The Problem
With an increased demand for food, and climate change leading to negative impacts on agriculture, the need to optimize water productivity in Mozambique is becoming increasingly evident. Simultaneously, the smallholder farmer sector in Mozambique is growing fast through Farmer-led initiatives, leading to more pressure on resources. For smallholder farming systems (both irrigated and rainfed), there is a potential through improved (irrigated) water management, better access to inputs and markets and agronomical knowledge. An assessment of these opportunities and a methodology to catalyze these Farmer-Led Initiative is necessary for informed planning and decision-making processes and general improvement of Mozambican food security.
The Solution
The APSAN-Vale project demonstrates the best combinations of adoption strategies, tailor service delivery and technological packages for these smallholder farmers. We identify, validate and implement a full set of complementary Technological Packages (TP) in the Zambezi Valley, that will contribute to improve the overall performance of the smallholders’ farming business. These TPs are a combination of improvement on (irrigated) water and agronomical management practices and improved input and market access and knowledge on nutrition and sanitation. Furthermore, a road map is developed to scale up the implementation of those TPs that are sustainable on the long run, supporting Dutch aid policy and national agricultural policy.
The Impact
Through a concrete set of strategies and technological packages that can be integrated in policies and support programs (national and international) with the ability to scale-up, the project we are increasing the income and improving the livelihood of the Mozambican farmers, especially women farmers, and increasing overall food security in Mozambique.