The sugar sector plays a crucial role in the Mozambican economy, serving predominantly as the country’s largest industrial employer. Its role entails not only prestige but also responsibility for sustainable development and environmental preservation in the communities where the companies operate.
It is in this vein that the sugar industry has committed itself to active involvement in the communities in which it operates, to build lasting partnerships and ensure that the benefits of its success are shared inclusively and equitably, through social and environmental responsibility actions that focus mainly on the following areas:
Health – in this area, most of the sugar industry’s contributions go towards developing a better health system, with precise attention to the health care of women, young people, and children in vulnerable situations.
The actions taken include:
• Construction and expansion of primary health care centers;
• Investment in community control and family planning measures;
• Supply of medicines and provision of medical treatment and medication;
• Reinforcing faster forms of mobility so that communities can reach hospitals in emergencies;
• Purchase of ambulances and equipment;
• HIV testing campaigns, as well as the provision of medication and treatments to combat HIV/AIDS;
• Raising awareness among workers and the community about health and well-being, prevention, and voluntary testing for HIV/AIDS;
• Supporting the maintenance of the doctor’s residence at the hospital in the sugar mill region;
• Supporting the maintenance of the rural hospital, which lies in the sugar mill jurisdiction;
• Investing in land and collecting seeds to plant Indigenous and medicinal plants as an alternative to expensive medicines;
• Installation of an Isolation Centre at any health center in the sugar factory jurisdiction to prevent and combat COVID-19;
• Support in the supply of water and energy for the operation of this health unit, as well as maintenance of the infrastructure; Distribution of support kits for the control of the pandemic to the districts where the company operates, Manhiça Magude and Moamba, including the Local Hospital.
In addition to these actions, the industry has collaborated with local governments to provide essential health services for its employees and the local community.
It offers voluntary HIV counseling and testing for employees and community members. HIV-positive members are entitled to monthly food baskets (Cesta básica), which greatly help to relieve the employer and family of nutritional imbalances.
Education– in education, the sugar industry has focused on supporting construing school infrastructure, including new classrooms, accommodation for teachers, and funding for maintaining school facilities. In the vicinity of sugar mills, the responsible companies ensure the construction and renovation of schools, creating opportunities for evening classes and adult literacy programs.
The industry also equips schools with technological equipment, such as computers, and supports in school supplies, including folders and sports equipment for children in the surrounding areas.
Students can take vocational courses in electrical engineering, industrial mechanics, locksmithing, and agriculture offered by the industry. The sugar industry is committed to fostering educational development in Mozambique through quantifiable contributions, such as scholarships, with more initiatives planned. These combined efforts reflect a holistic approach to supporting and improving education in the region.
Environmental Protection– in environmental protection, the industry’s focus has primarily been on supporting the water and sanitation component of the environment. The industry has taken direct action for the well-being of communities by contributing to:
• Supporting the water and sanitation component of the environment
• Installing containers for depositing household waste alongside public roads in districts and localities in the sugar mills area
• Managing waste, energy, and water
• Monitoring carbon dioxide and sulfur emissions
• Protecting land and biodiversity
Economic Development-The industry provides support and assistance in implementing:
• Contract production systems
• Small local businesses
• Increasing farmer’s productivity through skills transfer
• Supply of fuel to the local police station in Maragra and the Manhiça District Police Command, the Calanga and Machubo Administrative Post
Other initiatives:
• include routine maintenance of dams used by the local population to water their livestock,
• upkeep of community recreational soccer fields,
• distribution of enriched instant porridge to local communities,
• and supply of electricity to villages surrounding the sugar plantations.
The industry also offers training to young activists in road accident prevention, particularly those involved in pulling canes from the trucks.
APAMO and all stakeholders in the sugar industry in Mozambique acknowledge and affirm that pursuing sustainable development is not a choice but a commitment so that future generations can enjoy a healthy environment and a fair society.