Maputo, 1 June 2026 – As part of the celebrations of the Italian Republic Day in Mozambique, the Humus photo exhibition by Italian photographer Marco Palombi was inaugurated today at the Maputo Museum of Natural History.
The exhibition features photographs taken in Manica Province, portraying communities, landscapes and initiatives supported by Italian Cooperation. The images document different dimensions of local development, ranging from the promotion of the coffee value chain and women’s economic empowerment to peacebuilding initiatives and sustainable rural development.
The photographs also highlight the agricultural potential of Manica Province and are linked to the future Manica Agri-Food Centre (CAAM), one of the flagship projects of the Mattei Plan for Africa in Mozambique. With an estimated investment of EUR 38 million, the centre is designed as a regional hub for the processing, storage and distribution of agricultural products, contributing to the strengthening of agricultural value chains and the promotion of regional trade along the Beira Corridor.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Italy to Mozambique, Gabriele Annis, the Rector of Eduardo Mondlane University, Manuel Guilherme Júnior, and the Director of the Maputo Museum of Natural History, Gaby Monteiro.
The title of the exhibition, Humus, derives from the Latin word hŭmus and seeks to evoke, on the one hand, the fertile top layer of soil rich in organic matter and, on the other, the social, cultural and human conditions that foster the emergence and development of ideas, projects and opportunities.
Each of the 22 photographs is accompanied by a proverb from Mozambican tradition, highlighting the deep connection between the agricultural world and popular wisdom, passed down from generation to generation and capable of inspiring communities across borders and time.
A photojournalist from Rome, Marco Palombi has dedicated more than thirty years to producing photographic and audiovisual reports in different regions of the world. His work has focused on documenting communities, minorities and social realities across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. In 2023, he received the Anima Photography Award and, in 2025, presented the exhibition SHAMS in Beirut, dedicated to Italian Cooperation’s education projects.
During the inauguration, Ambassador Annis stated:“Those who have visited the fields of Manica know that development is not measured only in numbers, but also in faces, gestures and words. It is this humus – human before it is agricultural – that Italy has accompanied for fifty years and intends to continue supporting with renewed commitment.”
The exhibition will remain open to the public until 1 July 2026 at the Maputo Museum of Natural History, one of the city’s most emblematic cultural and scientific institutions, restored and reopened in 2025 with the support of Italian Cooperation under the RINO – Recovery and Innovation of the Museum of Natural History programme.
The exhibition is part of the MOZITA2026 cultural programme promoted by the Embassy of Italy in Maputo, with the support of Italian and Mozambican companies, including Renco, Inalca, Eni, Cotur, BCI and MSC.