Boosting Agroecology in Urban areas: the AGRI.URB project

Objectives

Specific Objective: Sustainably strengthen urban agroecological farming and livestock activities in the Green Zones of Maputo (Zonas Verdes de Maputo – ZVM) in the Municipal Districts of KaMavota and KaMubukwana.

Activities

Featured principles and elements of Agroecology:

Co-creation and exchange of knowledge, Recycling, Input Reduction and Soil Health, Connectivity and Economic Diversification

• Activities on Recruit 15-30 farmers and form a group. 

• Organise training sessions, meetings and workshops regularly as part of a year-long program. The topics include agroecology principles, soil fertility management, biopesticides, composting, seed production, and water management, based on the Formação Agrícola Participativa (Participatory Agricultural Training, FAP) approach. 

• Use participatory learning and knowledge exchange, which combines theory with practical demonstrations and encourages active participation on demonstration plots. 

• Organise field visits and mentoring on the right use of agroecological practices by the project’s technical staff. 

• Use Nitrogen-Fixing plants and mulching to increase the recirculation of nutrients. 

• Use manure produced on farm thanks to the introduction of small animals like chickens and rabbits to reduce dependency on external inputs. 

• Use intercropping (of 5 crops) and natural fences to increase crop and landscape diversity  

• Use fruit trees to regenerate soil and provide shadow and windbreak. 

• Use bio-pesticides and functional biodiversity produced on farm like garlic, chilli, soap and ash as natural repellents to manage pest and increase plant health. 

• Organise agroecological fairs monthly. 

• Organise discussions on the implementation of an agroecological label. This was already created, but the Participatory Guarantee Scheme (PGS) is not yet in place. 

The performance of the project was assessed by the AICS team through the Agroecology Finance Assessment Tool, a collective online tool which provides a methodological framework based on the 13 principles of agroecology to assess how much projects are contributing to agroecology. It also provides a guide for developing projects that implement agroecology. Results showed a good performance for co-creation and exchange of knowledge, synergy, soil health, and recycling.

Outcomes 

• Agroecology in urban and peri-urban contexts brought multiple benefits, such as increased livelihood, biodiversity, resilience, and soil health. 

• The Formação Agrícola Participativa (FAP) approach was effective in spreading agroecology practices to the 104 direct beneficiaries (40 women and 64 men) from four associations working in urban areas. 

• The agroecology ​“​lighthouses​”​ (​farmers experienced in agroecological practices​) were well recognised among the association for their key role in promoting agroecology practices. 

• Qualitative observations indicate that farmers who have transitioned to agroecological practices have experienced a significant decrease in input costs. For instance, an agroecological lighthouse farmer reported that he no longer incurs input costs as he produces everything himself, from biopesticides to biofertilisers, and even some seeds. The only inputs he still purchases are seeds that are particularly difficult to produce on his own. While these insights suggest substantial cost savings, a comprehensive quantitative analysis is needed to accurately measure the extent of these reductions. 

• Agroecological fairs raised consumers’ awareness of agroecological products and linked them directly to farmers. 

• It was noticed that agroecology practices seem to be more labour–intensive than conventional practices. The project addressed this perception by establishing both demonstration fields and identifying experienced farmers​ to act as agroecological “lighthouses”.​​     ​ These lighthouses exemplify how, although the initial transition to agroecology requires more labour, the system becomes increasingly resilient and less labour-intensive as it matures. Farmers in the early stages of adoption are invited to visit these experienced practitioners to witness firsthand the long-term benefits and sustainability of agroecological systems. 

• The project provided incentives, such as organic manure and seeds suited to agroecological systems, along with technical support, to facilitate this transition. These inputs were crucial in enabling farmers to adopt agroecological practices more effectively and in encouraging broader uptake across the community.

Enabling Conditions 

• Subsidies are necessary to mitigate the risk of the agroecological transition for farmers. 

• The promotion of market access for agroecological products and direct selling are needed, given that agroecology is still a niche market and unknown to consumers. In this regard, labels can help consumers to differentiate agroecological products from conventional ones. 

• Farmers produced very high-quality products (in terms of taste) compared to conventional products, so consumers were ready to pay more. 

Limiting Factors 

• The lack of subsidies to support the agroecological transition and the socio-economic pressure. Farmers were highly averse to the risk entailed by the transition. 

• The high levels of urbanisation pressure and land speculation trigger conflicts of interest and difficulties in accessing land. 

• The lack of favourable policies and regulations to scale up agroecology. 
• The lack of specific channels or markets to distribute agroecological products. 

Mr. Andrea Santopaolo, MSc UN Fellow at AICS field office in Maputo (Mozambique), andrea.santopaolo.ext@aics.gov.it

Mrs. Federica de Gaetano – PhD Technical Officer at AICS office VI Rural Development and Food Security, federica.degaetano@aics.gov.it

Picture credits: AICS Maputo Office