Publication in the Official Gazette consolidates governance, market access, and economic inclusion in communities in the provinces of Maputo, Gaza, and Inhambane.
Maputo, September 12, 2025 — The GMAP Project, implemented by UNIDO, with funding from NORAD and in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries, IDEPA, INIP and AMPCM announces the publication in the Official Gazette of the statutes of three new cooperatives resulting from the transformation of fish farmers’ associations:
- COOPINHAR, Lda. (Inharrime Fish Farmers Cooperative – Inhambane Province);
- CPBV, Lda. (Boa Vontade Fish Farmers Cooperative – Chongoene District, Gaza Province);
- CPM, Lda. (Mahanhane Fish Farmers Cooperative – Boane District, Maputo Province).
The legal and institutional formalization marks the culmination of a process of mobilization, diagnosis, and training in modern cooperativism and quality, led by IDEPA and local partners. Throughout the process, 79 people, 40 women and 39 men, were impacted through sessions held in Maputo, Gaza, and Inhambane, reinforcing female leadership and economic governance in grassroots organizations.
Strengthening economic and management capacity
With the publication of the Statutes, the cooperatives now operate with full legal personality and can:
- access financing mechanisms and submit business plans;
- enter into commercial agreements and participate in trade fairs and institutional procurement;
- implement quality and biosafety routines (GMP/GHP, HACCP, traceability) promoted by GMAP/UNIDO in coordination with INIP/INNOQ;
- expand services to members (inputs, fingerlings, technical assistance, training).
Share capital and next steps
The published statutes establish the initial share capital and the structure of the governing bodies, consolidating rules of participation and transparency. Together, the three cooperatives are starting operations with MT 780,500 in subscribed share capital (the sum of the amounts stated in the statutes), signaling the members’ commitment to economic sustainability.
Partnerships that make this possible
The transformation of associations into cooperatives was supported by:
- Funding: NORAD;
- Technical implementation: UNIDO/GMAP;
- Sectoral oversight and alignment: MAAP;
- Institutional and extension intervention: IDEPA (associations and market links), INIP (official control and technical assistance), INNOQ (standardization), AMPCM/AMAQUA (mobilization of producers);
- Local authorities and registries for legal registration and submission to the Boletim da República (Official Gazette).
On the community impact
In addition to legal formalization, the process is accompanied by a training and technical assistance package (governance, management, quality, biosafety), which will enable cooperatives to improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, access markets with quality requirements, and generate more predictable income for member families, with an emphasis on the participation of women in decision-making roles.