The Mozambican government will run new irrigation schemes in the country, which it has predicted in the long-term could reduce rice imports
Mozambican President Armando Guebuza said that the policy would be pushed through due to huge irrigation schemes such as one currently under development in the Xai-Xai district in the southern province of Gaza.
After a visit to the Lower Limpopo Irrigation Scheme the President stated that the result of a partnership with Chinese company, China Wanbao Oil and Grain, could see the current expansion of the scheme reducing rice imports by 100,000 tonnes.
The irrigation scheme is expected to produce on 14,000 ha, however, less was available in the 2011-12 agricultural campaign Mozambican news agency AIM revealed.
President Guebuza also added that other large-scale irrigation schemes are being implemented or restored at Chokwe, which is situated in Gaza as well and at Mopeia, which is located in Zambezia.
According to the government the Lower Limpopo scheme is set to bring 30,000 ha under irrigation and a total production of 150,000 tonnes of grain a year.
