Cassava field in Gaza province

17 December 2019- Climate change is a growing threat to food security and nutrition in Africa, being a particularly severe threat to countries relying heavily on agriculture – such as Mozambique. Reduced rainfall and higher temperatures in the southern part of the country are affecting negatively food production.

In Gaza province, southern Mozambique, during most of the year, the lands are waterless. Droughts are cyclical and the region is experiencing one of the worst droughts in decades, and for those who depend on rain for farming and feeding, the solution is to look for other means to escape hunger.

Manuel Bendane, has been a farmer for decades in Mabalane district, Gaza province, and drought has always affected his maize production, the basis of survival for his family.

After years harvesting low or none quantities of maize, Manuel Bendane found an alternative to improve his family food security. He decided to produce cassava instead, after receiving support from an FAO project, funded by the European Union, working to improve cassava value chains in Gaza Province, in which most of the population is rural and dependent on subsistence agriculture.

Under this project, FAO is introducing cassava, a drought-tolerant crop to the dry areas on Gaza province, as well as supporting the development of cassava value chain, to provide means of livelihood adapted to climate change, as well as increase household incomes in the region.

"We had a hard time feeding ourselves due to the lack of rain because when there is no rain there is no maize. Now we are already able to replace maize when we are in the dry season, "says the farmer, who is part of a private farming association.

As a central activity in the FAO project, Bendane and thousand other farmers in Gaza Province were trained in appropriate practices for cassava production, post-harvest treatment, storage treatment and processing.

After being trained, the farmers are now able to make cassava products such as flour, chips, bread, crisps, cakes and biscuits for sale, an opportunity to increase their income and buy what they are not able to produce in their farms.

Not far from Mabalane, Albino Barbosa Mathe, one of the first beneficiaries of the project, became the first multiplier of cassava cuttings in Massingir district, providing the cuttings to other farmers since 2018. Nowadays, things have changed for Albino Barbosa Mathe, who already has a small cassava processing company and has received equipment from FAO.

"This equipment will be very useful to us. It won't help only me but all the farmers interested in growing and processing cassava in the province", said Mathe.

Requina Ngulele, also depends on agriculture for survival. She has seen her life change with the arrival of FAO in Massingir district, Gaza Province.

"Before FAO arrives we used to plant cassava without much interest. Now that we have seen other products that can be made from cassava I am more interested in continuing to produce," added Requina.

The Director of the District Services for Economic Activities (SDAE) in Massingir, Gracinda Carlos, considers that after the project experience in the province, the cassava value chain is already well established to grow further and progress.

"We evolved a lot in cassava production. We had few farmers that produced cassava in the beginning but it changed now. Extension technicians have been trained to ensure sustainability even after FAO leaves. Whenever there are events and fairs in the province, our cassava producers are led to exhibit their products and sell. We are buying stakes to distribute to identified producers and those who want to start. The value chain is already set up, what we need now is to improve the market connection," she concluded.