Cabo Delgado knows how much it will market despite the challenges of terrorism

 

By: Mozanorte

Cabo Delgado is projected to market 1,329,021 tonnes of agricultural products during the 2025/2026 marketing season, surpassing the 1,288,176 tonnes recorded in the previous campaign.

The announcement was made on Saturday, May 17, 2025, by the Governor of the Province, Valige Tauabo, during the official launch of the agricultural marketing campaign, held in Metoro Administrative Post, Ancuabe District.

Despite the moderate optimism surrounding the projections, authorities acknowledged that the figures could have been significantly higher were it not for the ongoing impact of terrorism, which continues to affect mainly the northern districts of the province.

“There are areas with great production potential that remain unsafe. Farmers are abandoning their fields and moving to more secure zones. It’s a challenge that threatens the stability of both production and market flows,” said a source linked to the agricultural sector, on the sidelines of the event.

Armed insecurity in districts such as Mocímboa da Praia, Macomia, Muidumbe, Nangade, and Palma continues to limit access to farmland, disrupt transport and logistics, and force the displacement of farming communities that form the backbone of the local rural economy.

Ancuabe District Administrator, Belmiro Casimiro, reported that the district expects to market 106,325 tonnes of various agricultural products this season and produce 188,441 tonnes, including cereals, legumes, root crops, tubers, and vegetables. Technical guidance is being promoted among farmers to improve harvest quality, especially through avoiding premature or delayed harvesting.

The event also featured the symbolic handover of financing cheques to beneficiaries and the awarding of certificates of merit to outstanding contributors from the previous campaign.

However, not all was celebratory. Farmers from across Cabo Delgado voiced concerns to Mozanorte over unfair pricing practices and even alleged tampering with weighing scales by some traders a persistent issue that threatens the integrity of the local agricultural market.

Despite the instability in parts of the province, the campaign's launch reaffirms the region's commitment to strengthening its agricultural economy, while also exposing the fragile balance between production potential and security realities.