Teresa Mapswanganhe and husband

In the last two years Southern Africa has experienced the most critical agricultural campaign in 35 years. In a region where about 70% of the population depend on agriculture, the two to three years of the drought caused by El Niño phenomenon produced by the warming of the waters of the Pacific Ocean has had a devastating impact where several countries in southern Africa were declared in a state of Emerged and Mozambique hit the red alert.

In response to the El Niño Phenomenon, FAO in Mozambique has undertaken a number of actions to improve the resilience of communities. In Pfukwé, Mabalane district, Gaza province, FAO works with farmers groups at the Farmer Field Schools (FFS) and at the Pastoral Field School (PFS) teaching practices for a better adaption to the climate change effects.
With about 4000 inhabitants, the families of this region daily lose several heads of cattle that die of hunger and thirst due to lack of rains and the drought of the Limpopo River.

In Pfukwé, farmers learn resilience practices. The ears of corn that before were worthless were burnt, today, in critical time, serve as food for animals. Animals in very critical situation are placed stables with some blocks of mineral salts so that they can recover.
These are some resilience techniques that pastors have been learning through the FAO emergency programme that has provided some support for the recently started agricultural season.

Teresa Mapswaganhe, one of the farmers of this village tells that for more than two years she does not see rainwater.
"It does not rain here since 2014. Of the 21 heads of cattle that I had, I already lost eight. I also have a field that produces nothing because it does not rain. Cattle travel long distances in search of food but there is nothing here. - she says.

Another approach also implemented by FAO in Gaza province is that of nutritional education for behaviour change. Women from the Pfukwé EMC in Gaza also have lessons in nutrition education through FAO's Food and Nutrition Security Programme.Crops such as sweet potatoes and pumpkin are now mixed with corn potatoes as a way to enrich meals.

In the same approach the FAO has trained primary school teachers in Pfukwé locality and these in turn teach good food practices to children in 1st and 3rd grades.
After learning from FFSs facilitators, the farmers share what they learned with their communities.

Recently, the El Niño effects has decimated several production areas, increasing food insecuritylevels. More than 1.5 million Mozambicans still live in food and nutritional insecurity.