The investment by Kingdom of the Netherlands, Resilience and Right to Play will help local farmers increase productivity.
Article by Samo Jossefa Samo
The Gorongosa Restoration Project’s new coffee factory represents a crucial step forward in strengthening the coffee value chain for export and improving the income of small producers in the Gorongosa Mountains and other local communities.
The official inauguration of the new Coffee Processing Plant at the Gorongosa Agro-Industrial Complex, carried out by the Administrator of the District of Gorongosa, Pedro Mussengue was the highlight of a visit by the Dutch Deputy Minister for International Cooperation, Pascalle Grotenhuis and her staff. Their trip, dedicated to strengthening bilateral relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Mozambique, also explored new opportunities for economic cooperation in the Beira Corridor.
The newly inaugurated Gorongosa Coffee factory is part of the Park’s Sustainable Livelihoods Development Program, a €20 million program funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by the Gorongosa Restoration Project in partnership with Right to Play and Resilience. This program supports farmers living in communities near the park, promotes the empowerment of women and young people, drives sustainable economic development and contributes to the restoration of biodiversity.
During her visit to the PNG/Gorongosa Products Agroindustrial Park, the Deputy Minister sought to deepen an understanding of the challenges and opportunities of family farming and identify new areas of collaboration with the Dutch private sector, including opportunities with the coffee industry, horticulture, chicken farming, digitization for carbon markets, and initiatives to strengthen youth employment and leadership.
After the inauguration, the deputy minister met with farmers involved in coffee production, listening to their perspectives within the scope of the park’s agricultural program. The following morning, the deputy minister’s delegation visited the Samora Moisés Machel Primary School in the town of Púnguè, where she met with girls and boys benefiting from the Peace Clubs and Girls’ Club programs, initiatives that promote female empowerment and social development.
In addition to Pascalle Grotenhuis, the delegation included Ernesto Sechene, Carlos Mabutana and Ambassador Elsabeth Akkerman. Their visit reinforces the commitment between Mozambique and the Netherlands to promoting sustainable development, social inclusion and the creation of economic opportunities for the communities of Gorongosa with the inauguration of the coffee factory as an essential milestone.
For more information on Gorongosa coffee sales available in Mozambique and for shipment to South Africa, visit produtosdagorongosa.com
