U.S. Embassy
Avenida Kenneth Kaunda, 193
Caixa Postal, 783
Maputo
MOZAMBIQUE
PRESS RELEASE
Farmers in Chimoio Gain Access to new Resources for Agriculture
July 14, 2017 – farmers and agribusinesses throughout the district of Chimoio are celebrating the opening of the new “Farmer House,” a store that supplies a variety of products related to agriculture. As a result of a partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Tecnologia E Consultoria Agro-Pecuaria, LDA (TECAP), farmers now have access to equipment and products that will help increase agricultural productivity.
Agriculture continues to be the mainstay of Mozambique’s economy, contributing more than a quarter of GDP and employing 80 percent of the labor force. However, the vast majority of Mozambican farmers grow only enough food to feed their families. With innovations in farming that lead to increased agricultural productivity, Mozambique has vast potential to eventually become a major food producer in Southern Africa.
The Chimoio “Farmer House” will provide farmers the tools they need to transition from farming for food to farming for business. “The Farmer House model is an innovative concept and has the potential to revitalize the agriculture sector in Mozambique by making smallholder farmers more efficient and more productive while also building a sustainable market for agricultural businesses in the country,” stated USAID Agriculture Officer, Ken Hasson, in his speech at the opening event. The Chimoio “Farmer House” is part of a larger project supported by USAID through the Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation private sector partner TECAP. This initiative will support smallholder farmers in Manica, Nampula and Tete reaching more than 18,000 farmers.
The Farmer House model prioritizes investing in smallholder farmers’ and creating greater market opportunities for the commodities they grow. Closing the agricultural productivity gap, improving standards, and accessing new markets are critical to Mozambique’s economic development. Sustainable growth in the agricultural sector has the potential to improve the lives of Mozambicans in rural communities.
The partnership with (TECAP) is managed by Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation, a USAID-funded program that helps the private sector to scale and market agricultural technologies. For more information about Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation, please visit: http://www.partneringforinnovation.org/.
For more information about this press release, please contact the U.S. Embassy Maputo Press Office at USEmbMaputoPress@state.gov. For more information about USAID programs in Mozambique, please visit http://www.usaid.gov/mozambique.
