The three political parties, Frelimo, Renamo and Movimento Democrático de Moçambique (MDM), which had parliamentary seats in the last legislation, do not present clear proposals for the development of the agricultural sector.

This is the finding of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD), which analyzed the election manifestos of the three political groupings.

"Although there is a national consensus on the importance of the sector in the economy and in the lives of Mozambicans, there is a lack of clarity on the part of the presidential candidates in the current electoral race as to their concrete plans for this sector," says the Non-Governmental Organization.

Regarding Frelimo's election manifesto, the CDD noted that it focuses on the defense of sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity. It highlights investment in health, education, gender equality, youth, sport and culture, as well as institutional strengthening. It prioritizes economic transformation, with an emphasis on the blue economy, the creation of a development bank and the sustainable management of natural resources. It also plans to develop infrastructure resilient to climate change and consolidate international relations. However, it does not provide specific details on the agricultural sector.

Renamo advocates governance structured around five pillars: defense of sovereignty and territorial integrity; democratic governance based on the separation and interdependence of powers; social governance aimed at empowering social sectors; economic governance with a focus on the private sector; and environmental governance to defend the environment.

MDM's highlights improving the lives of the population as a priority, addressing challenges such as creating more industry and investing in agriculture. However, the document does not provide a detailed plan on how it intends to transform the agricultural sector or how to deal with the difficulties faced by farmers.

And the pre-manifesto of independent candidate Venâncio Mondlane proposes a reform of the state and governance as a central pillar, with a focus on the sustainable development of the economy, constitutional reform and separation of powers. It mentions the modernization of the defence of sovereignty and public security.

"The absence of a strategic vision and concrete commitments on the part of the candidates could jeopardize not only the progress of the sector, but also the well-being of millions of Mozambicans who depend directly on agriculture for their livelihoods. It is also worth noting that the lack of a clear agenda can aggravate existing challenges and limit the potential for growth and innovation in the agricultural sector. The marginalization of the sector is a mistake on the part of the political parties, bearing in mind that agriculture is one of the fundamental pillars for Mozambique's development, a fact that raises concerns about the candidates' real commitment to improving agricultural conditions, which means improving the lives of Mozambican families," he points out.