Maputo — Antonio Machava is standing by the gate of his farm listening to election campaigners. The group of young people says their party will fight for a law to protect small farmers and create conditions for them to prosper.
"They always say that," says Machava. "When the election is over and they are in parliament, they change their agenda. (Then) we are no longer important."
This is the second year Machava's mango harvest has failed. A plague of insects and a lack of water and fertilisers have blighted his fruit crop, which used to be the main source of income for his family.
"It's a disaster! I have given up! Last year some of my trees still grew some fruit. But the mangoes were small and tasteless and people asked me what happened with the good mangoes I used to grow in the past."
Machava is one of millions of Mozambicans who farm to feed themselves and their families, and sell any surplus in local markets. About 80 percent of the population in Mozambique, a country with enormous potential for agricultural growth, live off the land in this way, most of them on family farms.
This type of farming is characterised by reliance on family labour and low levels of mechanisation. Support like tractors, fertiliser or pesticides is generally not available.
Forty-seven year old Machava, grows vegetables, oranges and mangoes, as well as raises chickens and ducks for sale in local markets and to neighbours and friends.
The money he gets from these activities on his one-hectare plot has been enough able to sustain a family of six. However, he says, his quality of life has gone down in the past two years because he is no longer selling mangoes.
"November and December is the time for mangoes in Mozambique. I used to make a lot of money at the end of the year. That money would help me buy school materials and pay school fees for my kids at the beginning of the following year." Machava complains. "Now I don't know what to do."
Sector targeted for support
The Mozambican government has identified small-scale agriculture production as the main tool to fight poverty in the country.
The Ministry of Planning and Development claims that agricultural developments have played a very important role in reducing poverty over the past four years in Mozambique. According to official reports, the number of people living in hunger has fallen from about a million in 2004 to 120,000 in 2009.
The government hopes to increase by production of cereals by 17 percent this year, thanks to its Food Production Action Plan.
"Our green revolution has been very successful so far," explains Edmundo Galiza Matos Jr, a parliamentary candidate for the ruling Frelimo (Mozambican Liberation Front).
"Our next step is to ensure that farmers have access to mechanised means of production. We want small farmers to be able to use the new technologies in agriculture."
Galiza Matos stressed the importance of the Local Initiative Investment Budget, a government programme under which about 7 million meticals - 260,000 U.S. dollars - is transferred annually to each district to fund projects to increase food production and jobs.
True impact questioned
But Mozambican civil society has a different perspective on progress made by government on poverty and hunger reduction.
"We do our own reports on poverty reduction. It is what we call a 'shadow report', in which we collect perceptions and oral testimonies from ordinary citizens. Unlike government reports which rely on statistics and are mere quantitative, our reports are qualitative," says Erasmo Mabunda from Organic Agriculture, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, an NGO advocating the progress on millennium development goals in Mozambique.
Official reports suggest that Mozambique has achieved significant goals on poverty reduction, with the number living in absolute poverty dropping from 54 percent in 2003 to 45 percent by 2009.
"But ordinary people don't see those numbers represented in their life," argues Mabunda. "Prices are getting higher and higher. The basic food basquet is each day, more expensive and less satisfying. And if you ask people if they are less poor... the answer will be 'no.'"
Farmers like Antonio Machava have not been able to benefit from the government's Local Initiative Investment Budget.
"I tried to apply for the fund but unfortunately there was very little information at my district administration. I wanted the money to buy fertilisers but the process seemed too complicated and I gave it up... I ended up using my own savings. Maybe I can apply again next year," Machava explained.
Farmers and others interested in receiving funds from the Local Initiative Investment Budget submit a business plan that spelling out how they'll use the money - and pay it back. District administrators decide who is awarded funds. According to the Mozambican government, these local funds have supported 26,000 projects in 128 districts, mostly in agriculture and small-scale industry.
But the main opposition party in Mozambique accuses the government of not having done enough for small farmers and local production.
"Mozambique is a rich country with lots of water resources. The problem is that we don't have good agriculture policies which stimulates people to produce more in order to fight against poverty. This country is not poor. It is impoverished," argues Ivone Soares, a candidate for the opposition RENAMO party.
"We need an agriculture policy that meets the needs of Mozambican farmers... farmers need to find ways of selling their products in the markets... They also need incentives and tax exemptions when purchasing productions tools like fuel, tractors and seeds," Soares added.
This year's edition of the Stand Up, Take Action campaign in support of achieving millennium development goals - which will run from Oct. 16-18 worldwide - will target candidates in Mozambique's elections, to be held on Oct. 28.
Mabunda believes this is the perfect time for the annual event. "During election campaign, politicians are more likely to listen to our message. And this year, our message is that we all can make a change on the fight against poverty," explained the activist.
Campaigners expect at least fifteen thousand people to participate by attending concerts, workshops and meetings with politicians, religious and lay people - and practical training for small farmers like Antonio Machava.
"We use this opportunity to show small famers how they can be involved in the process of fighting poverty and hunger. We teach them easy methods to enrich the soil, and how to carry over the surplus from one harvest to a later moments of crisis or lower productivity," explains Mabunda.
"If each one of us in our own vegetable gardens, plants a tree or some vegetables, we will all be contributing to reduce hunger. Small individual actions can make a big difference in the fight against poverty," he added.
