Significance of smallholders' farming strategies in northern Mozambique: Potential and challenges in increasing food production and commercialization
2015
Koide, J. (Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (Japan)) | Yamada, R. | Tsujimoto, Y.
Based on a case study conducted in northern Mozambique, this paper examines the characteristics and backgrounds of the major farming strategies of smallholders and analyzes their effects on food production and commercialization, with a focus on complementary subsistence activities. The results reveal that most farmers employ crop diversification and rotation at the farm level by producing both food and cash crops. The crop diversification strategy is used to avoid risks related to crop and marketing failures as well as labor shortages, while crop rotation serves as a response to difficulties in maintaining soil fertility by using fallow fields or manure. The results also show that both crop diversification and rotation reinforce food production and commercialization by farmers, especially when there is high population pressure on farmlands. Meanwhile, there remain gaps in food production and commercialization levels, with some farmers still unable to achieve food self-sufficiency or even lacking access to complementary means of subsistence such as rearing livestock, fishing, hunting, and gathering. Given these results, an important approach to agricultural development in northern Mozambique is to establish crop systems that ensure that farmers achieve food self-sufficiency and generate income based on crop diversification and rotation, paying close attention to other livelihood activities that can complement their food supply.
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