21 years supporting increased agricultural diversification
Mundukide has been collaborating with peasant families in northern Mozambique for 21 years. A place marked by widespread and deep poverty. Generalized because 75% of the population lives in the countryside; and deep because the annual production of a peasant family is around €300/year, of which €200 is the part of the production that is consumed directly at home and only about €100 is what they manage to monetize and with which they have to deal with all the other needs of the family.
The main focus of the program is to support the increase and diversification of agricultural production by identifying new crops, providing assistance, facilitating access to inputs and supporting marketing, an approach that encompasses the entire productive chain.
14,000 participating families and 4,600 cultivated hectares
The last fiscal year (2022-2023) started with high participation (14,500 families). To support these families, the program, in addition to its own team of 37 people, mobilized another 176 instructors who live and work with the participants for several months. And in addition to the technical support, the program also made it easier for the participants to acquire the necessary supplies or tools at cost price (they acquired supplies worth more than 100,000 euros).
Measurements of the fields just before harvest showed that the participants had cultivated more than 4,600 hectares with the promoted crops/techniques (especially sesame, soybeans and small irrigation systems for vegetables).
And finally they entered into commercialization. The marketing of sesame has been easy and positive. There has been a lot of demand and the best price has been paid in almost ten years (€1.20/kg). But for soybeans it has not been so much. Due to intrigues between some companies and the government, the price dropped a lot, offering €0.20/kg when in neighboring countries it was €0.43/kg. Faced with this situation, the program and the participants deployed all their resources looking for potential buyers not only in Mozambique but also in Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa. And finally, after three months of intense activity, farmers were able to sell their harvest at an average price of €0.36/kg, 45% more than in the rest of the districts.
Harvest sale for €1,800,000, that is, the equivalent of 2,310 jobs
The final result of the campaign can be summarized by indicating that the program’s investment to facilitate assistance, supplies and marketing has been around €600,000. The participants have invested work and €100,000 in supplies and tools; and they have managed to sell the harvest for around €1,800,000, that is, the equivalent of 2,310 jobs.
A good social investment (3×1) for an approach that seeks not to lecture, not even teach, but to open doors, create real opportunities and accompany the participants throughout the process until the effort and work they have invested materializes in a positive result in your life.
You can also collaborate. With every euro you contribute to the program, you contribute to each farmer tripling the profitability of their agricultural production.
Thank you so much.
