Maputo, July 16, 2026 (Lusa) - A regional report published on Thursday indicates that more than 3.5 million Mozambicans are facing worrying levels of food insecurity, with the most severe situations occurring in the north, in Cabo Delgado and Nampula.
The 70th edition of the Food Security Monitor estimates that the equivalent of 18% of the Mozambican population is experiencing food insecurity classified as Phase 3 or higher on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
IPC Phase 3, designated as “Crisis”, corresponds to situations where households face significant difficulties in accessing food or are only able to meet their minimum needs by resorting to strategies that jeopardise their future livelihoods.
The report was produced by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an African organisation that works with governments, research institutions, the private sector and development partners to promote increased agricultural productivity, improved food systems and enhanced food security on the continent.
Among the 14 southern African countries analysed in the report, Mozambique ranks fifth in terms of the absolute number of people facing acute food insecurity, behind Nigeria, South Sudan, Kenya and Malawi.
According to AGRA, the food situation in Mozambique shows marked regional contrasts. Whilst parts of the central and southern regions have benefited from a recovery in agricultural production, increased seasonal incomes and better harvests, areas affected by armed violence in Cabo Delgado and some parts of northern Nampula continue to face crisis-level food insecurity.
The report states that insecurity, population displacement and the disruption of livelihoods continue to limit regular access to food in these northern provinces, despite the current agricultural harvest.
The organisation adds that the most vulnerable households remain exposed to the combined effects of conflict, extreme weather events and a growing dependence on markets for food procurement.
Food prices also remain under pressure, with the report noting that Mozambique recorded a year-on-year rise of 51.2% in the price of maize, one of the highest in the region. Meanwhile, the price of beans rose by 5.8% year-on-year, reflecting supply constraints and localised disruptions in agricultural markets.
AGRA also warns of the sharp rise in the cost of fertilisers in the country. Urea prices rose by 93.8% compared with the previous year, whilst NPK fertilisers recorded an annual increase of 56.5%, exacerbating production costs for farmers.
The report also notes that Mozambique is among the African countries most vulnerable to the anticipated impacts of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which is expected to persist until the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027.
According to the organisation, forecasts point to risks of reduced rainfall in some regions, above-average temperatures, losses in agricultural yields, rising food prices and greater vulnerability among rural populations dependent on subsistence farming.
AGRA believes that the improvements seen in some regions of Mozambique during the current agricultural season may be temporary if the scenarios of climatic irregularity forecast for the coming season are confirmed.
The province of Cabo Delgado, rich in natural gas, has been facing an armed insurgency since October 2017.
The organisation Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) recorded 11 violent incidents in the first two weeks of June in Cabo Delgado, all involving Islamic State extremists, which resulted in eight deaths, bringing the total number of deaths since 2017 to 6,632.
According to ACLED’s latest report, covering data from 1 to 14 June, of the 2,408 violent incidents recorded since October 2017 – when the armed insurgency began in Cabo Delgado – 2,224 involved individuals associated with Islamic State Mozambique.
PVJ/AYLS // AYLS
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