The project develops two irrigated commercial farming sites in the Limpopo River Basin in southern Mozambique. The Machinho Agriculture Project covers 8,000 ha for rice, vegetables, maize and beans, with clay and clay-loam soils, the Limpopo River about 1 km away, the Maputo–Zimbabwe railway line about 2 km away and a power line about 3 km away. The Massingir Agriculture Project covers 3,000 ha for tropical fruits, with water from the Massingir Dam about 5 km away. The basin contains about 2 million hectares of arable land, of which 240,000 ha are particularly suitable for irrigation. The project is needed to raise domestic food production, reduce reliance on imports and turn the basin into a commercial farming hub, as part of the national food security agenda.
Project overview
Investment opportunity
Investors can develop large, irrigable land blocks with water, rail and power infrastructure close by. Machinho requires USD 40–64 million and Massingir USD 15–18 million. The basin is anchored by the Massingir Dam and benefits from Special Economic Zone incentives, including IRPC and VAT incentives. The crops target growing domestic demand for rice, maize, vegetables and beans, as well as tropical fruit markets. Machinho sits about 2 km from the Maputo–Zimbabwe line, giving rail access to Maputo and regional markets. The Government is seeking equity investors and PPP partners to develop and operate the farms, irrigation and associated agro-logistics.
Investment types sought
Project status
Development stage
Feasibility & due diligence
Current status / progress to date
Feasibility studies under way for two identified sites: Machinho (8,000 ha) and Massingir (3,000 ha). Land, water source, soil type, rail and power access have been characterised for each site.
Additional project information
- Lead agency
- TBC: Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries
Expected impact
Jobs created / supported
Not quantified in the pipeline. Jobs would arise in farm establishment, irrigation works, cultivation, harvesting and agro-logistics across the 11,000 ha of the two sites.
Economic & development benefits
- Expands commercial production of rice, maize, vegetables, beans and tropical fruit
- Reduces food import dependence
- Uses existing rail (Maputo–Zimbabwe line) and dam infrastructure
- Benefits from SEZ IRPC and VAT incentives
Climate & resilience benefits
- Irrigation reduces exposure of food production to irregular rainfall (300–1,000 mm a year, concentrated November–March)
- Strengthens national food security against climate shocks
Contact
Contact team
For more information about this project, please contact the Commonwealth Investment Platform team.