Mariculture employs around 2,000 people in commercial seaweed farming, 80% of whom are women, and less than 1,000 people in commercial prawn farming. Aquaculture is a small developing activity in the Mozambican economy. 




There are also experimental projects underway in finfish and mud crab, which highlight the opportunities for further development in the sector. The country’s good quality seawater, its ideal environment for prawn farming, along with its large areas identified as suitable for mariculture development, should contribute to the growth of this sub-sector. Like all developing sectors, however, there are constraints that challenge further development in the aquaculture sector. 


For example, limited infrastructure for research and development in the sector has constrained the adoption of appropriate technologies. Similarly, lack of hatchery facilities and seed has constrained smallscale development. Also, lack of marketing experience in aquaculture and strong international competition in prawn farming has made access to key further market difficult. Theft and vandalism, as well corruption at the provincial level, also highlight the challenges apparent in the sector. 

In many cases, these constraints are less significant considering the strengths and opportunities prevalent in the sector. For example, an investor friendly environment, the potential for diversification into new species, the opportunities for the development of an industrialized prawn and marine finfish culture sub-sector, as well as national departments willing to support the sector, all highlight the potential inherent in the mariculture subsector in Mozambique.


The Agricultural sectors contribute immensely to the economy of Mozambique. The two sectors contributed 25% to GDP in 2009 and between 10% and 15% of total exports. Cassava and Maize represent 50% of the total value of production and it has been estimated that a 20% increase in output in these staples could potentially reduce poverty by 19%. Livestock has also become an important source of income, with 31% of households utilizing it as a source of income in 2002, an increase of 17% from 1996. The sector has however, receded in recent years, most evident in the fact that 42% of households received some income from non-farm enterprises in 2002. 

This drop in production has been attributed to the development of aluminium exports, along with the increase in other large export projects since 2000. Environmental degradation and over-exploitation of natural resources has become a problem in the country’s coastal zone, largely a result of a combination of a number of variables such as poverty, lack of alternative employment and increased population pressure. Mangrove forests have also been over-exploited and converted into other land uses that generate higher returns, such as real estate and even garbage dumps.

Nearly 15,000 ha of mangroves have been degraded across seven provinces. The government has however, taken many steps to reverse this over-exploitation. For example, decentralization and community level management are being utilized as a means of promoting sustainable use of natural resources in the coastal zone. Likewise, current forestry policy aims at not only creating incentives in the use of secondary species, but also promoting the rehabilitation and effective conservation of protected areas in the coastal zone. 


Similarly, in planning and management, there is a common perception in Mozambique that in order to alleviate pressure on coastal resources, alternative streams of income have to be provided. Mangrove forests have also been over-exploited and converted into other land uses that generate higher returns, such as real estate and even garbage dumps. Nearly 15,000 ha of mangroves have been degraded across seven provinces. The government has however, taken many steps to reverse this over-exploitation. 

For example, decentralization and community level management are being utilized as a means of promoting sustainable use of natural resources in the coastal zone. Likewise, current forestry policy aims at not only creating incentives in the use of secondary species, but also promoting the rehabilitation and effective conservation of protected areas in the coastal zone. Similarly, in planning and management, there is a common perception in Mozambique that in order to alleviate pressure on coastal resources, alternative streams of income have to be provided. 


Many constraints have been identified in the energy sector, possibly limiting its development. Also the country’s limited capacity to exploit its own natural resources has also been identified as a weakness. has also been documented as a potential threat. Numerous strengths and opportunities have however, been identified in the sector, many of which could open up new opportunities for employment in the coastal zone.