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Mozambique also wants to reduce agricultural imports from South Africa
Mozambique’s Minister of Agriculture, Roberto Albino, also wants to pursue import substitution and reduce the country’s reliance on certain food imports from South Africa.
Similarly to my comment about Botswana, such efforts ought to be supported. We all want shared prosperity in Southern Africa. There are lessons and technologies that Mozambique can learn from South African agribusinesses to boost its agricultural production.
And an improvement in agricultural production in Mozambique would help boost its economy. Agriculture is around 20-25% of Mozambique’s GDP, and its recovery would have a material impact. But the approach to these agricultural expansion efforts in our region should be one that doesn’t encourage irregular border closures.
The borders must remain open for food trade, while the various domestic governments, together with farmers and agribusinesses, work to improve their production.
South Africa’s agriculture must not be viewed as a threat, but as a key collaborator and provider of essential inputs. We want shared prosperity in agriculture in our region, and trade friction would defeat that goal.
-Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz)
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