Africa-Press – Mozambique. The president of the Confederation of Business Associations of Mozambique (CTA), Álvaro Massingue, advocated the urgent creation of an agricultural bank with the necessary robustness and an adequate legal framework to strategically and sustainably finance the sector, with a focus on agribusiness.
Massingue put forward this proposal at the opening of the two-day International Conference on Nutrition and Agribusiness, which began Thursday in the city of Nampula, capital of the province of the same name.
“The creation of a robust Agricultural Bank with an adequate legal framework to strategically and sustainably finance productive sectors, with a strong focus on agribusiness, is urgent. The time to act is now. Nutrition is not just a social problem; it is a huge economic opportunity, and the private sector is ready to lead the way, hand in hand with the government and development partners,” he stated.
The conference, held under the motto “Food Systems for Nutrition, Drivers of Sustainable and Inclusive Development in Nampula”, is attended by over 300 participants from the public and private sectors, civil society, and political parties with seats in the national and provincial assemblies.
Considering Mozambique’s vast amount of arable land – 36.5 million hectares – Massingue noted that the fact that only 15% is actually being used for agricultural production means that urgent transformation is imperative.
“Paradoxically, only 15% of this land is actually in agricultural production. This figure not only exposes a challenge, it is a wake-up call for urgent transformation,” Massingue emphasized.
He also understands that Mozambique faces a silent and persistent emergency: chronic malnutrition, taking into account the data released by the competent authorities, which reveal that 37% of Mozambican children under five years of age suffer from chronic malnutrition. This figure is even more severe in the northern province of Nampula, the country’s most populous, as the number rises to 47.6%, with 2.9% having low birth weight and 9.1% suffering from acute malnutrition.
According to Massingue, these data represent a national tragedy that compromises cognitive development, learning capacity, and, in the future, integration into the job market.
Therefore, the CTA president clarified that the current conference is not merely a technical or economic meeting, but, above all, a call to national awareness.
“We are at a historic crossroads: either we continue to import food and, in doing so, import poverty, or we produce locally, feed our people better, and create wealth at home. And, in this shift, the private sector plays a central role. Therefore, we are here in force, with a clear purpose: to promote an economic approach that recognizes commercial credit, productive financing, and development banking as crucial drivers of national progress,” he noted.
Massingue has a philosophical explanation for what nutrition is, as, in his view, it’s not just about satisfying hunger.
“Nutrition is not just about satisfying hunger; it’s about ensuring dignity, health, and human development. And, in a country with rapid population growth, the only sustainable way to guarantee decent nutrition is by producing more, better, and locally, valuing value chains. Therefore, on behalf of the CTA, I reaffirm our firm and unwavering commitment to the cause of nutrition,” he emphasized.
He maintained that “our active participation in initiatives such as the Poultry Master Plan and in supporting mandatory food fortification clearly demonstrates that the private sector is prepared and committed to playing a leading role in the fight against hunger, malnutrition, and poverty”.
“Therefore, I extend a direct, clear, and unequivocal invitation to all national and international businesspeople: let us, together, transform the challenges facing Mozambique, and in particular Nampula province, which holds opportunities for sustainable, inclusive, and socially responsible business,” he said.
The first International Nutrition and Agribusiness Conference in Nampula concludes Friday, followed by the Nampula Economic Fair, from July 11 to 13.
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