An agreement to this effect was signed in Maputo on Friday by ITC representative Fabrice Celeclero, and Celina Cossa, chairperson of the Maputo General Union of Cooperatives (UGC). The UGC will coordinate the programme.
Cossa said that, under this agreement, vegetables produced by the 1,600 members of the UGC cooperatives, will benefit from processing, and hence will gain in value. Previously vegetables that were not purchased immediately after they had been harvested were in danger of rapid deterioration.
"We must always fight to improve our productivity and the quality and presentation of the vegetable", Cossa told reporters. "It's another challenge for us, and we are willing to work to empower the peasants".
Celeclero said that, apart from providing processing equipment, the agreement also envisages training for the peasants.
In future, the project could be expanded to the southern province of Inhambane, and the northern provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado, added Celeclero, "but first we want to produce results here in Maputo, improving the living conditions of the peasants".
SOURCE: AIM