Source: Allafrica
"They always say that," says Machava. "When the election is over and they are in parliament, they change their agenda. (Then) we are no longer important."
This is the second year Machava's mango harvest has failed. A plague of insects and a lack of water and fertilisers have blighted his fruit crop, which used to be the main source of income for his family.
"It's a disaster! I have given up! Last year some of my trees still grew some fruit. But the mangoes were small and tasteless and people asked me what happened with the good mangoes I used to grow in the past."
Machava is one of millions of Mozambicans who farm to feed themselves and their families, and sell any surplus in local markets. About 80 percent of the population in Mozambique, a country with enormous potential for agricultural growth, live off the land in this way, most of them on family farms.
This type of farming is characterised by reliance on family labour and low levels of mechanisation. Support like tractors, fertiliser or pesticides is generally not available.
Forty-seven year old Machava, grows vegetables, oranges and mangoes, as well as raises chickens and ducks for sale in local markets and to neighbours and friends.
The money he gets from these activities on his one-hectare plot has been enough able to sustain a family of six. However, he says, his quality of life has gone down in the past two years because he is no longer selling mangoes.
"November and December is the time for mangoes in Mozambique. I used to make a lot of money at the end of the year. That money would help me buy school materials and pay school fees for my kids at the beginning of the following year." Machava complains. "Now I don't know what to do."
Sector targeted for support
The Mozambican government has identified small-scale agriculture production as the main tool to fight poverty in the country.
The Ministry of Planning and Development claims that agricultural developments have played a very important role in reducing poverty over the past four years in Mozambique. According to official reports, the number of people living in hunger has fallen from about a million in 2004 to 120,000 in 2009.
The government hopes to increase by production of cereals by 17 percent this year, thanks to its Food Production Action Plan.
"Our green revolution has been very successful so far," explains Edmundo Galiza Matos Jr, a parliamentary candidate for the ruling Frelimo (Mozambican Liberation Front).
"Our next step is to ensure that farmers have access to mechanised means of production. We want small farmers to be able to use the new technologies in agriculture."
Galiza Matos stressed the importance of the Local Initiative Investment Budget, a government programme under which about 7 million meticals - 260,000 U.S. dollars - is transferred annually to each district to fund projects to increase food production and jobs.
True impact questioned
But Mozambican civil society has a different perspective on progress made by government on poverty and hunger reduction.
"We do our own reports on poverty reduction. It is what we call a 'shadow report', in which we collect perceptions and oral testimonies from ordinary citizens. Unlike government reports which rely on statistics and are mere quantitative, our reports are qualitative," says Erasmo Mabunda from Organic Agriculture, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, an NGO advocating the progress on millennium development goals in Mozambique.
Official reports suggest that Mozambique has achieved significant goals on poverty reduction, with the number living in absolute poverty dropping from 54 percent in 2003 to 45 percent by 2009.
"But ordinary people don't see those numbers represented in their life," argues Mabunda. "Prices are getting higher and higher. The basic food basquet is each day, more expensive and less satisfying. And if you ask people if they are less poor... the answer will be 'no.'"
Farmers like Antonio Machava have not been able to benefit from the government's Local Initiative Investment Budget.
"I tried to apply for the fund but unfortunately there was very little information at my district administration. I wanted the money to buy fertilisers but the process seemed too complicated and I gave it up... I ended up using my own savings. Maybe I can apply again next year," Machava explained.
Farmers and others interested in receiving funds from the Local Initiative Investment Budget submit a business plan that spelling out how they'll use the money - and pay it back. District administrators decide who is awarded funds. According to the Mozambican government, these local funds have supported 26,000 projects in 128 districts, mostly in agriculture and small-scale industry.
But the main opposition party in Mozambique accuses the government of not having done enough for small farmers and local production.
"Mozambique is a rich country with lots of water resources. The problem is that we don't have good agriculture policies which stimulates people to produce more in order to fight against poverty. This country is not poor. It is impoverished," argues Ivone Soares, a candidate for the opposition RENAMO party.
"We need an agriculture policy that meets the needs of Mozambican farmers... farmers need to find ways of selling their products in the markets... They also need incentives and tax exemptions when purchasing productions tools like fuel, tractors and seeds," Soares added.
This year's edition of the Stand Up, Take Action campaign in support of achieving millennium development goals - which will run from Oct. 16-18 worldwide - will target candidates in Mozambique's elections, to be held on Oct. 28.
Mabunda believes this is the perfect time for the annual event. "During election campaign, politicians are more likely to listen to our message. And this year, our message is that we all can make a change on the fight against poverty," explained the activist.
Campaigners expect at least fifteen thousand people to participate by attending concerts, workshops and meetings with politicians, religious and lay people - and practical training for small farmers like Antonio Machava.
"We use this opportunity to show small famers how they can be involved in the process of fighting poverty and hunger. We teach them easy methods to enrich the soil, and how to carry over the surplus from one harvest to a later moments of crisis or lower productivity," explains Mabunda.
"If each one of us in our own vegetable gardens, plants a tree or some vegetables, we will all be contributing to reduce hunger. Small individual actions can make a big difference in the fight against poverty," he added.
Source: Allafrica
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