Maputo, Mozambique Jan 12 – Mozambique and the Philippines inked an accord Thursday to transfer rice production technologies to the African nation, officials said.

An official Maputo statement said the agreement was signed during the Philippines trip of Agriculture Minister Tomas Mandlate and that the pact involves research institutes on both countries.

The Southeast Asian nation’s International Institute for Rice Research will “transfer rice production and processing technologies” to Mozambique, added the communiqué.

Rice is a staple in Mozambique and about 450,000 metric tons of the product is annually consumed in the country, which has potential rice-cultivation area of 900,000 hectares. (macauhub)