Update to the Global Board
October 2013
In Mozambique, 2013 started with heavy rains for which the Disaster Management Coordination Council declared a state of emergency. Chokwe Epicenter was the most heavily damaged by this natural disaster and lost the majority of the recently planted crops. Nevertheless, within only a few months, the Food Security Program of Chokwe showed its strength and durability by bouncing back with a fruitful agricultural harvest. THP-Mozambique continued to participate in government level Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) activities while still building on its Food Security Program as an innovative way to create income generating schemes.
Accomplishments
- Food Security. THP-Mozambique continued building on an already very strong Food Security Program. The heavy rains in January, unfortunately, resulted in floods which destroyed Chokwe’s farmland. However, when staff from the Global Office Africa Department and the Country Director of Switzerland came to visit in June, Chokwe’s communal land was already being cultivated and farmland was being harvested. Furthermore, Zuza’s fish-farming program is still going strong with over 1,000 fish in the Zuza pond.
- Income Generating Activities. Several innovative income-generating activities have been developed. For example, using locally grown ingredients, women in the epicenters of Chokwe and Manhica have started baking cakes, growing sugarcane for juice and drying banana chips to sell. These income-generating activities use the robust Food Security Program already in place as a foundation to innovatively respond to its epicenter needs.
- Health & Nutrition. THP has been involved in the Scaling Up Nutrition initiative meetings that are held at the Technical Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition pertaining to the Ministry of Agriculture. Other organizations taking part include Reach, Danida, Ansa, Helen Keller International and Mugede.
September 8, 2013
