Annual Progress Report: October 2020 - September 2021 for Feed the Future Mozambique Resilient Agriculture Activity Market - Corridor da Beira

The project aims to increase agricultural productivity, profitability, and resilience among local producers in Mozambique. RAMA-BC operates in nine districts in Manica and Sofala provinces, targeting the Beira Corridor zone of influence. The project consists of four components: Behavior Change Communication (BCC), Model Family Farms (MFF), Sustainable Extension Services, and Strengthened Market Systems. BCC involves the development and implementation of a comprehensive communication strategy, multimedia campaign, and local promotion through private partners and civil society. MFF provides business consultancy and technical assistance services through a network of community-based demonstration fields and one-hectare Observation Units. During the reporting period of October 2020 to September 2021, RAMA-BC continued implementation in Cyclone Idai-affected Sofala Province districts for the second consecutive season. The project accelerated adaptation through the multiplication of improved, disease-resistant varieties of cassava and Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato. Twenty-five farmer/multipliers are producing these crop starters that will benefit approximately 20,000 farmers by 2022. In March 2021, Land O'Lakes Venture37 applied for and was granted a No Cost Extension (NCE) to extend the period of performance through December 2022. This NCE will enable the project to continue and accelerate adaptation through the multiplication of root crops into another season of 2022. Through continued learning of the 'whole farm system' approach, regenerative agriculture/livestock consultant Dr. AH visited the project in December 2020. AH's visit was transformational and led to the establishment of 11 examples of mobile kraals. These kraals will improve management and regeneration of pastures, raise productivity of cattle, pigs, goats, and poultry with scalable technologies applicable to both small-scale and commercial sectors. RAMA-BC has established that intercropping maize with legumes improves soil health and productivity. A missing piece of the puzzle is the availability of the right types of legume seed through private sector agrodealer networks. This year, two seed companies have marketed approximately seven metric tons of maize/intercrop composite seed kits through agrodealers, at a value of more than $9,400. Although this was a difficult year to launch such an initiative, as it coincided with widespread free seed distribution, this model has been shown to work and will encourage awareness, sales, and adoption of intercrop combinations. Partnerships with public and educational institutions fulfill a key advocacy role and expose decision makers to the practice of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). RAMA-BC has partnered with the Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique (IIAM) for the last two seasons; UEM (University of Eduardo Mondlane) for the last three seasons; and two Centers for the Integration of Technology Transfer (CITTs) for the last season. This research will evaluate the effect of intercropping on maize yield and on FAW (Fall Army Worm) control. UniZambeze's research focuses on the effects of mobile night kraals on maize, organic matter production, and gross margins. RAMA-BC has also partnered with the government agricultural extension service - District Economic Activity Services (SDAE), who have set up 17 CSA/intercrop demonstration plots of their own for another season. The results from UEM and IIAM show that intercrops have positive impacts that are an unbeatable, accessible, scalable, and elegant adaptation to climate change and soil degradation. These results include increased yield of maize, added intercrop yield as a 'bonus', reduced weeding and labor requirement, reduced FAW intensity, increased incidence of FAW and other pest predators, increased production of biomass and consequent soil organic matter, and increased soil moisture retention in intercropped soils.