Agriculture: Re-thinking an old industry

Agriculture still plays an essential role in the economy, and particular for employment on the African continent. Mozambique is no exception. In 2011, the agricultural sector contributed to almost one-third of the country’s GDP and provided a living for 80% of the working population. Nevertheless, the majority of the rural population faces extreme poverty and malnutrition, and Mozambique has to import large parts of its food. 95% of the country’s farms are managed by small family farmers who often have low productivity rates due to limited access to technology and markets and lack of financial support (FAO). This led the Mozambican government to establish a national agricultural development strategy as a core element of the country’s development, and private enterprises are also stepping up to address the pressing issue.

Increasing productivity and income through organic farming techniques

In 2007, a report compiled by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) acknowledged that organic agriculture can increase agricultural productivity and raise incomes. The study also stated that this type of farming can build up natural resources, strengthen communities and improve human capacity, which in turn enhances food security. In Africa, organic and near-organic agricultural methods and technologies are ideal for marginalised smallholder farmers since they require minimal to no external inputs and use local and natural materials to produce high-quality products. More and more enterprises in Africa are discovering these benefits of organic farming. In Mozambique, two of these examples are the 2015 SEED Winners O Viveiro and Terra Nova Waste to Farming.

O Viveiro and Terra Nova: generating fresh produce, raising incomes and promoting environmentally friendly farming practices

Only a very slim percentage of Mozambican farms practice organic farming, a reality O Viveiro seeks to change. Established in 2012 in Tete Province, the initiative grows organic fruit and vegetables and processes them into oil, jam, peanut butter and sauces. The produce is sold to the local market through two shops and a restaurant making use of the strategic location on the road to Malawi. The enterprise maintains a centre for underprivileged girls and women, who receive training in organic farming, technology-enhanced food processing, business management and sales. Together with other female farmers, they grow, process, and manage the sales of the products. Through these women and girls, organic techniques are able to reach their families' fields. In the future, O Viveiro plans to strengthen the ties with the surrounding farming communities by providing them with agricultural training and seeds to grow sunflowers and peanuts. O Viveiro will then buy back the harvest to process it into cooking oil of high nutritional value.

Terra Nova Waste to Farming has taken a different approach. It provides farmers with one of organic agriculture's essential inputs: a natural fertiliser made from biological waste. The waste is collected in the city of Beira, then sorted and turned into organic compost by Terra Nova. Using the organic compost as fertiliser leads to significantly increased yields and allows farmers to grow vegetables on the sandy soils. In many countries, the challenge of promoting organic agriculture is to convince farmers to shift away from inorganic pesticides and fertilisers. In Northern Mozambique, Terra Nova has to introduce the concept of regularly using any kind of fertilisers to smallholder farmers. The only alternative currently available is cow dung, which does not reach anywhere close to the benefits of organic fertiliser offered by Terra Nova and is often in short supply. Through the local employees and lead farmers who serve as role models, Terra Nova is gaining the rural community's trust in their product.

Social and environmental enterprises: Changing the mindset in agriculture

Grassroots enterprises have the potential to successfully challenge and change the mindsets in agriculture. Adaptation to new methods takes time and requires full dedication by the entrepreneurs and their teams, but according to the people behind O Viveiro and Terra Nova and their customers, the results are worth the effort. O Viveiro and Terra Nova are just two examples of this change, and while both work in agriculture their ways to improve local livelihoods and environments are very different.

Excited to see what innovative ways the 2016 SEED Winners have found to contribute to sustainable development? The winning enterprises will be announced in July 2016!