Ben Hubbard

Many African countries are facing a grave threat from rising food prices. That’s why we’ve been asking President Bush and other G8 leaders to take immediate action to soften the blow on the poor and reverse the underinvestment in long-term agricultural productivity.

Some of us have been in Mozambique this week; a country like Mozambique is particularly vulnerable to global food shocks. Not only is it very poor (75% of the country lives on less than $2 per day), it also imports roughly 75% of its food and is hit by a drought or flood every six months.

Despite these challenges, many parts of Mozambique have ideal climate conditions for agriculture production and there’s certainly no shortage of land – Mozambique runs 1,500 miles down Africa’s eastern coast and is twice the size of California.

Today we tried to learn why Mozambique is not able produce more food – both for local consumption and export. To find answers to our questions, we visited plant scientist Pedro Fato at the Instituto de Investigacao Agraria de Mozambique (IIAM) just south of Maputo. IIAM is an agricultural research institute jointly funded by the Government of Mozambique and private donors, including the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Rockefeller Foundation. Pedro and his team are breeding more nutritious and insect resistant varieties of maize (corn), cassava, sorghum and sweet potatoes – all foods considered staples here in Mozambique. In the accompanying picture you can see Pedro holding orange maize which IIAM has bred to be rich in vitamin A and beta carotene.

Pedro outlined three major challenges to boosting agriculture growth and productivity in Mozambique

1. Water: nearly all agricultural production in Mozambique is rain-fed. With a typical rainy season lasting only three months, basic irrigation techniques and technology could significantly boost yields
2. Inputs (fertilizers and seeds): Fertilizer is expensive and not widely available in Mozambique. There is currently no domestic production; the limited quantities that are available are imported from South Africa. New seed varieties are also lacking. Approximately 70% of farmers are using unimproved local maize, which has lower yields and isn’t as resistant to pests and diseases. Like fertilizer, there is also no local seed production
3. Infrastructure: most of Mozambique’s agricultural activity occurs in the north of the country, where long distances and poor roads make it difficult to move crops beyond village markets. Improved access to markets could dramatically increase incomes for farmers and cooperative groups.

Pedro also told us more money is needed for agriculture research and extension workers so that new seed varieties and inputs can make it into the hands of farmers. He also said commercial farming is needed in Mozambique. Agriculture in here is mainly limited to smallholder farmers, limiting productivity, distribution and export potential. Pedro told us that 95% of maize in Mozambique is produced by small holder farmers.

Mozambique certainly isn’t alone. Many sub Saharan African countries are facing similar challenges. We’re hopeful that the global attention on food prices will translate into a sustained investment in long-term agriculture growth in places like Mozambique.

-Ben Hubbard and Tyler Denton, ONE.org