The Mozambique Chamber of Commerce estimates that small farmers could almost double their income if they had adequate storage for their crops.

According to data released Wednesday, among "various products analyzed" it was found that small producers "lose about 11 billion meticais" per year, said Hipólito Hamela, economist and advisor to the Mozambique Chamber of Commerce, quoted by Mozambican television.

The official was speaking on the sidelines of a debate on training small farmers, in an initiative called "Zero post-harvest losses", coordinated by the World Food Program (WFP).

In other words, according to Hipólito Hamela, also cited by Lusa, if there were no losses, the producers "would gain about 22 billion meticais in revenue," which currently stands at 12 billion meticais, he said.

As part of the "Zero post-harvest losses" initiative, silos or 50-kilo hermetic bags are distributed to farmers, which prevent perforation by insects that attack corn, bean, peanut and other agricultural products.

"WFP tested [the initiative] in six districts of Tete and the results were very good," said Adilson Mangueze, coordinator of the initiative, noting that the activity has expanded to all districts of that province.

The program will be implemented in three more Mozambican provinces, namely Manica, Zambezia and Nampula, in addition to Maputo and Tete, where it is already underway.

The project, which will run until 2024, will benefit about 80,000 farmers with the aim of increasing income and improving food security.

The majority of the Mozambican population practices agriculture, but only for subsistence purposes, given the artisanal way it is practiced, and several analysts consider that the sector can be one of the country's economic engines, if supported, given the agricultural potential in the country.