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INDEX PROJECT OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................. 4 IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................................... 6 ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THE NEXT REPORTING PERIOD ..................................................................... 15 LESSONS LEARNED ...................................................................................................................................................... 17 COLLABORATION WITH PROJECT ACTORS .................................................................................................... 17 MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION ............................................................................................................ 17 ANNEX I: RAMA-BC SEED SYSTEM SURVEY KEY RESULTS 2021 ................................................................. 19 ANNEX II: ANNUAL PERFORMANCE DATA TABLE (APDT) ....................................................................... 22 Image (cover): Cassava multiplication field in Guara Guara community in the district of Buzi, Sofala province 1 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS BCC Behavior Change Communications CA Conservation Agriculture CBSP Community Based Service Provider CIP International Potato Center CITT Centre for the Integration of Technology Transfer CSA Climate Smart Agriculture DPASA Provincial Directorates of Agriculture and Food Security DPIC Provincial Department of Industry and Commerce FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FAW Fall Armyworm FTF Feed the Future FTs Farmer Trainers GBV Gender Based Violence Gm / CCS Green manure / cover crops or mulch crops GOM Government of Mozambique ICS Institute of Social Communication IDE International Development Enterprises IIAM Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique IMPACTS M & E platform used in RAMA-BC ISPM Superior Mozambique Polytechnic Institute Inova Agricultural Innovations (DAI) IPM Integrated Pest Control K2 Klein Karoo Seed Company MFF Model Family Farm M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MNK Mobile Night Kraal MOU Memorandum of Understanding NGO Non-Governmental Organizations OFSP Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato OU Observational Unit RAMA-BC Resilient Agricultural Markets Activity - Beira Corridor RAMA- NC Resilient Agricultural Markets activity - Nacala Corridor SDAE District Economic Activity Services SEMEAR FTF project focused on the adoption of improved seeds TOR Terms of Reference TOT Training of Trainers UEM University of Eduardo Mondlane VSLA Village Savings and Loans Association 2 PROJECT OVERVIEW Activity start / end date: December 12, 2016 - December 12, 2022 Implementing partner: Land O'Lakes Venture37 Project Description: Since December 2016 – the six-year USAID Feed the Future, Resilient Agricultural Markets Activity - Beira Corridor (RAMA-BC) has supported local producers to increase agricultural productivity, profitability, and resilience. RAMA-BC aims to promote the adoption of sustainable, accessible, and affordable agricultural technologies and practices by supporting and facilitating private sector involvement to test and develop profitable business models that provide relevant information, consulting services, inputs, market links and finance. The project currently operates in nine districts in Manica and Sofala provinces. RAMA-BC consists of four components: 1. Behavior Change Communication (BCC) - development and implementation of a comprehensive BCC strategy, multimedia campaign and local promotion through private partners and civil society; 2. Model Family Farms (MFF) - provision of business consultancy and technical assistance services through a network of community-based demonstration fields and one-hectare Observation Units (based in agricultural colleges); 3. Sustainable Extension Services - strengthening of private extension services through Model Family Farms and local and community-based service providers, in coordination with public extension service networks; and 4. Strengthened Market Systems – tailored technical assistance to private sector partners and subsidies to stimulate innovation in the agricultural sector. Geographic Coverage: RAMA-BC currently targets nine FTF districts in the Beira Corridor's area of influence; namely Gondola, Chimoio, Barué, Sussundenga, Vanduzi, Macate (province of Manica); Nhamatanda, Buzi and Dondo (Sofala province). In addition to the expansion to Sofala, the project also expanded to the Dombe administrative post in the Sussundenga district. Map 1: Map of RAMA-BC coverage by district in Manica and Sofala provinces. 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY During this reporting period, January– March 2021, RAMA-BC started distributing Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato cuttings in Cyclone Idai affected Sofala Province districts, beginning in Buzi district where nearly 500 households received four varieties. Following tropical storm Chalane in December 2020, the project areas were impacted by heavy rains during this quarter, including another Cyclone, Eloise, resulting in waterlogging in many fields and the destruction of about 3.5ha of cassava multiplication, which is in the process of being replanted. Climate change with excess rain in the center of the country and prolonged dry weather in the north and south, has rendered resilience ever more urgent. In March 2021, Land O'Lakes Venture37 (Venture37) applied for a No Cost Extension (NCE) to extend the period of performance through December 2022. This NCE will enable the project to accelerate adaptation through multiplication of improved, disease resistant varieties of cassava and Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) to benefit 20,000 farmers through the end of 2022. Diversification as part of the ‘whole farm system’ approach includes small livestock productivity. As part of a pilot to improve small ruminant stockfeed availability, the project hosted small scale livestock producers from Manica to visit small scale commercial farm in Bela Bela, South Africa where they learned about improved management and regeneration of pastures, raised productivity of cattle, pigs, goats and poultry of scalable technologies applicable to both small scale and commercial sectors. Partnerships with public and educational institutions fulfill a key advocacy role and expose decision makers to the practice of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). RAMA-BC has partnered with Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique (IIAM), University of Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) and two of the Centre for the Integration of Technology Transfer (CITT) and others, to conduct research effects of intercropping on maize yield and on FAW (Fall Army Worm) control through the installation of 13 trial plots across three districts. RAMA-BC has also partnered with the government agricultural extension service, who are managing, for another season, 17 CSA/intercrop demonstration plots of their own. In this quarter, RAMA-BC produced a set of seven audio programs from the library of 16 training videos that cover CSA, nutrition, and Savings Groups for diffusion in small, dispersed groups. These audios are currently being broadcast on the five community radios, whilst the video set is being broadcast on community TV in Chimoio. An overview – by component is highlighted below: Component 1. RAMA-BC conducted a total of 90 events in the reporting period, reaching a wide audience through radio programs and spots, and community dialogue. These radio programs focused on post-harvest and integrated pest management using jackbean and neem extracts. Component 2. This quarter, RAMA-BC has established, together with partners from SDAE and Marera College, 123 MFFs in Manica and Sofala provinces, where CSA techniques are being modeled and evaluated under farmers own conditions. Twenty-two of these MFFs were set up by government partners and agricultural colleges. Yield measurements have started, with IIAM leading the process, the results will be complete and reported in the next quarter. RAMA-BC is diversifying livelihoods, post Cyclone Idai, to increase climate resilience and adaptation; whilst reducing dependency on maize as the principal staple through the planting out of over seven hectares of two varieties of cassava - resistant to cassava mosaic disease (Chinhembwe and Amarelinha – released by IIAM and 3.4 hectares of five varieties of OFSP, released 4 by CIP (International Potato Centre). Twenty-five producers are growing out the material. RAMA-BC has also partnered with a local Nhamatanda farmer to reproduce 2,000 neem seedlings, from his own trees. These seedlings will be directed at MFF members to help control pests such as FAW and locusts, a third have already been distributed. RAMA-BC is facilitating a partnership with the Municipality of Chimoio (CAC) and the Centre for the Integration of Technology Transfer (CITT) in the city of Chimoio. Currently most urban waste is organic, needlessly, and expensively being transported to a landfill where it rots and emits greenhouse gases. Rubbish which piles up or is not collected by the municipal trucks is burnt, with smoke polluting the city air. The CITT has a dedicated earthworm production facility on the outskirts of Chimoio and is keen to promote the use of earthworms in urban gardens, which are becoming increasingly important to food