From 15–19 September 2026, Lt. Sorawud Preededilok, Minister attached to Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), led a Thai delegation comprising TICA officials, and representatives of the Royal Thai Embassy in Maputo on a visit to the Republic of Mozambique. The visit aimed to strengthen development cooperation under the Thailand–Africa Initiative (TAI), with a focus on sustainable agricultural technology development in Boane and Chókwè,

The Thai delegation held discussions with Mr. Faruque Omar Faquirá, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate for Asia and Oceania, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique, on the overall direction of Thailand–Mozambique development cooperation and cooperation under the TAI. The delegation also met with Mr. Acubar Baptista, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries, to discuss agricultural productivity, water management, seed systems and small-scale agricultural machinery.

In addition, the delegation met with Prof. Emílio Tostão, Director-General of the Mozambique Institute of Agricultural Research (IIAM), to discuss the development of Boane and Chókwè as pilot sites for testing and demonstrating agricultural technologies that could subsequently be transferred and scaled up to benefit farmers. Both sides also explored opportunities for academic cooperation between IIAM and Kasetsart University, initially focusing on rice and horticulture.

The delegation also exchanged views with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Mozambique Office, Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P., and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in Mozambique on possible areas of cooperation that could complement Thailand’s development cooperation activities, taking into account the respective expertise and priorities of each development partner.

The delegation also visited Boane and Chókwè. In Boane, they visited the IIAM research centre to assess preparations for upcoming rice cultivation activities and the development of a practical training programme covering the full production cycle, including land preparation and levelling, rice varieties and seed selection, soil, water and fertilizer management, the operation and maintenance of agricultural machinery, harvesting and post-harvest management. The programme is intended to enable IIAM officials and local farmers to acquire knowledge and skills through hands-on practice.

In Chókwè, an important agricultural and irrigation area in Mozambique, where IIAM proposed an initial area of approximately four hectares for the development of a rice demonstration and learning plot. The delegation inspected the proposed site and held discussions with local farmers to identify key constraints throughout the production cycle, including land preparation and levelling, water management, seed quality, labour, access to agricultural machinery, harvesting and post-harvest management. The findings will be used to inform the design of the proposed pilot project and determine appropriate areas of future support.