Mozambique

BACKGROUND

Indigenous and local communities are spread across the community conservancies adjacent the Gorongosa National Park and its buffer zone. This area lies within the Great African Rift in central Mozambique.The park, known as extremely biodiverse and a wildlife paradise, suffered severe impacts during a long civil war and in its aftermath until restoration efforts started in the early 2000s (Huntley, 2023).

In this context, ITTs have been seeking to (re)claim their agency and maintain their knowledge, practices and worldviews amid ecological and social pressures. Particularly the socio-economic conditions are profound with extremely low household incomes. Low income from rain-fed subsistence agriculture and low-tech forestry development is further exacerbated by a lack of access to markets. As people look to escape poverty, increased pressure on land and natural resources leads to conflicts with wildlife and agricultural encroachment.

Research activities

The project supports agroecological and nature-inclusive farming systems. These systems act as biodiversity corridors in degraded landscapes. Practices include intercropping and agroforestry with shaded crops. Some examples of crops include coffee, cashew, and cassava production.

The project aims to co-create conservation and livelihood models with the local communities. Local land use and soil conditions are central to planning decisions. Knowledge will be co-produced to align environmental and socio-economic goals. The project promotes shared governance between communities and the Gorongosa National Park.