Boosting livelihoods and food availability through irrigation schemes in Mozambique: an example from Munguissa
Last week at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, world leaders congregated in Germany to address the challenges of climate change, in a concerted effort to seek solutions and stimulate action to counter this growing global threat.
Humana People to People has been working tirelessly to buffer against the effects of climate change at local levels around the world. Worsening droughts in Mozambique have hindered cultivation of crops in recent years, affecting livelihoods and limiting the availability of food to many Mozambicans. This case study demonstrates the impact of Humana People to People’s irrigation scheme on facilitating crop growth in the face of a changing climate.
Ceziano Amadeu is a member of Ovilela Farmers’ Club located in Munguissa, Zambezia province of Mozambique. The club is one of the sites to benefit from an irrigation system constructed by ADPP Mozambique with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland. The Farmers’ Clubs project seeks to reduce rural poverty through promoting small-scale agriculture. It is for this purpose that the Munguissa drip irrigation scheme was conceived.
The irrigation scheme is a 2 hectare capacity scheme. Different types of vegetables, onions, green pepper, tomatoes, lettuce, carrot and cucumber are grown here at this scheme.
It was during one routine monitoring visit to the Club that a Farming Instructor met with Ceziao, a farmer at Ovilela Club, who had this to share with the project team. “I am a member of the Club since joining in 2014. The project has assisted farmers through training. We have learnt how to prepare compost and use line planting of vegetables. Last year the project taught us about nutrition and how to prepare fortified porridge using vegetables”.
When asked about the impact of the irrigation system, Mr Ceziano responded, “The irrigation is assisting club members to increase their production for household consumption, as well as sales of excess vegetables on the local market resulting in increased income for the farmers”.
The irrigation system is supporting farmers to achieve self-sufficiency in agricultural production, benefitting 500 farmers directly and an additional 2,000 people indirectly in the district. This is exemplary of the good work that Humana People to People carries out around the world to help people deal with the impact of climate change on local communities. This week at the United Nations Climate Change Conference we are showcasing the work of Humana People to People’s members to highlight our cause while setting an example for others to follow in the struggle against climate change.