Zambezia, a coastal province in central Mozambique, is the country’s second most populous province; yet it is also among the poorest and has some of the highest rates of undernutrition and malnutrition in the country. As the majority of the population is employed in the agricultural sector, ICEI is promoting a one-year initiative in the Namacurra district aimed at strengthening the rice supply chain, one of the most widely consumed foods by the population, even in rural areas. In particular, the RISE project supports five cooperatives of small-scale rice producers, strengthening their operational capacities, organisational and administrative structure, and thus their market performance in the local market.
Firstly, rice harvesting and storage practices have been improved to reduce post-harvest losses, ensure a more regular supply and increase compliance with the basic quality requirements of local markets, whilst maintaining high environmental standards.
Furthermore, small-scale producers are being trained in accounting and business management, with the aim of strengthening their autonomy and planning in the process of selling and purchasing production inputs.
Finally, market access is being improved through the formal registration of cooperatives with the Mozambican Chamber of Commerce, enabling them to operate in the market with greater authority and a more structured administrative and managerial capacity. In this regard, framework contracts are expected to be signed for the supply of rice to the main rice processing and packaging plant in Zambezia province.
Overall, the intervention aims to create a solid foundation for the long-term development of the rice supply chain, combining capacity building, organisational strengthening and the facilitation of market linkages.
The project aims to strengthen the rice supply chain in the Namacurra district by helping small-scale farmers to increase their production volume and economic returns. In this context, the project proposes to:
- support the formalisation of cooperatives, so that producer groups can become better organised, access local financial services – both public and private – and establish stable commercial relationships;
- strengthen the management and commercial aspects of the cooperatives;
- improve market access and competitiveness by connecting producers with reliable buyers.
Direct:
- 150 smallholder farmers, organised into 5 cooperatives of around 30 members each, receive training in post-harvest management, governance and business management. The beneficiaries were identified in collaboration with the provincial SDAE (District Service for Economic Activities).
- The 5 cooperatives will complete the legal registration process, strengthening their organisational structure and enabling them to regularise their status and access the formal market, which in turn will allow them to benefit from government programmes, financial services and the opportunities offered by the formal market.
Indirect:
- Local brokers, distributors and retailers benefit from integration into the rice value chains.
- Local consumers benefit from increased availability of rice on the market.
- Other local producers benefit from the replicability and dissemination of an ecological, sustainable and efficient agricultural model.
