Maputo, Aug. 26, 2026 (Lusa) - The Food Security Cluster reports that, in the first half of 2026, its members provided food assistance or support for agricultural production to more than 1.19 million people in Mozambique, underscoring ongoing humanitarian needs.
The Food Security Cluster (FSC), a mechanism for coordinating the response to food insecurity led by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), states that the initiative assisted 1,194,281 people in the country between 1 January 2026 and 30 June 2026, against a backdrop of multiple crises.
It adds that the response took place against a backdrop where 1.71 million people required urgent humanitarian assistance and protection in 2026, including 977,110 affected by the armed conflict in the north, mainly in the districts of Cabo Delgado, and 733,518 affected by the floods in the south, primarily in the province of Gaza.
It notes that food insecurity remains a critical concern in Mozambique, with 2.09 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity, classified as Phase 3 (Crisis) or higher on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) scale, including 148,000 Mozambicans already in Phase 4 (Emergency).
In terms of emergency food assistance, humanitarian partners supported 586,123 unique beneficiaries, representing 93.87% of the target of 624,397 people, according to the report.
However, it highlights opportunities to strengthen the response, noting that, «in terms of the quantities distributed, the partners covered 16.16% of the needs of the target population and 13.91% of the needs of those actually reached».
In June alone, food assistance reached 420,185 people through operations carried out by eight organisations in a simultaneous response to the armed conflict in the north and the floods. Of this support, 44.37% was provided as foodstuffs, and 55.63% through cash transfers and vouchers.
In the area of agriculture and livelihoods, 130,152 people received support in the first half of the year, corresponding to 17.33% of the annual target of 751,232 beneficiaries.
«The Agriculture and Livelihoods component has so far reached 17.33% of the target since the start of the year, which is below the target. We hope that the results of the agricultural season will help to improve coverage in the coming months,» the report notes.
Between January and June, partners distributed 35.42 tonnes of maize, bean and vegetable seeds; 8,826 agricultural tools, including watering cans and hoes; and provided training to 21,440 people on good agricultural practices and post-harvest management, among other areas.
The report also highlights the growing use of cash transfers, which benefited 668,095 people in the first half of the year, through the distribution of $9.57 million (€8.2 million), mainly in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Sofala and Gaza.
According to the document, 589,305 people received cash support as part of food assistance, and a further 78,790 through agriculture and livelihood programmes.
The document attributes part of the response challenges to the funding shortfall for the humanitarian operation, with the FSC estimating requirements of $223.25 million (€191 million) for 2026 and noting it had secured only 17% of that amount by June.
Although partners have reached almost 94% of the target number of beneficiaries for food assistance, the FSC notes that needs continue to exceed available resources, in a context where millions of people continue to experience food insecurity, armed conflict and the impacts of flooding.
The document anticipates that needs will remain high in the coming months, noting that the most recent projections indicate that up to 2.67 million people are facing acute food insecurity, including around 170,000 at risk of reaching the emergency phase.
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