Maputo, Mozambique, 3 March – The Mozambican government decided to apply 204 million meticals (US$7.3 million) on the second season of the 2009/2010 agricultural campaign with a view to overcoming the poor yield so far due to a lack of rain, a government spokesman said in Maputo.

Cited by Mozambican newspaper Notícias, Henrique B anze said that with this expenditure the government hopes to produce a further 114,000 tons of grain and 1 million tons of horticultural products.

Thus, for the second season, which begins in April, the government is providing hundreds of tons of seed for maize, potatoes and horticultural products that are expected to benefit 100,000 families across the country, as well as fertilizer, pesticide an some machinery to make agricultural work easier.

Banze noted that it had not been the usual government policy to supply horticultural seeds for the second season because these can be easily acquired on the market but as the aim is to increase production it had been decided to make this delivery, which is due to be supplied to rural workers at the beginning of the second season.

In the medium and long term, he said, work was being carried out for the population to adapt production based on the prevailing weather conditions, opting for crops that are drought resistant in regions with a lack of rain.

“We have to adapt to the specific situation of the country. In the north of the country everything points to us having no problems, but Maputo, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Sofala and part of Zambézia are affected by drought conditions. Those people affected require the government’s attention in order to encourage them to produce more. 785,000 people are at risk due to the drought, which affects 61 districts in the country.” (macauhub)