On the island of Ibo, Mozambique, SMILO and its Fund for Islands are financing a project to develop sustainable agriculture at local level in order to counter malnutrition. This project is implemented by Istituto Oikos, in direct collaboration with the Serviços Distritais das Actividades Economicas (SDAE), the operational branch of Government of Ibo in charge of agricultural.
Sustain local agriculture to counter malnutrition and environmental impacts
What is the project?
65% of the district’s population is in a situation of need due to acute food insecurity according to the Secretariado Técnico de Segurança Alimentar and Nutricional (SETSAN). This precarious situation was recently aggravated by the cyclone Kenneth in April 2019, the unprecedented influx of displaced people, and the partial militarisation and isolation of Ibo Island for over a month.
This is a programme to develop sustainable agriculture and train locals to good practices.
Location: Island of Ibo, Mozambique
Budget: 35 740€
Thematic: Water
Partners:
Istituto OIKOS
Serviços Distritais das Actividades
Economicas (SDAE)
What ARE the objectiveS?
- Strengthen community resilience to food and nutrition insecurity
- Enhance horticulture and agriculture production for local communities
How?
- Creation of a database to identify associations to benefit from a new irrigation system
- Acquisition of a solar-powered pump, an elevated tank and an irrigation pipe to ease irrigation for local farmers
- Provide local farmers with technical assistance through trainings sessions during which good practices on soil conservation and fertilisation, organic pesticide control and water management are promoted
- Distribution of seeds and tool kits to local farmers
POSITIVE IMPACTS
- 5 associations are benefiting from a new irrigation system, with a strong focus on women
- Local irrigation is more efficient and disconnected to the level of the tide
- The quality of production is improved and the quantity and variety of healthy food is increased
- The soil is better used and conserved
- 16 associations of farmers received 5kg of bean and corn seeds, 20g of pumpkin, 5 hoes, machetes and watering cans each
- 103 individual farmers received 1kg of bean and corn seeds, 20g of pumpkin, 1 hoe, 1 machete and 1 watering can each
- A small alternative income is generated for 200 farmers linked to the reduction of expenses and marketing of surplus production