Agriculture is the backbone of Mozambique’s economy, contributing to more than a quarter of its GDP and employing 80% of its labour force1. Smallholder farmers account for a majority of the country’s agricultural production – which mainly includes beans, cashews, maize, cassava and wheat2. While majority of them are grown as subsistence crops, the produce could also be sold commercially.
Mozambique’s agriculture sector is still largely traditional, where farmers rely on simple tools and often lack fertilisers. It is also highly vulnerable to climate changes and extreme weather conditions. This results in persistent food insecurity and low efficiencies in the use of farmland.
Singapore companies can find opportunities to share urban farming and agriculture technology that can help Mozambique to improve agricultural productivity.
Mozambique is rapidly becoming a player in the international oil and gas market especially in natural gas and coal. The country is expected to be among the world’s top 10 producers of natural gas and coal by 2030.
State-owned oil company Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH) has also recently signed oil and gas exploration agreements with Exxon Mobil, and will have stakes of 15-30% in the projects. In addition, the government’s approval of the $20 billion Natural-Gas Plan also presents opportunities for partnerships in the growing industry3.
Mozambique’s allure as a tourist destination is due to its long Indian Ocean coastline with sandy beaches and clear waters, as well as scenery and wildlife. Beach tourism has expanded along the southern coast, including the islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago in Inhambane province.
Annual tourist arrivals rose sharply in the 2000s to a peak of 2.1 million in 2012, though they have since declined to 1.6 million in 20164.
Major investments in various sectors have created an increasing demand for a more qualified workforce, and thus a corresponding need to ensure that local graduates have the required skills. Mozambique has therefore been making efforts to improve the quality of education, such as opening more schools for tertiary education.
The country’s first national university, The Eduardo Mondlane University is complemented by smaller public institutions such as The Pedagogical University (UP) and Institute for International Relations (ISRI). The higher education private sector has undergone steady growth in terms of the number of institutions and student enrolment. Private institutions such as the Higher Polytechnic and University Institute (ISPU) and the Catholic University of Mozambique (UCM) also provide full degree programmes in various disciplines.