EU supports Mozambican seed quality control

Mozambique is to have its seed quality control strengthened thanks to the rehabilitations planned to take place in the five laboratories in the Southern African country's northern, central and southern regions, local media reported on Wednesday.

The project financed by the European Union is budget at 7.5 million euros and is being implemented in coordination with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Maputo daily paper Noticias said.

The project will provide the laboratories with new equipment, training of its staff, transport means and the reorganization of its services.

With the project, Mozambique is to lift the level of supervision and inspection of seeds operation to that of other countries in the Southern African Region, the newspaper quoted an official as saying.

Mozambique is among the 24 countries benefiting from this initiative, which aims to increase the level of food production, guarantee food security and benefit around 30,000 farmers.

So far, 550 hectares of land have been granted to carry out the program and 19 contracts with enterprises and associations to contribute to the increase of seed have been signed.

Source: Xinhua