Minister of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, Augusta Maíta offering a isotherm box for one of the beneficiaries in Sofala

18 June 2020, Sofala- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, delivered fishing materials and supplies to more than 1000 artisanal fishermen from Sofala province that were severely affected by Cyclone Idai occurred in March 2019.

This initiative, financed by FAO under the project: “Emergency support to fisher folks to resume sustainable marine fishing affected by Cyclone Idai”, is part of a continuous support for fishing activity in the center of the country, after several fishermen have lost part of their livelihoods.

The beneficiaries are members of the fishing communities from fishing centers in the districts of Muanza, Dondo Beira and Búzi, considered the coastal districts most affected by cyclone Idai in that province.

For the acquisition of various fishing equipment and materials, such as fishing nets, ropes, lines, pellets, buoys, nails, fishing gear and cool boxes with a capacity of 100 liters, among others, the beneficiaries received a voucher in the amount of 200 USD.

The Project Coordinator, Fernando Momade believes that this support will contribute to the rapid restoration of sustainable fishing activity and the improvement of the income of fishermen affected by the cyclone.

The event was attended by the Minister of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, Augusta Maíta, who in her speech thanked FAO for its support and appealed to the beneficiaries to make better use of the equipment and materials received for increasing production and fisheries productivity, taking into account the pandemic of the new coronavirus.

The Minister also called for compliance of the preventive measures recommended by the competent authorities, having at the time offered 400 protection masks to members of the province's Community Fisheries Councils.

This support was extended to the province of Cabo Delgado where equipment was also delivered to fishermen affected by Cyclone Kenneth, including cool boxes of 100 liters each and bicycles attached to cool boxes of 30 liters each to improve the fishing value chain in the districts of Ibo, Quissanga, Metuge and Pemba.

In the City of Pemba, the material delivery ceremony was conducted by the Secretary of State for the Province of Cabo Delgado, Armindo Ngunga, and the Governor of the Province of Cabo Delgado, Valigy Tauabo.

Since the occurrence of Cyclone Idai, FAO has supported more than 40 thousand families with seeds and agricultural and fishing instruments, which enabled the continuity of food production and the guarantee of food security for more than two hundred thousand people.