Mozambique is one of the countries most affected by climate change. According to the Global Climate Risk Index, published in 2021 by the German NGO Germanwatch[1], the country was classified as the most vulnerable in the world to these impacts. The report highlights the consequences already suffered by Mozambique, such as Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, as well as prolonged periods of drought.

Currently, the Manica Province, in the center of the country, is facing the effects of El Niño[2], which has caused severe drought, affecting around 1.8 million people. February 2024 was the driest month in the last 100 years[3].

Bartolomeu Tenesse, a beneficiary of the DELPAZ program[4], describes the situation: “The hunger this year is frightening. There are families feeding on corn bran, fruits, and wild tubers. Others go days without eating.” Aida Diekson, a farmer in the Macossa district and a beneficiary of the “Mulheres No Sustenta” project funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)[5], reports, “This year, nothing grew. The tomatoes, onions, and lettuce dried up.”

The numbers confirm these alarming accounts, with 166,126 people facing acute food insecurity and around 49,384 in emergency situations in Manica Province. This results in 39.1% of children under five suffering from chronic malnutrition.

In light of this alarming scenario, AICS has joined forces with the Government of Mozambique to combat hunger and increase agricultural production in Manica Province[6]. These actions are even more relevant considering the ongoing challenges posed by climate change and the growing food insecurity in the country.

To reinforce these efforts, AICS, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), celebrated World Food Day in Chimoio, the capital of Manica Province, under the theme “The Right to Food for a Better Life and Future.” In this context, a series of activities were organized at the Nhamatsane Center School, reflecting the common commitment to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious and quality food.

In his speech, Giovanni Barbagli, Gender and Rural Development Officer and representative of the Agency in Chimoio, emphasized AICS’s commitment in Manica Province, highlighting the various ongoing interventions[7] aimed at improving food security and nutrition.

He also pointed out that agriculture is one of the five essential pillars of the Mattei Plan, approved this year by the Italian government. Barbagli further mentioned the Manica Agro-Food Center (CAAM[8]), a €38 million investment that will be built in Chimoio.

 

This center will play a crucial role in promoting fair and inclusive agricultural value chains, helping to strengthen the resilience of farmers and communities against extreme phenomena, such as El Niño.

Ensuring a secure market for local production is fundamental to stimulating agricultural growth and better utilizing the natural resources of the Province. CAAM aims to stabilize agricultural product prices by increasing the purchase price for producers, reducing the number of intermediaries, and creating a short supply chain between producer and consumer.

In addition, it aims to add value to agricultural products through washing, calibration, packaging, direct and wholesale sales; preservation and processing of raw materials for the production of juices, pulps, oils, essential oils, dried fruits, dehydrated products, etc. Once the domestic market is satisfied, CAAM aims to look toward export, promoting Mozambique’s agricultural excellences in the international market.

Located in the Beira Corridor, Manica Province is strategic for the country’s food security. CAAM will not only adopt sustainable green technologies and enhance the role of women but will also promote the circular economy through technical studies that will improve the region’s capacity to face challenges posed by adverse climatic events.

Celebrating World Food Day, AICS reaffirms its commitment to support the communities in Manica, severely affected by drought caused by El Niño. Through agricultural and climate resilience projects, the agency seeks to ensure access to safe and nutritious food, contributing to mitigating the effects of food insecurity in the region.

 

© Andrea Borgarello 

[1] The next report will be published in 2025, presenting an updated methodology to improve the comparability between country rankings and a more sustainable dataset on climate impacts for future publications.

[2] El Niño is a climatic phenomenon characterized by the warming of the waters of the Pacific Ocean, which causes disturbances in atmospheric patterns. In the Manica province of Mozambique, this phenomenon has been associated with severe droughts, particularly between 2015 and 2016, when precipitation decreased by up to 50%. Currently, the region is facing challenges related to El Niño once again, with drought forecasts affecting agricultural production and increasing food insecurity.

[3] According to data from the report published by OCHA, “El Niño Humanitarian Overview Southern Africa.

[4] DELPAZ, funded by the European Union in Mozambique, is a program of the Mozambican government that works to consolidate peace in 14 districts of the provinces of Manica, Tete, and Sofala. In Manica province, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) supports economic development by collaborating with local authorities and a consortium of Italian and local civil society organizations led by Helpcode

[5] AICS is currently funding and implementing 7 interventions in Manica Province (Mulheres No Sustenta, PRODAI, Rural Development Support Program – PADR, DELPAZ, MAIS VALOR 1, MAIS VALOR 2, and CAAM), each with different implementing partners, but all sharing a common goal: to eradicate hunger. These interventions focus on supporting small and medium agricultural enterprises, with initiatives that include marketing their products, creating green spaces, distributing seeds, installing irrigation systems, agroforestry, beekeeping, etc., thus promoting more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agriculture.

[6] In addition to the various projects funded by AICS in Manica Province, aimed at strengthening food security, in May 2024, we delivered, at the request of the Provincial Secretary of State, 1,100 kg of bean seeds.

[7] (i) the PSSR (Rural Development Support Program), conducted in partnership with FAR, which aims to support commercial agriculture and local economic development through strengthening small producers and community organizations, as well as micro, small, and medium agricultural enterprises, through technical and financial assistance services, access to land, and formalization of its use, in order to improve productive capacities and facilitate access to the market for agri-food production;

(ii) the initiative called “Women in SUSTENTA,” implemented by a consortium of Italian and Mozambican NGOs, represented by Progettomondo, which promotes women’s participation in the rural economy by supporting innovation, with particular attention to production processes and value chain enhancement in the agri-food sector;

(iii) Pro-DAI, an initiative implemented by FAO, which aims to reduce poverty and improve food and nutritional security through the transformation of diversified, innovative, efficient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems, and the adoption of sustainable models for intensifying agricultural production through appropriate soil management practices and promoting agroforestry systems to strengthen economic, social, and ecological sustainability;

(iv) MAIS VALOR II – Improving inclusive and sustainable development of agricultural supply chains, a technical assistance initiative implemented by UNIDO, which aims to increase local capacities, technological updating, and the transfer of know-how to strengthen agribusiness models and contribute to the development of the agro-industry in Mozambique, focusing on promoting added value and improving agricultural processing, with interventions in the horticulture, coffee, and cereal production sectors.

[8] On July 8, 2024, an agreement was signed for the development of an agri-food center in Manica province, Mozambique, under the Mission Structure for Southern Africa of the Mattei Plan. The agreement was signed by Stefano Gatti, Director-General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Paolo Lombardo, Director of International Cooperation of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, along with Ernesto Max Elias Tonela, Minister of Economy and Finance of Mozambique. This project, worth €38 million, aims to strengthen food security and promote sustainable agriculture.