Agriculture is the main source of income for more than 65% of the population in Mozambique. Along with the fisheries sector, agriculture accounts for about 34% of the country’s exports. The National Fish Inspection Institute (INIP) is the competent authority responsible for the enforcement of all legal provisions related to fish safety. In 2007 INIP received assistance from the ComMark Trust (a DFID funded programme) to implement a number of standards related projects to ensure that Mozambique was not removed from the EU's approved list of suppliers of fishery products. This followed an inspection by the EU, in 2006, of Mozambique’s ability to comply with the special conditions governing imports if fish and fish products originating in Mozambique.
TradeMark Southern Africa has been able to source further funding directly from DFID for expansion of the laboratory in Maputo, to ensure that INIP has the capability to perform the necessary laboratory tests and finalize its laboratory accreditation process. Work on the laboratory expansion was completed by the end of 2011 and the laboratory was accredited in June 2012. The competent authority is now able to provide a much improved service to the sector and confidence to the markets that fish exports meet the required standards. In September 2012 the laboratory was officially inaugerated by Mozambique's president, Armando Guebuza.
