The context

The economy of Zambezia, in central Mozambique, is dominated by subsistence agriculture. Despite being one of the most populous provinces, Zambezia’s contribution to the country’s GDP is only 9%. In addition to this difficult context, the population must face the epoch-making challenges caused by climate change. In recent years, Mozambique had to cope with a very strong surge in drought , which has contributed to decreasing food reserves and in 2019 alone the country was hit by two devastating cyclones: Idai, which hit the central-eastern area, and Kenneth, in the northern parts of the country.

Within this context, and as a result of the scarce opportunities and the low level of education, young people live in conditions of vulnerability. This makes it difficult for them to enter the job market or to develop independent economic activities. The lack of a good training offer and professional prospects results in young people being forced to emigrate to cities in search of better opportunities, and in urban areas the risk of being involved in illegal activities increases.

To survive, young people are likely to end up in the network of extremist movements or crime. Conversely, those who remain in rural areas often end up exploiting natural resources which, in economically depressed areas, represent an easy way to generate an immediate income. Such non environmentally-friendly activities have a negative impact on the same natural resources on which the local subsistence agriculture relies, damaging the environment and, in the long run, generating a further reduction in job opportunities and consequently greater poverty.

Activities

The aim of this project is to improve the agricultural technical skills of the young pupils of the schools of Inhassunge, Morrumbala and Lugela. This is achieved through improving the school infrastructures and the equipment available to students, training teachers and broadening the training offer to include courses on fish farming and beekeeping.

In the three districts, agricultural diversification will be achieved through the development of environmentally sustainable activities – fish farming and beekeeping. The project will intervene on the different processes that make up the two production chains: technical training, the distribution of hives and the construction of tanks, as well as the processing of fish and honey and the sale of products on the local market.

These activities are part of an attempt to improve the risk management system related to climate change. Thanks to the involvement of the local natural disaster risk management Committees, local communities can be trained, awareness can be raised and information supplied on the dramatic effects that the exploitation of natural resources entails in the long term and on how such communities can play a crucial role in mitigating, for example, the effect of floods. In addition, action will be taken to improve the capacity to respond at community level when a natural disaster is about to hit the project’s intervention area.

The activities of reforestation of the mangrove belts, the agroforestry practices and the environmental awareness-raising activities will impact possible environmental conservation, as well as improve the degraded territories that, to date, reduce the climatic resilience of local communities.

The project aims to relaunch the role of women and young people within their communities, entrusting them with important roles and responsibilities and focusing on their involvement as the key to lasting change.

Project’s overview

The aim of the project is to encourage sustainable development by promoting the resilience of 1,553 young people in the districts of Lugela, Inhassunge and Morrumbala. Together with the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Fisheries in Zambezia, CELIM’s contribution will help:

• improve the agricultural technical skills of young people in the schools of the three districts
• diversify the agricultural production by promoting fish farming and beekeeping activities
• strengthen the capacities to manage the risk of natural disasters
• achieve the sustainable management of natural resources