Initiative

Beyond Cotton Initiative

I. Background

IAOM, IP in partnership with the World Food Programme in Mozambique (WFP), the Centre of Excellence Against Hunger in Brazil (CdE), the Brazilian Cooperation Agency of Brazil (ABC), the Brazilian Cotton Institute (IBA) and the Federal University of Lavras of Brazil (UFLA) is implementing an initiative called "Beyond Cotton-Alternatives for Production and Disposal of By-products from Cotton and Intercropping in Mozambique", with the objective of:

1. To encourage the production and commercialization of cotton by-products;
2. Identify markets for commercialization of the intercropped food crops; and
3. Promote access to food of high nutritional value to rural communities.

This initiative is being implemented since 2020 and has its actions focused on three main axes: i) Production, ii) Flow and Commercialization, and iii) Food and Nutrition Education. The strategy is to promote an increase in the efficiency of cotton production through intercropping, so that in this way the food produced in the area can be consumed by the families first, and the surplus supplies the local market. At the same time, the perspective is to strengthen the cotton production chain as a whole, encouraging the processing of its byproducts, adding financial autonomy and diversifying the producers' income. Food and Nutrition Education aims at improving the Food and Nutrition Security situation of the families covered by the initiative.

II. Implementation and target group

The initiative is being implemented in the provinces of Manica (Guro and Bárue districts) and Tete (Moatize, Cahora Bassa and Mágoè districts) and includes 1500 cotton-producing families and technicians from the sector and the Districts involved.

For the operationalization of this initiative it is planned:

1. Train producers in good agricultural practices;
2. Acquire machines and equipment for the utilization of cotton by-products;
3. Establishing Fields of Results Demonstration (CDRs) on the cultivation of cotton and intercropped food crops;
4. Capacitate the producers in commercialization and draining mechanisms;
5. To train technicians and producers for the production and diversification of high nutritional value food crops intercropped with cotton;
6. Implement culinary workshops to value food practices, habits, and customs.

III. Actions Developed and in progress

1. Five associations in the districts of Cahora Bassa, Moatize and Magoé in Tete Province and in the districts of Guro and Barué in Manica Province were identified as beneficiaries of the initiative;
2. Identified areas for establishing a demonstration field for good agricultural practices during the 2022/23 campaign;
3. A baseline study was conducted to identify potential buyers for cotton and intercropping;