Mozambique

Despite a gross domestic product growth of over 6% in 2015, Mozambique’s population of almost 30 million remains one of the most vulnerable in the world, ranking 180 out of 188 countries in the 2015 Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

One third of the population is chronically food insecure. Undernutrition in children under five remains alarmingly high at 44%. The prevalence of vitamin A and iron deficiencies in children under five are also very high, at 69% and 74%. Such micronutrient deficiencies, also known as “hidden hunger”, lead to high social and public costs, reduced work capacity, and tragic loss of human potential. 

Additionally, about 30% of the Mozambican population tends to consume too much of one type of food – e.g. maize, cassava, rice and wheat, or ultra-processed foods, which are inexpensive and filling, but lacking in vital micronutrients, such as vitamin A, iron, and zinc.

Low-income consumers living in cities are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition. Approximately one third of Mozambicans are urban dwellers and this figure is rising at 1.5% per year.

Urban residents purchase most of their food in the marketplace, and this expenditure accounts for more than half of the urban household budget. Consumers with a steady income tend to buy basic goods in bulk, monthly; while purchasing loose vegetables, fish and chicken pieces daily depending on their financial means. Lack of awareness, due to the absence of information about the nutritious value of foods - coupled with the lack of choice of packaging sizes more adapted to the consumers’ purchasing habits- are further factors in the cycle of undernutrition.

GAIN’s contribution

In Mozambique, we support and advise the government, businesses and development partners as they build and mobilise food and nutrition plans to advance nutrition.

In the future, we will continue to build on the country priorities and strategies. Interventions are designed to be aligned with and complimentary to the Government Quinquennial Programme 2015-2019, the Multisectoral Action Plan for the Reduction of Chronic Undernutrition 2011-2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Building favourable conditions for nutrition and changing market incentives, rules and regulations that encourage the production and consumption of nutritious and safe food is one of GAIN’s priorities to improve diets and advance nutrition status for all.

Adolescent Nutrition

GAIN is currently analysing ways to improve adolescent nutrition in Mozambique and implement interventions with the Government and its partners. We are also piloting an intervention to reach adolescents through existing platforms, such as “mNutrition”, which delivers nutrition-related information using mobile phones. As part of our partnership with the Ministry of Health to develop TV and radio campaigns, we are currently planning to expand the programme to include messages targeted at adolescents.

Better Diets for Children

Along with our partners, we are working to improve the nutritional status of women and young children. This includes behaviour change in feeding and dietary practices and promotion of nutrition-sensitive agriculture interventions, which include cultivation and consumption of crops with higher nutritional value and improved livestock management. Since 2016, we have supported the Ministry of Health in the development of a TV and radio campaign called “1 minuto de Nutrição” to disseminate nutrition-related information for mothers and children.

Large-Scale Food Fortification

In the framework of the National Food Fortification and Universal Salt Iodisation programme and in partnership with UNICEF, GAIN supports the Government of Mozambique to consolidate the food fortification policy and improve the conditions for mandatory food fortification. We engage and facilitate salt producers’ access to iodine, reducing their dependence on subsidies and donations. GAIN has helped with the creation of two salt producers’ associations in the northern region, and one in the central and southern region to improve access and affordability of iodised salt.

Marketplace for Nutritious Foods

In support of a strategy led by the Government of Mozambique, GAIN contributes to growing a sustainable market for nutritious and affordable foods. We are creating opportunities for wider participation by the private sector to engage in nutrition through the development of the Scaling-Up Nutrition Business Network (SBN), the provision of services to companies wanting to improve nutrition at the workplace, as well as through technical and financial support to small local businesses to drive investments in production, marketing, access, availability and consumption of nutritious food.

Workforce Nutrition

GAIN is engaging with the private sector and the Government of Mozambique to advocate for the introduction of workforce nutrition-friendly policies, especially food at work. Both the private sector and the government want to understand the benefits for both companies and workers. We are working closely with businesses and piloting approaches in five companies to gather evidence on what works. We are also advocating for government policies that promote and support workforce nutrition, for example legislation and tax laws benefits.