Food security in Mozambique begins with empowered coastal communities

Atanásio Brito "

Mozambique's coastline on the Indian Ocean is 1,500 miles (2,470 kilometers) long—the same length as the coastlines of France and Spain combined. With three out of five Mozambicans living near the coast, fish and fishing play a central role in our diet and income—fish provides 50% of the animal protein we consume. Our famous fish dishes, including shrimp marinated in garlic, lemon, and peri-peri chili, are world-renowned.

However, despite the bounty of the sea, Mozambique's population faces persistent food challenges. An estimated 2.7 million people are in urgent need of assistance because they have nothing to eat. Two out of every five children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition.

Climate change is one of the culprits. In recent years, drought and cyclones have hit the country, destroying crops like corn, which have not yet recovered. With El Niño forming and more cyclones predicted, the country is one step away from another food crisis.

Overfishing and destructive fishing techniques are another cause. They are reducing fish catches and degrading ecosystems. National data show that fish landings and the total volume of catches are decreasing, with small-scale fishermen reporting that certain species no longer appear in their nets. Overall, artisanal fishing has decreased by almost 30% in the last 25 years.

Community fishing in the center

It is crucial to strengthen the country's resilience to climate change and overfishing. Fortunately, there is a solution we can leverage now: empowering the country's 563,000 small-scale artisanal fishermen, responsible for 90% of national catches, to fish more sustainably.

These fishermen are the backbone of the country's fishing industry. This is not only true in Mozambique, but throughout Africa, as demonstrated by the most recent report on the state of world fisheries. Through the trade, drying, processing, transport and sale of fish, the catches of small-scale fishermen provide employment and income to coastal families. Placing decisions about the management of these fisheries in the hands of fishermen and their communities is fundamental to improving food security throughout the country.

Since 2020, the government has enshrined in its official fisheries policies legal guidelines for the creation of Community Management Fishing Areas and Resource Recovery Areas, zones along the coast where local fishermen have exclusive fishing rights.

Community Fisheries Councils plan and establish no-fishing reserves within managed access areas, where fish populations can recover without being disturbed by human activity. This leads to an increase in fish populations over time.

To date, there are 32 community-led fisheries in Nampula, Zambézia and Inhambane, covering approximately 1,700 square kilometers of coastal waters — an area about five times larger than Maputo. More than 100 additional communities are now adopting the model.

Two local fishing communities co-manage the Bembi no-fishing reserve in Maputo province, for example. The country's first no-fishing reserve to be placed under community-led management protects over 3,000 hectares of coastal ocean waters using a simple buoy system.

In Mozambique, strengthening local governance is crucial for leading the co-management of local fisheries. By granting communities clear rights, local authorities, and resources to manage fisheries, it is possible to sustain livelihoods and recover fish populations, creating a virtuous cycle.

Strengthening Local Resilience

However, community councils, no matter how robust, cannot enforce sustainable fishing practices if families are economically insecure and urgently need to feed their relatives. When cyclones strike or harvests fail, support measures are needed to allow community-led fishing to function without interruption.

First and foremost, communities need clear rights and representative institutions. The country's Maritime Fisheries Regulation (REPMAR) does this effectively, recognizing the rights of coastal communities to access, manage, and administer the waters on which they depend.

Secondly, fishing families need protection against the daily economic shocks. With some savings or an alternative source of income, a fisherman can still support his family, even when a fishing area is designated as a no-fishing zone. Microinsurance and savings and credit groups can help. The same applies to microenterprise support funds. Currently, more than 2,600 people in Mozambique benefit from these programs, and there is room for many more to benefit.

A shared responsibility

Finally, governance systems are stronger when they reflect the totality of the communities they serve. Fishing is shaped not only by those who catch the fish, but also by women, young people, fishmongers and others whose livelihoods and food security depend on healthy marine resources. Some Community Fisheries Councils already include women.

Only when these conditions are met will communities be better prepared to manage fisheries, comply with management rules, and protect the ecosystems that underpin food security. It's about letting communities take the lead—first by handing them the keys, then ensuring they have enough fuel to keep moving forward and a spare tire for when the road gets rough.

Food security in Mozambique will ultimately depend not only on what we harvest from the ocean, but also on how we empower communities to manage and protect it.

2025/12/3