Mozambique
Note: The information below refers mainly to activities from the previous phase of the programme (2005 - 2009).
Programme Activities
A Strategy for Tapping Cassava’s Potential to Spur Growth and Improve Livelihoods
Cassava plays a key role for food security in Mozambique. Recognizing that cassava’s potential to spur economic growth and improve the livelihoods of poor farmers remains largely untapped, the government requested technical support from the EC-FAO Food Security Information for Action Programme in preparing a strategy for developing the cassava sub-sector in the period from 2008-2012.
The revised strategic study was released in February 2008. Results and follow-up plans were discussed at a national seminar in July 2008. The seminar also aimed at disseminating the study’s findings and gaining consensus on follow-up strategies. Funds have been committed for implementing the strategy, in particular to support public-private partnerships.
> Press Release
> Leia o artigo em Português
> Read article from local press (in Portuguese)
> Cassava Development Strategy for Mozambique - Volume 1
> Cassava Development Strategy for Mozambique - Volume 2
> Estratégia de Desenvolvimento da Mandioca para Moçambique (2008 – 2012) (468 kb)
> Cassava Assessing Handbook for Improved Integration of Cassava in the FAO/WFP Joint Crop and Food Supply Assessment Missions
Training in Making Food Security Information Products (FSIPs) More Relevant for Decision-Making
Twenty-six participants from key national institutions in Maputo and the provinces reviewed SETSAN information products during a five day training in December 2006. They identified how to make these products - the "InfoFlash", provincial reports, websites, journals and press releases - better meet decision-makers’ needs. Participants also prepared a plan of action which was incorporated into the SETSAN 2007 Workplan.
An assessment carried out several months after the training showed that most priorities identified for improving information products had been addressed. Major improvements have been made in the provincial reports such as including practical recommendations, redesigning the structure of the report and systematically citing sources of information.
> More information about the training course
> Read the article "Making Food Security and Nutrition Information More Useful for Decision-Making"
> Read the article in Portuguese
Bridging food security and nutrition : Simple tools for measuring household access to food and dietary diversity
The tools, called the
Household Dietary Diversity Questionnaire (DDQ) and the
Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), are used to assess problems of access to food and the nutritional quality of diets. They are also used to monitor households' food and nutrition situation - especially at the local level.
> Nutrition Tools
The tools were adapted to local contexts in Mozambique and tested during a baseline survey (and a follow-up survey) conducted by FAO in Central Mozambique in collaboration with the Food Security and Nutrition Association of Mozambique (ANSA). Results showed that the tools were indeed relevant for monitoring food security in Mozambique.
> Training: monitoring tools for assessing household level food access and dietary diversity
In February 2008, these results were presented to representatives from major food security and nutrition organizations. The representatives decided to adopt the standard dietary diversity indicator for monitoring progress made in Mozambique’s
Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition (ESAN) and the
Poverty Reduction Strategy (PARPA).
> Read article: "Adopting a Standard Dietary Diversity Indicator for Monitoring Hunger and Malnutrition in Mozambique"
CountrySTAT Mozambique
CountrySTAT is a statistical framework that assists countries in organizing, harmonizing and disseminating food and agriculture data, collected by different institutions, at national and subnational levels.
In December 2006, a Mozambique CountrySTAT portal was set up in Portuguese to give the country access to national level data available from FAOSTAT, the main FAO statistical database on food and agriculture. Two staff members from the National Statistics Institute (INE) then advanced CountrySTAT training at FAO Headquarters in December 2007.
> CountrySTAT Portal for Mozambique
> Advanced CountrySTAT Administrator Training Report
FAO will continue to support follow-up activities aimed at expanding CountrySTAT in Mozambique under a CountrySTAT for Sub-Saharan Africa Project which will take place from 2008 to 2009.
