clusters, through production contracts that guarantee raw materials for the industry and help to increase the supply of rice in the Mozambican basic food basket,” he explained.
The event was attended by representatives from the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, the Provincial Services for Economic Activities, extension workers from the District Services for Economic Activities in Namacurra and Nicoadala, students, researchers and other stakeholders linked to the agricultural sector.