Families affected by Cyclone Eloise receive agricultural inputs in Sofala
17 March 2021, Sofala- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has started distributing seeds and agricultural tools through electronic vouchers to 6000 families (30 000 people) affected by Cyclone Eloise in the districts of Búzi and Nhamatanda, in Sofala Province.
On January 23, tropical cyclone Eloise hit central Mozambique with strong winds and rains that caused floods, destroying infrastructures and the livelihoods of the local population, including agriculture, where more than 45,000 hectares of crops have been lost.
Through the FAO Emergency Program, funded by the Department of International Development from the United Kingdom and USAID, each beneficiary will have access to a credit of 50 USD for the purchase of seeds and agricultural instruments provided by local agrodealers.
According to the FAO Monitoring and Evaluation Officer in the field, Custódio Amaral, "FAO was one of the government partners that joined the rapid assessment of the damage caused by Cyclone Eloise, where the most vulnerable families were identified in order to receive immediate support in agricultural inputs and tools to resume farming during the current season. This implies distributing short cycle seed varieties of cereals, pulses, including vegetables, "he said.
The distribution of seeds using electronic vouchers will allow greater access and use of improved seeds, leading to increased productivity, food security and income for smallholder farmers, and the strengthening of the commercial seed supply chain that will continue to assist smallholder farmers after this intervention. Through the e-voucher mode, beneficiaries have the possibility to choose the varieties of seeds and agricultural tools according to their real needs for a quick livelihoods restoring.