Mozambique

iDE improves the living standard of people in Mozambique by extending agricultural services to the most rural households.

I De Ex Mz Berta Farming 21X9 Rh — Berta Jambo applying liquid fertilizer to her field of cabbage. FBAs not only sell inputs and services to others, but often have their own farms as well.

Featured Project

Rolling with the changes

The Farmer Resilience & Rebuilding Initiative in Mozambique

Mozambique farmers have faced many challenges in the past 18 months, beginning with Cyclone Idai in March 2019 that devastated many along the Beira Corridor. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating problems for this vulnerable population, arriving almost one year exactly after the Cyclone. For an already stressed market ecosystem, the challenges to maintain safe social distancing while still going about their farming activities will be extra hard for families.

Students seek solutions for food preservation

Design students from the Colorado School of Mines develop context-oriented technology to strengthen the post-harvest value chain in rural Mozambique

iDE works with university partners to explore technologies that promise to increase market options for fruit and vegetable farmers.

Why we’re here—

Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in Africa, with over 65 percent of its population earning less than $2 a day. Most of the population is engaged in agriculture, but agriculture makes up only 29 percent of the country’s GDP, due to the majority of farming activities being poor, subsistence-level crop and livestock raising. Combined with one of the worst literacy rates in Africa and one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infections, Mozambique’s population is ready for real change.

Increasing women’s roles in household decision-making in Mozambique

Involve the entire family in order to achieve gender equality

Paying It Forward

Fernando Milambo stands proudly in his abundant cabbage field. iDE began working with Fernando in 2013, providing knowledge and tools that helped him increase his vegetable production. Today, he is a Farm Business Advisor, helping other farmers grow their businesses.

iDE PC Mozambique Fernando Milambo — (Photo David Graham/iDE)

I De Ex Moz 21X9 2018 Mozambique Angelo Cumaio Commercial Farmer Smart Photo By Marlene Muzezela I De Img 8613

Greenhouses break new ground

Visible agricultural technology spurs demand for change in Mozambique

Tropical greenhouse technology incorporates drip irrigation and ultraviolet plastic filtration cover that both protects the plants from heavy rainfall but also accelerates photosynthesis, resulting in healthier, larger produce.

What matters—

Gender Equity

The common perception in Mozambique is that it is more important to educate a boy than a girl. This leads to more early marriages (over half of girls are married by age 18), resulting in fewer opportunities for girls and women, who are expected to perform more of the domestic work than men.

By focusing on women as customers and entrepreneurs, iDE strengthens their participation in rural value chains and increases their access to technology, know-how, finance, and markets.

Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Gender Equity.

Nutrition

Malnutrition in Mozambique is high (43 percent of children under five) due to a lack of diversity in diets, poor breastfeeding practices, high levels of disease, and a high rate of teenage pregnancy. Particularly of concern are chronic deficiencies in Vitamin A and iron for children under five.

iDE empowers farmers to grow different, more nutritious crops, so that people have a more varied diet, fueling them with the energy and mental ability they need to be successful.

Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Nutrition.

Food Security

Flooding from excessive rains and cyclones is a recurrent problem, resulting in damage to infrastructure and agricultural production. Disaster conditions compound acute food shortages, leading to the sale of productive assets such as working livestock.

iDE enhances farmers’ yields through access to technology, products, and knowledge, enabling them to sell affordable, nutritious food to local communities.

Learn more about iDE's commitment to Food Security.

iDE Theme Climate Resilience Illustration

Resilience to Climate Change

With its long coastline, over 22 million people (85 percent of the population) in Mozambique live in coastal areas that are threatened by sea-level rise and climate extremes. In the last decades, severe climate hazards including droughts, floods, and cyclones have resulted in several disaster conditions.

iDE helps people in rural areas build their resilience to climate extremes like floods and drought through the use of climate-smart agricultural technologies and practices.

Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Smart Technologies.

What works—

Agriculture

iDE is implementing its FBA model in Mozambique to promote resource-smart technologies such as drip systems, pumps, and post-harvest storage. We identify, train, and provide support to village-based agents who can bring high-quality agricultural products to small-scale farmers. iDE has established Agribusiness Service Centers to support these agents with market links to suppliers and buyers, building their business acumen and encouraging their development as entrepreneurs.

Learn more about iDE’s global Agriculture strategy.

Access to Finance

Because farmers, advisors, and dealers are often not eligible for credit from Mozambican finance institutions, iDE created a “revolving fund,” which facilitates in-kind loans for inputs, equipment, and services (with a processing fee of up to 15 percent to cover costs and logistics). iDE collaborates with clients to demonstrate the return on investment for applications to use funds from the revolving fund. In 2016, iDE became a partner with microfinance institution Kiva, to provide another option besides the revolving fund for farmers to access credit. We are continually investigating other unique loan products that work for small-commercial farmers to grow their businesses.

Learn more about iDE’s global Access to Finance strategy.

Mozambique results to date—

52,472

Households Impacted

290,391

Individuals Impacted

712.55

Annual Income Increased in Dollars

8.30

Benefit-to-Cost Ratio

Our footprint—

iDE IN MOZAMBIQUE

Avenida do Zimbabwe, 868
Maputo, Moçambique
Phone: +258 82 3078633
E-mail: Mozambique@ideglobal.org

Stefano Gasparini
Country Director,
iDE Mozambique
Isidro Fote
Monitoring and Evaluation Director,
iDE Mozambique
Salomao Cuambe
Finance Director,
iDE Mozambique
Melba Davis Mussagy
Program Manager,
iDE Mozambique
Neidy Manjate
Finance Coordinator,
iDE Mozambique