The "Catalisa" agribusiness project, financed by the Total-led natural gas exploration consortium in northern Mozambique, has created at least 500 jobs, an official source announced Thursday. 

"We are with about 500 direct jobs created. The indirect ones have not been evaluated yet, but it is an area that we are interested in understanding what the scope is," said Augusto Jaime, director of the "Catalisa" program, during a 'webinar' on the "Socioeconomic Impact and Sustainable Benefits of the Catalisa Program". 

The Mozambique LNG project, led by Total, has provided about 10.5 million dollars for the initiative, which is being implemented in eight districts of Cabo Delgado, namely Pemba, Chiure, Metuge, Mecúfi, Montepuez, Balama, Ancuabe and Palma. 

Catalisa" is a five-year project aimed at developing agribusiness and training young people in Cabo Delgado, as well as creating value chains for local products in the province, taking advantage of the potential for development with gas exploration. 

Despite the suspension of the gas exploration project due to armed attacks in that province, Total has already made it known that the activities of the "Catalisa" program continue, having only been interrupted in the Palma district. 

"Activities in Palma have been interrupted" following the attack that occurred on March 24, said Sheila Come, coordinator in Total's socio-economic development area. 

According to the director of the "Catalisa" program, the activities in that district, which hosted the gas exploration project, the largest private investment in Africa (around 25 billion dollars), will be resumed when the security conditions are created. 

"When the security conditions are in place [we will return]. We are going there to work with beneficiaries, so we need to have the communities established. It is our intention to return to do work in Palma, but there is all the work of returning the communities," Augusto Jaime mentioned. 

Lusa Agency