Climate change worsening rural conditions – aimnews.org

Maputo, 6 April (AIM) – Climate change is no longer a distant threat, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo warned on Monday.

Speaking in the flood-hit Guijá district of southern Gaza province, Chapo said climate change “is a reality that worsens the vulnerability of our production system and our rural communities.”

Much of Mozambique, especially the southern provinces, faced devastating floods in January and again in March. The floods, Chapo said, “compromised harvests, affected livestock and fishing, and endangered the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of families.”

But, “although we know well the strength of flood waters, we know even better the strength of our people – a people who never give up, who always get up and transform adversity into determination”.

Chapo insisted that the solution involves increasing agricultural production, although he recognizes that the 2025/2026 agricultural season “is one of the most demanding seasons in recent years. Torrential rains and strong floods have tested our productive capacity and the resilience of our communities”.

“The data is clear and demands responsibility and firm action from us,” he continued. “Around 441 thousand hectares of crops were affected with a direct impact on strategic crops such as corn and rice”,

The loss of pastures affected more than 428,000 head of cattle and there were significant losses of boats and fishing equipment. “The productive base of 335 thousand families has been weakened,” said Chapo.

“It is not enough to respond to the emergency”, declared the President. “It is imperative that we transform the way we produce and prepare for the future. We must continue to invest in climate-adapted agricultural technologies, expand the rehabilitation of irrigation systems, manage our natural resources sustainably and build resilient infrastructure.”

“Our response as a State must rise to the challenge and that is why I am here,” said Chapo.

The government was far from indifferent to natural disasters, Chapo stressed. “We acted, mobilized resources and coordinated efforts, not only to guarantee immediate assistance, but above all to restore the productive capacity of our people,” said Chapo. “Our objective is not to return to the starting point, but to advance to a new level of production, resilience and food security.”

At the Guijá ceremony, Chapo announced the delivery of 161,000 agricultural kits to small producers, 359 fishing boats and several other inputs. They were “opportunities to start a new stage. The waters are receding, there is mud everywhere and the conditions are favorable to sow seeds and start producing.”
(AIM)
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