Agriculture czar Roberto Albino has launched a new national platform to tackle funding shortages and climate risks in the farming sector.
Push for climate funding to bolster irrigation in Mozambique
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Mozambique’s agriculture minister, Roberto Albino, has issued an urgent appeal to international partners to assist in unlocking climate finance, which he describes as a “mirage” currently out of reach for the nation. He said the sums were needed to expand irrigation in Mozambique, according to the Portuguese news agency Lusa.
Speaking on Monday at the launch of the Mozambique Irrigation Platform (PIM) in Maputo, the minister highlighted the critical need for investment in irrigation in Mozambique to combat extreme weather events and persistent drought. Albino expressed frustration regarding the current financial landscape, describing access to climate funds as a “safe” that appears “tightly locked” and “very difficult” to open.
He stressed that the country must innovate, noting that water sourced outside of rainfall comes at a significant cost and requires a clear financing model to engage the private sector effectively.
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A central point of the minister’s address was the necessity for a strategic review of how future funding is applied toward irrigation in Mozambique. He argued that the nation must determine whether development efforts should prioritise small-scale family farming or larger, medium- to large-scale production models.
Furthermore, Albino criticised delays in the execution of partner-funded projects, calling for an immediate acceleration of these initiatives to ensure local communities receive timely support.
Irrigation in Mozambique as a path to food security
The newly launched PIM aims to formalise the approach to the challenges of expanding irrigation in Mozambique and to promote more resilient agricultural practices. By combining infrastructure development, financing, and farmer support with appropriate technology, the government hopes to ensure food security for Mozambicans.
The country remains highly vulnerable to climate change, frequently enduring floods and tropical cyclones throughout the rainy season, which lasts from October until April.
Despite these environmental hurdles, the agricultural sector has shown significant growth. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, production increased by 15.7 percent during the 2024-2025 season, rising to over 352.2 million tonnes. This is an improvement on the 304.5 million tonnes recorded in the previous season.
