U.S. Embassy
Avenida Kenneth Kaunda, 193
Caixa Postal, 783
Maputo
MOZAMBIQUE
PRESS RELEASE
The U.S. Government through the Feed the Future Southern Africa Seed Trade Project Launches Grant to the Association for the Promotion of the Seed Sector in Mozambique
November 20, 2018 – The U.S. Government, through the Southern Africa Seed Trade Project, launched yesterday a $100,000 grant to the Association for the Promotion of the Seed Sector (APROSE), for the implementation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Harmonized Seed Regulatory System (HSRS) in Mozambique, As a component of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Feed the Future initiative, this grant is part of a larger project that harmonizes Mozambican seed regulations and certification processes to that of the entire SADC region. This harmonization is essential to ensuring the quality of Mozambican seeds meets international standards, contributing to better crop yields for Mozambican farmers, and offering opportunities for international trade to Mozambican seed companies.
Through this project, the U.S. Government is partnering with APROSE and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to inform all key stakeholders, from farmers to agro-businesses, of the SADC HSRS in order to integrate Mozambique into the regional seed market. “Seed is the fundamental piece of the agricultural value chain. The most important step towards making nations food secure is to ensure that farmers have access to high quality seeds. Systems like the SADC HSRS will provide farmers with better access to the quality seed they need at more affordable prices,” stated Todd Flower, USAID’s Director for Agriculture, Environment and Business.
Through the Feed the Future FTF initiative, the U.S. Government aims to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger in target areas by increasing equitable growth of the agricultural sector. Activities focus on building resilience in rural markets and communities, developing critical agriculture value chains and supporting an improved policy environment for agriculture and food security.
For more information about this press release, please contact the U.S. Embassy Maputo Press Office at MaputoPress@state.gov.
###
