Mozambique is a low-income, developing country with 80 percent of its population engaged in agriculture. The country’s agricultural sector is dominated by subsistence production on small farms ranging in size from one to five hectares (ha). Maize and cassava are the most widely cultivated crops. Although considerable economic and political progress has been achieved since the signing of a peace accord in 1992, agricultural productivity remains low, with an average production of less than one metric ton (mt) per hectare (ha) for cereal crops. The primary agricultural challenges facing Mozambique include low agricultural productivity due to outdated subsistence farming practices and the low rate of use of modern agro-inputs. As both a cause and a result, agro-input markets are substantially underdeveloped, particularly in rural areas.
Maize, the staple food of most Mozambicans, is grown throughout the country. The total land area of cultivated maize is about 1.4 million ha, and yields seldom exceed 1.0 mt/ha because few farmers utilize quality fertilizers or improved seed varieties. Contributing factors include low soil fertility, periodic droughts in lowland areas, weeds, pests and crop diseases. Farmers currently apply, on average, only 5 kilograms (kg)/ha of fertilizer, and only five percent of smallholders use improved seed varieties. The use of crop protection products (CPPs) is primarily reserved for cash crops such as cotton, tobacco and sugarcane. This low use of agro-inputs is largely the result of the lack of an integrated supply system for better access to inputs, inadequate farmer knowledge of modern technologies and the lack of available credit in rural areas.
The MIM project (2008-ongoing) is implemented by IFDC with funding and in-kind technical support from the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA), the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) and the International Potash Institute (IPI).The purpose of the project is to improve Mozambican smallholder farmers’ livelihoods by intensifying maize production through the judicious use of quality fertilizer, improved seeds and certified CPPs. Technology transfer is a critical component of the project, educating subsistence farmers on various subjects including the rotation of cereal and leguminous crops for greater diversity, better control of pests and improved water management through irrigation and techniques that retain rainwater at the crop site.
The second focus is the transition from subsistence farming to commercial-quality maize production and marketing. The project strengthens the Mozambican agricultural economy by linking farmers with agro-input suppliers, private enterprises and other value chain partners. Building these linkages with marketing companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), farmers’ organizations, producers’ organizations, agricultural extension services and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), MIM creates a more dynamic agricultural environment, thus strengthening the entire maize value chain. Site-specific nutrient management and the use of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) techniques are key technical aspects to increasing total output to commercial levels.
The project utilizes a productive farming clusters technique, and is being implemented in the Manica and Sofala provinces of central Mozambique and in the Nampula and Zambezia provinces of northern Mozambique.
This technique allows for optimal technology transfer and creates a community environment for shared teaching, participatory learning, testing, experimentation and networking.
These combined efforts are particularly important in light of the Government of Mozambique’s plans to develop intensified maize cropping on a substantially increased total of 120,000 hectares of land throughout the country. In the first year of the project, results showed that the use of best agricultural practices allowed maize yields to increase from an average of 500kg/ha to over 5,000kg/ha, with profits increased to over US $500/ha. This is a substantial increase in a nation where the annual income for farmers is less than US $430.
The MIM project staff began work in September 2008 and is co-located in IFDC’s Agricultural Input Markets Strengthening Project (AIMS) office in Beira, Mozambique.
MIM Progress (January-June 2011):
- Conducted a field visit with IPNI and IPI representatives in Manica province.
- Conducted follow-up and continued coordination with farmer associations.
- Assisted farmer associations to market their crops at harvest.
- Collected substantial project data for economic analysis to determine further courses of project action.
Past Highlights (July-December 2010):
- A progress report and economic analysis of the results of the 2009-2010 season was delivered to donors/partners. Due to the drought in some areas, the results were not as good as the previous season. However, positive results were obtained for the treatments using fertilizers.
- In collaboration with local governments, coordinated with 15 farmer associations in Manica, Tete and Sofala provinces to establish demonstration plots.
- Land preparation and training of farmers took place in October and November 2010.
- Planting of the demonstration plots began in December 2010.
- The demonstrations consisted of the following six treatments:
- Farmer-saved seed, no fertilizer.
- Farmer-saved seed, 50kg/ha of NPK and 50kg/ha of urea.
- Farmer-saved seed, 100kg/ha of NPK and 100kg/ha of urea.
- Hybrid seed, no fertilizer.
- Hybrid seed, 50kg/ha of NPK and 50kg/ha of urea.
- Hybrid seed, 100kg/ha of NPK and 100kg/ha of urea.
- All treatments were repeated using conventional tillage and conservation tillage. Therefore, each demonstration consisted of 12 plots, each measuring 20x50m. The total size per demonstration was 1.3 ha.
Past Highlights (2009):
- Agreements for project activities were obtained from local government officials, NGOs and provincial collaborators.
- Five clusters of farmers working with NGOs and provincial collaborators in the Sofala, Manica, Nampula and Zambezia provinces were identified and characterized, and agreements were confirmed with the collaborating institutions.
- Soil samples from various provinces were collected and analyzed.
- Field demonstration plots were created and adjusted to fit the needs of the individual cluster areas.
- Availability and pricing of agro-inputs were determined with local dealers, and subsequently purchased.
- Field data was collected and farmer surveys were conducted.
- Land preparation for seeding was executed, and crops were planted, with harvest results to follow.
MIM Information
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