Government Centralizes Licensing and Intensifies Oversight to Stop Illegal Coal and Firewood Mining

The Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries has determined, with immediate effect, the suspension of the issuance of credentials and transport permits for coal and firewood by the districts. The decision, formalized through Note No. 86/2026, aims to correct practices that, according to the Government, weaken control over forest resources.

According to the Secretary of State for Land and Environment, Gustavo Sobrinho Dgedge, the measure is based on Forestry Law No. 17/2023, which exclusively assigns to the provinces the competence to license forest exploitation. With this directive, all documents issued by district administrations will be considered "null and void," representing a milestone in the restructuring of the forest management system in the country.

Meanwhile, the National Agency for Environmental Quality Control (AQUA), in coordination with provincial and district inspectors, has been instructed to immediately seize any transported products that are only supported by district documentation. The main objective is to curb illegal logging, but also to ensure that 20% of the fees collected are effectively returned to local communities, thus promoting a direct benefit to the populations living in forest areas.

In the province of Inhambane, the effects of the new directive are already visible. Since last week, inspection operations have resulted in the interception and seizure of several vehicles loaded with firewood and charcoal, a clear sign that control has intensified. Although the decision initially generated strong opposition from operators – who even protested at the institution's door – a subsequent meeting with the authorities proved crucial in re-establishing dialogue. During the meeting, a consensus was reached, and as a result, the workers agreed to organize themselves into an association, committing to regularize their activity in accordance with the new legal requirements. In this way, what seemed like a stalemate has turned into an opportunity for the formalization of the sector.