Prolinnova–Mozambique 2019 Activity Report

PROLINNOVA–MOZAMBIQUE 2019 ACTIVITY REPORT

I. INTRODUCTION

In 2019, Prolinnova–Mozambique went through the most difficult and challenging moments of its existence: most of its members, including nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs) and farmer associations, suspended all their activities due to lack of funding; ADCR (Association for Rural Community Development), Prolinnova–Mozambique´s long-term host, lost its Director, Henrique Chissano, who passed away unexpectedly. Prolinnova–Mozambique will always remember him as the champion of and its reliable partner in promoting local innovation in rural communities. In all proposals to donors, Henrique Chissano ensured local innovation promoting activities were included for funding.

Despite these adversities, the network managed to implement some activities with funds mainly from FAO and CIC-Batá (Centre for Initiatives for Cooperation, a Spanish NGO). These activities consisted in supporting and strengthening local innovation processes in some farmer associations, and replicating and disseminating previously identified and proven local innovations to other communities in six districts of Gaza Province: Massangenaa, Chigubo, Mabalane, Massingir, Guijá and Chibuto.

II. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES

2.1. Supporting and strengthening local innovation processes Support and follow-up activities on local innovation process were conducted in Chigubo District, Mangual Community with the Abaixo a Fome Farmer Association, which – with ADCR support – has been promoting organic horticulture to produce various vegetables. Farmers produce and apply bio- pesticides and bio-fertilisers, which improve production and productivity at low cost.

Initially, the programme was intended to reach several farmer associations in Chigubo District but, because of severe drought in the area, only the Abaixo a Fome association was considered for offering better farming conditions in terms of water, which is available year-round.

2.2. Dissemination of innovations 2.2.1 FAO-funded programme This FAO-funded programme was implemented between August and November 2019. It aimed to improve farmers’ productive capacity in about 18,000 vulnerable households in five districts of Gaza Province, namely, Chibuto, Guijá, Massingir, Mabalane and Chigubo. ADCR distributed farming inputs including horticulture seeds. Owing to its vast experience in working with rural communities in the area, ADCR – in partnership with local agriculture government departments – was tasked to distribute seeds and build capacities of beneficiary farmers in production and use of bio-pesticides and bio- fertilisers.

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2.2.2 Program for Local Participatory Community Development From August 2018 to July 2019, CIC-Batá funded a local community development programme with a strong gender focus in three communities of Massangena District, Gaza Province. Six farmer associations were trained in the following important subjects: • Production and use of bio-pesticides and bio-fertilisers • Construction of improved granaries (the Gorongosa model was promoted) • Techniques for producing, processing and conserving local seed varieties • Processing of locally produced horticulture crops. A total of about 150 farmers, of which 20% were men and 80% were women, were trained.

2.3. Identification of new local innovations The Batlavane and Tchemulane Farmer Associations are two associations that received support from ADCR and its partners since 2013 to promote local innovation to cope with climate change and persistent food insecurity in the Guemulene area of Chibuto District, Gaza Province. The Guemulene Community lies along the Limpopo River and depends on the fertile valley of the big river for agricultural production and for the farmers’ livelihoods.

Between 2013 and 2017, ADCR and CIC-Batá trained both farmer associations on identifying, documenting, using and sharing local innovations. The ADCR/CIC-Batá programme ended in 2017, when the Batlavane Association stopped its activities, but the Tchemulane Association went on implementing its activities using the local innovation approach.

In early 2019, flooding of the Limpopo Rover made it impossible to practise agricultural activities in the valley, forcing farmers to resort to the dry uplands for crop production. Upland harvests were very insignificant and were not enough for home consumption and for the market. Then some members of the Tchemulane Association had the innovative idea of using the clay brought by the floods to make bricks for sale and for construction. So far, the members have produced and sold more than 3000 bricks. Another significant quantity of bricks produced by the association was used for building a decent house for one vulnerable association member.

Apart from the obvious financial benefits for its members, the association put aside some revenue from brick sales to support vulnerable children in their community by paying their school and health fees. The Tchemulane Farmer Association is made up of 23 members: 21 women and 2 men.

III. CONCLUSIONS

Activities within the Prolinnova–Mozambique network are still running despite the blows and challenges the network received last year and before. The few remaining active network members have decided to work together in order to find a way out of all this. Our activity plan adopted two years ago (see Annex 1) is still valid and we will ensure it is implemented in its majority in 2020. Network members will be taught and encouraged to engage more in fundraising activities.

One good example of sustainability of the local innovation approach is the Tchemulane Farmer Association, which managed to withstand difficult moments without external funding and continue to promote local innovation in search of its community development and wellbeing.

Compiled by Gilda Fafitine and Domingos Tsucana / Reviewed by: Romuald Rutazihana Xai-Xai, 3 April 2020

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Annex 1 PROLINNOVA–MOZAMBIQUE ACTIVITY PLAN FOR 2020 TIMELINE-2020 # ACTIVITIES Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 I Strengthening Prolinnova–Mozambique • Equip the National Secretariat (laptop, consumables...) • Build capacity of provincial focal points (Gaza, Inhambane & Maputo) • Train PID facilitators at provincial level (one PID training/province) • Renew the National Steering Committee (NSC) • Attract new resource persons • Establish new partnerships with relevant stakeholders • Contact other CPs for collaboration • Hold bi-annual NSC meetings • Organise at least one exchange visit at national or regional level • Review existing Prolinnova–Mozambique Strategic Plan and adapt it for the 2020–2024 period II Advocacy/Policy dialogue • Organise conference/meeting and fair on local innovation and PID in each of the three provinces • Celebrate International Farmer Innovation Day (29 November 2020) • Produce and distribute a leaflet on Prolinnova–Mozambique • Distribute widely Prolinnova–Mozambique local innovation catalogue • Take part in the Annual Innovation Meeting organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Technology III Identifying and documenting local innovations in each province • Select promising local innovations (LIs) for farmer-led joint experimentation • Disseminate documented LIs to other communities (activity led by farmer innovators) IV Fundraising • Organise training in fundraising for Prolinnova–Mozambique taskforce • Submit proposals to various local and regional donors (alone or in partnership with other CPs)