This week, Peace Parks TV is in Guengo, a small community near Maputo National Park. Here a project is benefiting 53 families by assisting them to farm healthy crops. Through their support, and with funding from the COmON Foundation, the park is ensuring that farmers are transforming their land and their quality of life through conservation-friendly agriculture and a better water supply. Equipment and new knowledge on growing crops are also providing the community with an alternative to felling trees for charcoal to make a living.
The main aim of this support for communities living in rural areas bordering the park was to reduce pressure on natural resources,” says Gil Gomes Muthemba, Peace Parks Foundation’s Agriculture Officer in Maputo National Park. “Instead, today they depend on the productivity of their fields and this is a win for all of us.”
In the past, Guengo’s residents were unable to be self-sufficient, buying in their food from other communities. To help them to avoid relying on neighbouring areas, and empower them to generate their own income, the park has provided hoes, watering cans, fencing for the cattle and seeds for cabbage, tomatoes and onions. In addition, a technician guides their farming practices, such as applying fertiliser, to get the most out of their fields. “We are thrilled to have a technician here with us who assists us and is very patient,” says Theresa Sibia, one of the local community farmers. “Thanks to his guidance, we are now getting positive results.”
For crops to flourish, and for the health of local people, there must also be water security. Maputo National Park has implemented a multipurpose water system, fed by a borehole, providing 30,000 litres to supply the fields, livestock, and community.
These significant shifts for farmers are game-changing. Not only are nutrition and water scarcity no longer a worry or a limitation, but communities now have a steady income stream. Able to support themselves financially, reliable crops are bringing security to their lives. “The income I make selling onions has had a positive impact on my family’s life,’’ Theresa explains gratefully. “I am now able to buy school bags and uniforms for my children to go to school.”
Peace Parks Foundation and Mozambique’s @National Administration for Conservation Areas have been working together to restore, protect and develop Maputo National Park. It is immensely encouraging to see agriculture initiatives such as this help local farming communities in areas bordering the park. They are now able to bring their goods to market and support their families, all whilst conserving the land’s precious natural resources.
For more information, visit peaceparks.org
