The United Nations Food Security Group issued a warning this Wednesday, July 30, about the “major challenges” the country is facing due to the impacts of climate change, highlighting community-based natural resource management as a key element of Mozambique’s sustainable development strategy, according to the Lusa news agency.
“In Mozambique, where nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas and about 80% depends directly on natural resources for food, health, and livelihood, the adverse effects of climate change represent a huge challenge,” said Ricardo Torres, representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), during the “6th Conference on Community-Based Natural Resource Management,” held in Maputo.
According to the FAO representative, community-based resource management, implemented in Mozambique and other countries over the past 30 years, has become “a mantra of sustainable development.” This approach, he explained, has proven effective not only in mitigating the impacts of climate change on natural resources but also in strengthening community resilience, especially in the context of food insecurity.
“In the face of climate change, this approach is increasingly important, both in mitigating its impacts on natural resources and in enhancing community resilience, particularly in the context of food security and sustainable development,” emphasized Ricardo Torres.
Meanwhile, Daniel Maula, president of the Community-Based Natural Resource Management Network (R-GCRN), revealed that about 17,000 households across the country are currently involved in community management initiatives, through 72 grassroots committees, covering an estimated 200,000 hectares of land. “This collective effort is a sign that the approach works and that resolutions are only possible when the intention to bring change to the table is genuine,” he stated.
R-GCRN promotes the implementation of practices that place local communities at the center of decision-making regarding the use and preservation of natural resources, with a focus on inclusion and active participation.
Mozambique is considered one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, frequently facing extreme weather events such as floods, severe droughts, and tropical cyclones. Between December and March alone, the country was hit by three cyclones, which caused the deaths of around 175 people in the northern and central regions, as well as the destruction of infrastructure and homes.
According to data from the National Statistics Institute, between 2019 and 2023, extreme weather events caused at least 1,016 deaths and affected about 4.9 million people in Mozambique.
In the context of the conference, participants called for stronger public policies that recognize and enhance the role of local communities in managing their own resources as an integral part of the national response to climate change and the challenges of food security and sustainable development.
Source: Diário Económico