The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Higino De Marule, has said at least 126,000 hectares with diverse crops were affected by drought in three provinces of southern Mozambique during the present agricultural season (2018/19).
Marule made the announcement on Sunday at the end of 5th Coordinating Council of his portfolio which began on Friday.
According to De Marule, as a result of the phenomenon, more than 60,000 households were directly affected by the calamity, causing problems of food insecurity in some regions.
The areas devastated by drought are from the provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane.
It is estimated at 60 percent the level of losses caused by drought and drought.
Mozambique has been hit by the worst drought in 35 years, which has reduced water levels in its huge Cahora Bassa hydroelectric dam.
The United Nations says some 1.5 million hungry people in the impoverished southern African country are in need of aid, the United Nations says.
“They are extensive areas given as lost. Production has dropped significantly. What was expected was not possible in the first season, which brings us to the challenge of exploiting the lowlands to the maximum. The government is providing the necessary support to producers to increase production,” Marrule said.
The minister said that the occurrence of corn fungus pests, banana malaria in banana, tomato absolute, also conditioned production in those provinces in the south and other regions of the country.
“In addition to drought and drought, the campaign was hampered by the appearance of pests. The sector had to use other appropriate techniques to combat these evils which, to some extent, have put down part of the effort shown by the producers. At this point, we are intensifying the second season to see if we can recover something lost. Bet has to be the use of low-lying areas,” the official added.
The central and northern provinces of Mozambique are still recovering from two devastating cyclones, namemely Idai and Kenneth that occurred in mid March and April.
“The sector is the one that contributed most in the balance of the economy of the province. It participates with 50.6 percent in global production, which makes the executive work harder to increase production and productivity, ensuring food security for the population.
The Coordinating Council of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security ran under the motto ‘Mozambique in Increasing Productivity and Productivity, Towards Zero Hunger’.
CM/as/APA