Part of a global programme called Global Market Access Programme (GMAP) developed through a joint programmatic approach between UNIDO and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD ) the GMAP intervention in Mozambique, Market access of Mozambican Aquaculture Products (MAMAP) initiated in 2022 and aims to achieve technical competence and sustainability of the institutions related to quality infrastructure and enhance market access. Mozambique remains as one of the best endowed countries in Africa in terms of natural capital being drained by several important rivers, vast land resources and coastline. The fisheries sector contributes to 2.3% to the GDP with aquaculture contributing with less than 1%. Fishery production amounts to more than 447.5 thousand tons per year and an average of USD 67.231 Millions of exports per year (equivalent to 10.567 exported tonnes). The country is estimated to have potential production areas of approximately 258,000 ha for freshwater aquaculture and 120,000 ha for marine aquaculture.
The overall objective is to make Mozambican aquaculture SMEs more competitive at market level, through strengthening their quality standards and compliance capacity. With the country still recovering from numerous economic challenges and the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the implementation approach adopted by UNIDO is regarded as strategic and focused on some of the domains of the Blue Economy with various public sector interventions, support for private sector development and improved competitiveness for reaping economies of scale whilst raising awareness and building a culture of Quality.