In partnership with the government, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is implementing a 208 million metical (3.3 million dollars) project, funded by the Government of Norway, with the aim of strengthening food systems adapted to climate change and expanding school feeding programmes in the provinces of Inhambane and Gaza, in the south of the country.
According to the WFP statement, made public on Thursday 19 July, the aim of the project is to improve the food and nutritional security of small farmers and their families in six districts in the provinces of Gaza and Inhambane and to support equitable access to basic education and school feeding programmes in areas where access to education is poor due to food insecurity.
‘Food security, resilience and climate adaptation are a key priority of cooperation between Norway and Mozambique,’ said Haakon Gram-Johannessen, the Norwegian ambassador, stressing that ‘the Norwegian government is honoured to partner with one of the most trusted agencies of the United Nations (UN) to provide much-needed reinforcement of food and nutrition security.’
As part of the contribution, and in coordination with the provincial and district offices of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Health, the WFP will support 500 small farmers to diversify agricultural production, while improving their post-harvest management and business skills. ‘Around 17,000 primary school children will have greater access to nutritious meals to improve school attendance from a home-grown school feeding model that promotes the purchase of fresh vegetables from local farmers, which also helps to boost local economies,’ reads the note.
For Antonella D’Aprile, WFP’s country director in Mozambique, ‘by augmenting integrated climate risk management programming with support links to the small farmers’ agricultural market, we benefit both the producers who supply fresh produce to schools, as well as schoolchildren and their families, who will receive nutritious meals.”
Since 2020, Norway has contributed 884 million meticals (14 million dollars) to WFP operations in Mozambique. Norwegian funding for the Programme has been channelled towards emergency response activities, school feeding and livelihoods. Norway is also one of the main donors providing flexible funding to the WFP worldwide, including in Mozambique.