We have been working in Mozambique, improving resiliency of resource-poor households with climate smart agriculture and by re-establishing the dairy sector. With two projects affected in Mozambique by Cyclone Idai in 2019, (MERCADO with USDA and RAMA-BC with USAID Feed the Future), we saw firsthand the damage and food insecurity that rushed through the country after Cyclone Idai – and how it affected our staff and the people and businesses they support.

The USAID/OFDA early stage recovery Mozambique Integrated Recovery and Resilience project (MIRAR) aimed to give affected households short-term food security through seed distribution, following Cylone Idai in Manica and Sofala provinces of Mozambique. The MIRAR project reached over 15,000 households and increased food self-sufficiency to an estimated 7.8 months.

Lessons Learned: Key Aspects that lead to Resiliency

There were three key elements to how MIRAR was structured that lead to greater resiliency of the targeted communities:

1.       We were able to adequately resource for the size and scale needed for the project at hand. This required adaptive management and intentional strategic planning.

2.       The design was able to be adapted to meet the true needs of the individuals and communities by complementing seed distribution with technical knowledge and coordinating with local entities. This also meant managing recovery without disruption by working through local market actors.

3.       Perhaps most importantly, MIRAR was able to leverage the simultaneous presence of the RAMA-BC and MERCADO programs to enhance private sector linkages and sustain the impact of the project, including infrastructure, local knowledge, seed partner relationships and sound technical guidance. This in turn, has allowed participants to more easily adapt and be ready for future shocks.

See the full MIRAR Resiliency Report here to learn how utilized partnerships to build toward a more sustainable agricultural system in Mozambique: