Mozambique launches agricultural marketing campaign for food security, self-reliance
"Mozambique is laying the foundation for its economic independence, where economic diversification is key to reducing our dependence on volatile markets," Chapo said at the launch ceremony.
The campaign targets a production increase of over one million tons and a five percent rise in agricultural commercialization, under the slogan "Agricultural Marketing as a Driver of Local Economy and Industrialization."
The government has approved an Economic Recovery Fund worth over 319 million Mozambican meticais (around 5 million U.S. dollars) to assist small and medium-sized enterprises. It is also developing a new commercial regulation and an integrated marketing plan to address value chain bottlenecks.
Despite challenges including cyclones and a 4.9 percent drop in GDP, Chapo praised farmers for their resilience. "If not for the resilience of the Mozambican people, the 4.9 percent negative growth in our GDP would have been even worse," he said.
The president also urged youth to engage in the sector. "Use digital platforms, form cooperatives, and bring forward value-added proposals," he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
43 minutes ago
- The Star
Indonesia eyes high-speed railway extension to boost Java connectivity
JAKARTA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government was advancing a study on the proposed extension of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) to Surabaya to accelerate integrated and efficient mobility across Java Island, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono said on Tuesday. The proposed project would build upon the success of the existing Jakarta-Bandung HSR. "President Prabowo Subianto has issued a clear directive to extend the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway to Surabaya. This is more than a continuation; it represents a bold vision to connect Jakarta and Surabaya with faster, cleaner, and more integrated transportation," Yudhoyono said at the opening of the 2025 Indonesia RailwayTech exhibition in Jakarta. "To realize this, we are preparing a new regulatory framework. This could be a true game-changer, significantly reducing travel time, increasing efficiency, and generating broad economic benefits by linking cities, industries, and ports across Java," he added. The Jakarta-Bandung HSR has drawn strong public attention since it began commercial operations in October 2023, cutting travel time between Indonesia's biggest city Jakarta and Bandung in West Java from over three hours to just 46 minutes.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Kenya launches national inclusion policy for disabled persons
NAIROBI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Tuesday launched a policy designed to promote the inclusion of persons living with disabilities in society. According to Joseph Mogosi Motari, principal secretary in Kenya's State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Disabilities National Policy outlines measures for equipping healthcare facilities with the required infrastructure to support identification and reporting of disabilities. "The policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of disabilities with regard to all forms of employment, including conditions of recruitment, hiring and employment, continuation of employment, career advancement, and safe and healthy working conditions," Motari told reporters in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. He revealed that the policy also provides a roadmap for Kenya to conduct public education targeting persons with disabilities to transform them into independent individuals capable of participating in development at all levels and caring for their personal needs. The goal of the policy is to promote the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in all societal activities toward the achievement of national development targets, said Motari. He added that the development of the policy was informed by Kenya's signing and ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as the ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa. .
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Kenya's bourse to allow single share trading from August to spur market
NAIROBI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday said it will allow single-unit retail trading of shares to increase the participation of small investors at the market. In a statement released in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, the NSE said that with the changes effective on Aug. 8, the buying and selling of shares in single units will be allowed as part of its broader initiative to improve access to investment opportunities. "By enabling single-unit trading, the NSE is providing greater flexibility for investors, reducing entry barriers and encouraging wider participation, particularly from retail investors who have previously found it difficult to invest due to high minimum trade sizes," the NSE said. Frank Mwiti, chief executive officer of the NSE, said the changes will increase financial inclusion and support the growth of retail investor participation, while also aligning with global best practices in equity trading. The NSE has been on a rally in 2025, with investor wealth rising by 477 billion Kenyan shillings (about 3.69 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of the year to 2.417 trillion Kenyan shillings, the highest level since mid-2022. However, the bulk of the investors are institutional, with retail investors' participation at the market standing at a paltry 2.5 percent, according to the NSE.
