A Mozambican delegation headed by Economy Minister Adriano Maleiane participated in the African Development Bank’s Annual Meetings in Busan, Korea, a key conference on economic affairs for the continent at which Finance Ministers from the Bank’s 80 Member States meet with academics, development partners and civil society organizations.

On the sidelines of the meetings, donors to the Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA) and the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) signed a grant agreement to support the local supply and utilization of fertilizer by smallholder farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique and Tanzania.

The US $1-million FAPA grant will be matched by AFAP and help make fertilizers more affordable and accessible, increasing the incentive for their use, to smallholder farmers in Africa and expanding their supply and distribution by leveraging investments. The grant is also intended to create over 1,000 jobs for women and youth.  

The Bank signed a second agreement for the Value Chains and Market Development Program with the Mozambican Government for US $1.5 million to develop a master plan for developing the Pemba-Lichinga Corridor.

The program is designed to promote competitive, inclusive agribusiness in Cabo-Delgado and Niassa Provinces by increasing agricultural production and productivity, through the provision of rural infrastructure support (irrigation, feeder roads, storage facilities) and the use of improved agricultural inputs (certified seeds and fertilizers including the support from FAPA), agro-processing, access to market, that will promote the development of the value chain. The program will also include the update of the feasibility studies for the construction of the Mueda–Negomane road, which will link to the bridge that connects Mozambique to Tanzania. 

The Bank has been a key partner in Mozambique for over 40 years and is committed to supporting the country's efforts to build a green, inclusive economy. Since 1977, it has funded more than 100 projects valued a more than US $ 2 billion focused on agriculture, transport and energy. The current portfolio includes 20 projects valued at approximately US $600 million.