Green Revolution: National Agriculture Mechanization Strategy

Client – MINAG / CEPAGRI
Location – Maputo Province (Moamba and Boane), Gaza Province (Chokwé and Chibuto), Zambézia Province (Nicoadala and Maganja de Costa)
Year – 2012 – 2013
Time – 9 months

Verde Azul was hired to assist the Minister of Agriculture in the development of a National Strategy for the Mechanization of small and medium-sized farms, with the aim of allowing the National Directorate of Agricultural Services to change the current situation that most farmers in Mozambique they face it, as they depend on human strength and traditional hand tools, and do not produce enough income for the purchase of agricultural inputs, resulting in low incomes generally sufficient only for self-subsistence and with very few surpluses for sale.

The strategy’s objective was to create conditions to increase production and productivity in small agricultural units through the use of new and suitable forms of motor energy (tractors, machines, electrical energy, renewable energy, etc.), animal energy and / or use new agrarian knowledge.

The strategy developed by Verde Azul included the production of materials to promote and coordinate interventions in the mechanized agriculture value chain, as well as concrete proposals and model examples for improving agricultural technology and practices. This was very important in areas with agricultural potential and provided a competitive advantage to encourage profitable agricultural production.

Three Provinces and six geographical areas were selected for the project’s field research: Maputo Province (Moamba and Boane), Gaza Province (Chokwé and Chibuto) and Zambézia Province (Nicoadala and Maganja de Costa). The study areas were selected to understand the different actors involved in the mechanization process. The field research included inventories of existing agricultural production value chain systems.

The reports included recommendations for processing and assembling implements and machines, supplying tools and machines, evaluating and recommending suitable production systems in relation to energy use. Case studies and mechanization models and models were presented, as well as a marketing strategy. Various training courses were developed through provincial seminars for the preparation of the master plan.