Washington, USA, 21 March – The World Bank approved a loan of US$70 million to fund an irrigation project in Mozambique, according to a statement issued Thursday in Washington.

The loan will be for the International Development Association (IDA) to fund a government project for Sustainable Development of Irrigation (Proirri), which seeks to increase production and productivity via new or improved irrigation systems in the provinces of Sofala, Manica and Zambézia, in central Mozambique.

The statement said that the project would improve the agricultural climate and institutions in the sector, as well as developing the farmers’ skills in terms of sustainable irrigation.

The funding will also fund the necessary facilities to increase the productivity and yields of small-scale irrigation farming, specifically by introducing improvements to local communication links, in power supply and support for the development of a value chain by providing access to loans.

Proirri is considered to be consistent with the World Bank’s Strategy for Mozambique designed to support the government in meeting its targets for combating poverty outlined in its Plan of Action for Reduction of Absolute Poverty (PARPA). (macauhub)