The Agriculture Fast Track Fund (AFT) has awarded grants valued at $1.35-million for the development of two high-value agriculture projects in Mozambique.

The projects – EcoFarm Sugar Cane Production and Odebrecht Integrated Poultry Production – were selected owing to their strong impact on local communities in Mozambique and would be receiving funding to finance their market analyses, site surveys and other preparation costs, the AFT said earlier this week. 

Odebrecht, which would offer chicken products, would receive $555 000 to complete its final feasibility studies and market research, while EcoFarm would receive $797 500 towards the environmental- and social-impact assessment of its development in the town of Chemba, in Sofala, Mozambique.

“The positive local impact pursued by both granted projects in Mozambique falls in line with the AFT’s mandate to boost agriculture infrastructure in Africa,” the fund said.

Odebrecht had already trained 2 300 Mozambicans in health, safety, environmental quality and psychology at work, and was aiming to create more than 4 000 local jobs.

EcoFarm currently worked with 1 150 farmers who owned 50% of the sugarcane estate and hoped to create 1 000 jobs, while also adding $1.2-million of disposable income to the area.

“Respectively, [Odebrecht and EcoFarm will employ] 60% and 50% of women. Both companies are committed to pay specific attention to [these women’s] professional progression within the[ir] firms,” the AFT added.

Mozambique was one of the six pilot countries, which included Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Ethiopia, chosen to trial the support of the AFT.