Government, private sector, civil society, development partners and IAWG gathered in Maputo

Increased responsible public and private investment in the agricultural sector is key to poverty reduction, improved food security and production of nutritious food at reasonable prices. This came out clearly during a two-day technical workshop on the principles guiding new investments in agriculture that was held in Maputo, Mozambique, from 23 – 24 April 2015.

The workshop, conducted under the 'Pilot Use of Guidelines for New Investments in Agriculture' programme, is the second to be held since the inception meeting in Tanzania in 2015. The programme was launched in January 2015 by the inter-agency work group (IAWG) comprising the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Bank. Other countries participating in the programme are Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda. This programme will use guidelines for responsible investment in agriculture by the private sector.

"If we want to reduce the poverty levels in Mozambique and to feed the growing population with nutritious food at reasonable prices, it is necessary that the agricultural performance significantly improves. There is need for more private and public investment in the agricultural sector – whether they are financed with domestic or international resources, to ensure that those who need it most are reached, and that the use of the resources is sustainable," said Castro Camarada, the Mozambique Representative of FAO.

The Inspector General in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Mozambique, Ilídio Miguel, added saying investing more and in better ways in agriculture is the most efficient and fastest way to eradicate hunger and poverty. "The involvement of all stakeholders is crucial for the success of the investments, but it is important that these investments are made in a responsible way," added Miguel.

Supply chain key to unlocking potential

Mozambique presents opportunities for large-scale investment in agriculture and several projects have been initiated. "More opportunities and huge markets will be unlocked if issues such as supply chains are addressed", said John Christie-Smith, the manager of the fertiliser company Greenbelt who also participated in the workshop. "Once the supply chain is in place, the opportunities will be massive. There are still basic challenges, like awareness-raising among smallholder farmers regarding the benefits of fertiliser use or distribution limitations because of very bad infrastructure," said Christie-Smith.

The main goal of the programme of 'Pilot Use of Guidelines for New Investments in Agriculture' is to introduce principles and practices for responsible investment in the primary stages of agribusinesses. It also aims to ensure interaction between agribusinesses and local communities, environment and the economy. Luís Dinis, the executive director of the Mozambican association for community development, Lupa, said such interactions were "necessary to build synergies between the investors and local populations."

During the two-day workshop, representatives from the Government of Mozambique, the private sector and civil society as well as from development partners and the inter-agency work group (IAWG) familiarized themselves with the programme and the results of research on investments in agriculture and with the international guidelines.