Promoting Export-Quality Horticulture

TechnoServe’s Inhambane province program, supported by Irish Aid, is designed to stimulate inclusive growth of the agricultural economy while enhancing the long-term resilience of the poorest households.

Building on the successful outgrower model developed with our private-sector client Mozambique Organicos, the program is growing a network of nucleus and outgrower farmers who are generating income by producing export-quality horticulture crops.

We predict that the project will generate $8.6 million in wages and revenues over the next five years, directly benefiting 3,345 men, women and children. While most households in the province currently grow coconuts, few invest in good management of their trees. As aging trees leach nutrients from depleted soils, yields continue to fall, and coconut-related incomes remain low.

The program pilots creative models for household and community-level replanting through intercropping with other food crops, which increases productivity and soil fertility. Further, the interplay between the horticulture and coconut elements of the program holistically addresses the agricultural development needs of Inhambane and results in jobs and income, while increasing the availability of nutritious fruits and vegetables.

Contact:
Alex Negrao, anegrao@tns.org