To improve the living conditions of more than 14,000 people in Mozambique, with this ambitious challenge, a new project based on sustainable and artisanal fishing started in the African country PE1XAN MZ. To achieve this, we will work in the districts of Namaacha and Boane, in the Maputo province, in the south of the country. But we will not do it alone, but through a consortium formed by the Technological Center of the Sea – CETMAR Foundation, Ayuda en Acción and the Direcção Provincial da Agricultura e Pescas (DPAP) of Mozambique and with the financing of the Xunta de Galicia to through the General Directorate of Foreign Relations and the European Union -Cooperación Galega-.
Sustainable fishing in Mozambique: keys to the project
Its main objective is to improve the livelihoods and food security of coastal communities through aquaculture and sustainable fishing in Mozambique. We do not seek to generate specific impacts, but sustainable and lasting changes that support local actors in all phases of their work: production, marketing and consumption. Generating higher quality products will not only bring economic benefits to the communities, but we will also strengthen the capacities of the participating people, always with technological innovation and environmental and socioeconomic sustainability as guides.
They will put special focus on youth. Also in the women, who are traditionally dedicated to the processing and commercialization of the hydrobiological products of the area. In addition, by committing to sustainable businesses and activities that add value to the products, the communities will be able to improve their diet while increasing their family income.
Mozambique: wealth and fragility
Mozambique is experiencing a fragile situation due to the multiple crises that affect the country. Clashes between political forces, assaults by armed terrorist groups, massive migratory movements, climate change, and the insecurity imposed by the pandemic are some of the challenges that hinder its development. The battle against poverty is being slow, directly linked to the chronic malnutrition that the country is experiencing.
Although Mozambique has been one of the largest recipients of international aid for decades, it remains in the box for low-income, food-deficit countries, as shown by its position of 181 out of 189 on the Human Development Index (2020 data).
This fragility of the country contrasts with its natural wealth. With the development and promotion of the fishing sector and its ramifications within the market, its fishing resources could feed more than two thirds of the population. Support for the province of Maputo is essential here, since close to 90% of the fishing catches in this province come from artisanal fishing. More than 334,000 professionals directly linked to the sector live there, which is why we are facing a fundamental enclave to guarantee the socioeconomic development of the south of the country.
