Cotton farmers in Mozambique remain in a cycle of poverty, exposed to increasing climate fluctuations. The Climate Resilience Program, supported by IDH and partners, provides capital and assets to farming communities to break this cycle, creating farmer resilience, while securing a stable supply of cotton for companies.
As of today, the Climate Resilience Program is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. At a ceremony in Maputo, Ambassador Pascalle Grotenhuis signed a three-year grant and sponsorship agreement for the Program.
Capital provided through the Climate Resilience Program can be used for access to inputs, knowledge training, and technology & information for food crops, cash crops and animal husbandry. Through employing these coordinated solutions, farmers shall have diversified income, improved food intake, sustainable agriculture production, and resilience to outside shocks.
The project will also demonstrate how building the resilience of the farming communities can bring immediate positive effects to value chains. Private cotton concessionaires providing farmers services beyond their value chains gain increased loyalty, improved yields and increased sustainable production. In essence, a stable and secured cotton supply.
Steven Collet, Operational Director of IDH, said at the signing ceremony “This farmer centric and holistic approach, combining private and public interests, is set to emerge as a model for other values chains and developing communities.”
Aid by trade: Inclusive Growth for All
The Netherlands has been one of the first countries to effectively link the policy areas aid and trade. “Aid and trade have to go hand in hand if we want to move forward towards sustainable development.” Said Ambassador Grotenhuis “The Netherlands believes that we need all partners: government, companies, civil society and trade unions working together to create jobs, to make trade fairer, more inclusive and more sustainable for generations to come.”
IDH is positioned to implement this agenda. Driving new business models that create more sustainable value chains, benefiting farmers and companies. Focus commodities include: cocoa, cotton, tea, coffee, soybeans and palm oil.
Background on the Climate Resilience Program
The Climate Resilience Program commenced in summer of 2016, after Dalberg (a development consultancy firm) captured and validated the theory of change and proposed intervention at field level. In November 2016, IDH partnered with Olam, San JFS, and Plexus, as well as AFPRO to support 3 villages in Niassa, Nampula, and Capo Delgado provinces with pilot projects. In 2018, a fourth private partner, Sanam, is set to join to implement a pilot in Nampula province, and service and additional 429 farmers (expected).
Get involved in the Climate Resilience Platform
There are over 25 organizations represented in the Climate Resilience Program in Mozambique. The Platform gives them access to insights on systematic solutions, funding and implementing partners. The bi-annual meeting convenes all stakeholders to discuss progress, identify replication and scale projects and opportunities. Participation is open for relevant organizations that wish to contribute and stay informed about the developments.
To join or for more info contact:
Elea Papaemmanuel
Senior Program Officer, Cotton