Mozambique’s government has invested about 90 million meticais approximately $1.4 million at the current exchange rate to provide assistance to artisanal fishermen in the northern province of Nampula. 

Lidia Cardoso, the Minister of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries disclosed the figure on Friday during the delivery of fishery equipment to 317 fishermen, under the More Sustainable Fisheries Programme, financed by the Fund for Blue Economy Development (ProAzul).

The Minister stated, “The government will continuously implement measures and actions to boost the fisheries sector through the simplification of financing processes and assistance. She mentioned this while delivering equipment consisting of cold stores, motorcycles, bicycles, outboard motors, fridges, scales, and electricity generators. 

According to the minister, the kits assisted 1,070 artisanal fishermen in Nampula Province overall and a total of 333 women were among the 1,070 beneficiaries.

In the province of Nampula, the initiative More Sustainable Fisheries benefits 35 fishermen in Nacala-a-Velha, 70 in Nacala-Port, 24 in Memba, 141 in Mossuril, 74 in Ilha de Mocambique, 77 in Larde, 87 in Liupo, 317 in Angoche and 145 in Mogincual. 

The government “encourages the private sector to invest in these sectors in order to ensure employment for more local people” because the Programme, which covers the country’s center and northern regions, is focused on supporting artisanal fishing and aquaculture. Cardoso noted that the government’s priorities are to ensure food security and increase the GDP.

On the aspect on Artisanal fishing, it consists of various small-scale, low-technology, low-capital, fishing practices undertaken by individual fishing households as opposed to commercial fishing. Artisanal fishermen mostly make use of traditional equipment for fishing.