Mozambique has great potential for a highly productive farming sector, especially where good practices are introduced. With the use of improved, higher yielding seed varieties, simple improved cropping practices (improved farm management) and fertilizers (where economically viable), crop yields could be more than doubled. In that context, the project seeks to work within the framework of the Government's Food Production Action Plan to promote and protect food and livelihood security of farmers through sustainable seed value chain interventions to alleviate the effects of soaring food prices. This will be done through three complementary but semi-independent components focussing on 1) seed multiplication and marketing, 2) strengthened national seed services, and 3) input support to small holder farmers in high potential areas.

FAO is assisting in providing tools, fertilizers, pesticides and a training package to around 1000 farmers’ through private seed companies to help jumpstart local production of maize, rice, wheat, soy bean and sunflower seeds.

Plans are in the making to install a seed processing plant – owned and operated by a farmers’ association company – which would enable farmers to clean, grade, calibrate, dry and package the seeds for commercial use.

Support is being given to rehabilitating and equipping seed testing laboratories in five provinces in an effort to boost quality control capacity at national and provincial level. To offset high input prices, around 25 000 smallholder farmers are expected to receive a 50 percent input subsidy, which will also include access to the types of improved seed produced by the farmers associations.

- Government of Mozambique (Seed Dempartment)

- 19 Private Seed Companies