Agriculture, future scenarios for Southern Africa : Food production in Mozambique and rising global food prices

Agriculture: Future Scenarios for Southern Africa Food Production in Mozambique and Rising Global Food Prices Gilberto Biacuana1 2009 trade knowledge network Abstract This paper analyses the state of food production in Mozambique and the policy responses that the government has adopted to mitigate the transmission of international food prices into domestic food markets. [...] As a policy research institute dedicated to the effective communication of its findings, the Institute engages decision-makers in government, business, NGOs and other sectors in the development and implementation of policies that are simultaneously beneficial to the global economy, the global environment and to social well-being. [...] However, the “Green Revolution” strategy, the Food Production Action Plan and the continued investments in key agricultural infrastructure can be expected to reverse the current food production situation in the medium to long term. [...] Despite the country’s impressive economic growth, averaging around seven per cent in the last four years, 54 per cent of the population still lives below the poverty line and 34 per cent of households are food insecure and face perpetual hunger.2 The negative impacts of the price spikes have been worsened by the fact that, while food prices have increased, wages and incomes of the poor have not ri [...] The FPAP shares most of the objectives of the Green Revolution strategy, but, unlike the Green Revolution, the FPAP is a short-term plan starting on the 2008/09 agricultural year aimed at reducing the county’s grain deficit to mitigate the rising food prices.