New Census Reveals Ongoing Struggles for Mozambican Farmers

The census also draws attention to a sharp gap in support available to farmers in Mozambique compared with neighboring countries, highlighting a regional contrast that the report suggests is shaping outcomes for rural producers.

New Census Reveals Ongoing Struggles for Mozambican Farmers
East-Africa Newsroom May 26, 2026 1 min read
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Vast stretches of Mozambique’s farmland remain untouched, and a new Agriculture and Livestock census is putting hard numbers on just how much potential lies idle. According to the survey, only 18% of the country’s 36 million hectares of arable land is currently under cultivation, underscoring both the scale of opportunity and the obstacles farming families face in boosting crop production.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Minister of Planning and Development Salim Vala said the findings point to a central reality for the country’s future growth. ”This means that the future of national economic transformation will continue to be deeply linked to our ability to transform subsistence agriculture into commercial, integrated, resilient, and agro-industrialized farming,” Vala said.

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The census also draws attention to a sharp gap in support available to farmers in Mozambique compared with neighboring countries, highlighting a regional contrast that the report suggests is shaping outcomes for rural producers.