The case of the Cyclone Idai in Manica and Sofala Provinces, Mozambique – International Potato Center

Mozambique is a Sub-Saharan African country prone to recurrent cyclones, floods, and droughts.

Most people affected by this extreme weather are poor farmers, depending solely on agriculture for their livelihoods. The aftermath of these events usually results in complete harvest losses, leaving farmers solely dependent on humanitarian assistance for their immediate needs, especially food items for their survival.

To remedy this, The Government of Mozambique (GOM) and its partners have adopted a holistic approach to mitigating and adapting to these climate change-related events. Partners from the agriculture, nutrition, and emergency relief sectors came together to alleviate the effects and improve the livelihoods of the more than 1 million people affected by six recent major climate-related events, including the cyclones Idai and Chalane that affected the Mozambican provinces of Manica and Sofala over the last 10 years.

The use of resilient crops and agriculture practices play a key role in the process of rapid recovery, and sweetpotato has been crucial, providing edible vegetables (leaves) in a very short time (less than one month) and caloric and nutritious storage roots after 3-4 months of planting.

The International Potato Center (CIP) and partners have been on the frontline working with government and civil society organizations in the relief and post-relief efforts to mitigate the effects of these climate change-related events. Early in March 2019, just after Cyclone Idai hit the province of Manica and Sofala, CIP and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) partnered to provide the first relief kits (Photo 1) (including sweetpotato seeds, farming tools and inputs)  to 10,000 farmers.

About 40 tons of sweetpotato planting materials were distributed to 10,000 families affected by Cyclone Idai in Manica and Sofala provinces. Sweetpotato planting materials were part of the key components of the kits distributed for emergency relief in Manica and Sofala province 10 days after the disaster occurred.