“I have learnt a great deal about how to grow vegetables, employ different planting techniques and use compost as a fertilizer. Last year I was able to harvest vegetables throughout the year. This helped me to feed my family. I also got an income from selling excess vegetables, which I used to buy metal sheets for the roof of my house and school materials for my two children,” says Benedito Joaquim from Mosambique.

Now Benedito Joaquim is excited about being able to use a grinding mill. With the grinding mill, he is able to process maize into mealie meal and grind cassava.

Finland supports this rural development project that is being implemented in the provinces of Sofala and Zambezia in Mosambique in 2014–2018. The Mosambican association ADPP established a farmers’ club in the village of Wandana in central Mosambique. The members of the club, such as Joaquim, have benefited significantly from the club’s work. By the year 2017 ADPP has set up altogether 300 farmers’ clubs around the country. The clubs provide poor farmers with information on farming methods, nutrition and health, and guidance on marketing and how to register their land rights. These clubs are not only for men as more than half of the club members, 56%, are women.

Photo: ADPP, graphics: Juho Hiilivirta