The Food Crisis: How FTF Premier-Oholo is shaping food security and building resilience in Mozambique?
October 16, 2024 – Today, the world celebrates World Food Day, a reminder of the importance of global efforts to address hunger, promote sustainable food systems, and build resilience. This year’s theme, “Leave No One Behind Food for All”, highlights the urgent need to ensure that everyone, no matter their circumstances, has access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. It highlights the pressing call to address inequalities in our food systems and empowers marginalized communities to take part in shaping a food-secure future, as the world faces its largest food crisis, where around 281.6 million people’s lives are in danger from acute food insecurity.
In Mozambique, 54% out of 32 million people, cannot afford a nutritious diet, particularly in rural areas, the critical need for initiatives to address food insecurity and promote sustainable agricultural practices is clear. USAID and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) are playing a crucial role in this mission through the FTF Premier-Oholo initiative. Implemented in partnership with TechnoServe, DAI and ELIM, the project aims to strengthen agricultural market systems and build resilience in the Nacala Corridor.
Local actions for global impact
By focusing on local market actors such as smallholder farmers, private sector investors, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and essential value chains, including crops like maize, soy, cashew, sesame, beans, cassava, groundnuts and poultry, FTF Premier-Oholo is addressing food insecurity from the ground up. Empowering local farmers to access markets and enhance their production directly contributes to reducing poverty and ensuring that communities can be resilient to the shocks of climate change, political instability, and economic downturns.
This approach fosters sustainable agricultural practices that are crucial for the future of food security, particularly in the vulnerable northern regions of Mozambique’s Nacala Corridor.
Sustainable food system
To address these challenges, FTF Premier-Oholo is working to transform food and agricultural systems in the Nacala Corridor while enhancing resilience among the different stakeholders. The project focuses on several key areas, including food processing, access to markets, input supply, and supply chain development. It also promotes the growth of a business development services (BDS) network, which is critical for creating a functional and sustainable agricultural value chain.
Since its launch in 2022, FTF Premier-Oholo has reached and supported over 10,000 individuals, equipping them with tools, knowledge, and resources to improve their livelihoods. Beneficiaries have received training in good agricultural practices, regenerative and eco-friendly approaches, as well as access to crop insurance and innovative value chain initiatives. These interventions not only increase productivity but also enable market linkages that strengthen the entire system from farm to market.
Why food systems matter for the future
In line with its mission to foster resilience, FTF Premier-Oholo promotes innovative solutions to overcome food security challenges. By creating a platform that encourages collaboration among local market actors, government entities, and the private sector, the project drives the development of sustainable, long-term solutions that can withstand future crises.
Reflecting on the significance of World Food Day, TechnoServe Country Director, Barbora Hladka, emphasized, “World Food Day serves not only as a reminder of the importance of food security but also as a call to action, an invitation for all of us to be part of the solution to hunger and malnutrition.”
With the strong support of USAID and SDC, FTF Premier-Oholo continues to demonstrate how building resilient food systems can uplift entire communities. The project believes that by working together, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of their background, has access to safe and nutritious food.
FTF Premier-Oholo remains committed to driving innovative agricultural practices, fostering resilience in the face of challenges, and ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of a food-secure future.
