CARE INTERNATIONAL IN MOZAMBIQUE
Viable Initiatives for the Development of
Agriculture (VIDA 2)
MID-TERM EVALUATION
Transfer Authorization Award No. FFP-A-00-02-00014
By
Kerry Selvester and Martin Whiteside
November 2004
Kerry Selvester
Food Security and Nutrition Consultant
ANSA, C.P. 373. Maputo, Mozambique
Tel: (258) 82314595.
email. skerry@virconn.com
Martin Whiteside
Environment & Development Consultant
Hillside, Claypits Lane, Lypiatt, stroud, Glos.
GL6 7LU. Claypits Lane, Lypiatt, Stroud, Glos.
UK
Tel: (44) 1453 757874
Email: whiteside@gn.apc.org
CARE Mozambique Contact persons:
Amilcar Lucas, VIDA 2 Project Manager, amilcars@carenpl.org.mz
Tim Russell, Provincial Rural Development Coordinator, Nampula, tim@carenpl.org.mz
Holly Solberg, Assistant Country Director, CARE International, Maputo, solberg@care.org.mz
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................3
Glossary/Abbreviations..........................................................................................................................3
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...............................................................................................................4
1.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................4
1.2 Results..........................................................................................................................................4
1.3 Issues............................................................................................................................................6
1.4 Recommendations......................................................................................................................9
2 CONTEXT........................................................................................................................................13
2.1 Background to VIDA and CARE Programmes in Nampula ............................................13
2.2 Evolution of VIDA activities.................................................................................................14
3 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY...........................................................................................16
4. RESULTS ACHIEVED.......................................................................................................................17
4.1 Strategic objective 1. ................................................................................................................17
4.2 IR 1 – Increased adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies and practices.........19
4.3 IR 2 – Improved functioning of agricultural input and output markets..........................22
4.4 IR 3 – Improved capacity of Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders to perform
key activities related to achieving food security ................................................................................25
4.5 IR4 - Improvements in household food consumption, especially for vulnerable
children....................................................................................................................................................29
5. MAINSTREAMING HIV AND AIDS INTO A FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION
PROGRAMME..........................................................................................................................................36
5.1 Livelihood and labour issues .........................................................................................................36
6. REACHING MORE PEOPLE..........................................................................................................39
6.1 Current Coverage ............................................................................................................................39
6.2 Appropriate community structures for different activities........................................................39
6.3 Reaching Women .....................................................................................................................41
7. GIVING SMALL FARMERS MORE POWER IN THE MARKET....................................44
8. GENERATING AND SPREADING NEW IDEAS...............................................................46
8.1 Continued generation and local adaptation of technologies..............................................46
8.2 Participatory Research and Extension .................................................................................47
8.3 Animadoras and Demonstradores........................................................................................48
8.4 Menu of Technologies.............................................................................................................49
9. ORGANISING EXTENSION POST-VIDA 2 .........................................................................51
10. VALIDATING AND BUILDING COMMUNITY ACTIVIST CAPACITY.................53
11. MANAGING AND MONITORING.....................................................................................54
11.1 Staff Questionnaire ..................................................................................................................54
11.2 Monitoring System...................................................................................................................54
11.3 Managing Change.....................................................................................................................56
ANNEX 1 – LITTERATURE................................................................................................................58
ANNEX 2 - PEOPLE MET ...................................................................................................................59
ANNEX 3 – STAFF QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS.......................................................................60
ANNEX 4 – Indicators for Impact. Baseline and Mid-term Evaluation ..........................................68
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Acknowledgements
This evaluation was made possible by many people who agreed to give up their time to talk to the
two evaluators. Special thanks to the communities members who spent time talking with us in
Nampula, Erati, Meconta, Angoche and Mogovolas Districts despite having many other pressing
jobs to do. Particular thanks also to Tim Russell, Amilcar Lucas and Teresa Munguambe who
gave up a considerable amount of their time in field visits and in more detailed discussion. A full
list of interviewees is given in Annex 2.
Glossary/Abbreviations
CDL Local Community Development Committee
DDADR District Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development
DPADR Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development
(Farmer) Association A number of farmers formally structured to undertake economic activities
(Farmer Group) A number of farmers less formally structured (e.g. to receive extension
messages)
Fora A grouping of about 10 associations in a business unit.
IEC Information, Education & Communication
IR Intermediate Result
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
PAN Posto Agronomico de Nampula (local crop research station)
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 Introduction
This is mid-term evaluation of the VIDA 2 project, which started in 2001 and is due to run until
the latter part of 2006. The project strategic objective is ‘to increase household food and
economic security through increased and diversified sustainable agricultural output’.
VIDA 2 is exclusively funded by USAID in 10 districts and provides co-financing for additional
coverage in a further 4 districts of Nampula Province.
VIDA 2 has operated during a time of rapid change in Nampula Province. There has been a
marked increase in private sector activity, including new opportunities within agricultural export
markets. Although there have been large increases in rural retail capacity, turnover of agricultural
inputs, with the exception of those for cotton and tobacco, remain very low. There are moves
towards decentralisation in the public sector, including the development of a Nampula Strategic
Development Plan and District Development Plans. Proagri is bringing real increases in capacity
at both Provincial and District level. While there has been an improvement in the overall poverty
figures (IAF, 2003) there has not been a corresponding improvement in the nutrition statistics
(DHS, 2003). There is a rapid upward trend in HIV prevalence form 5.7% to 8.8% in two years.
1.2 Results
The mid-term survey shows that VIDA 2 has started to make measurable progress in achieving
its strategic objective of ‘increasing household food security through increased and
diversified agricultural output’. A total of around 57,000 group/association members (41,000
households) are currently being reached by VIDA 2 which means it has already exceeded its
target number of beneficiaries.
The Incprox figures are not yet available and chronic malnutrition will only be measured at the
end of VIDA 2, however the available data shows:
• Overall ownership of household assets has increased substantially from the baseline to the
midterm survey and are significantly higher for participants in established groups.
• The number of months of food shortage has decreased by over 40% (from almost 2.5 to 1.4)
• Diet diversity index has increased by over 15% (from 4.00 to 4.69) and is significantly higher
for participating households.
There are four intermediate results for VIDA 2; the first is the ‘increased adoption of
agricultural technologies and practices’. The mid term survey shows this result is being
achieved and most of the gains are likely to be sustainable:
• there is a statistically significant increase in adoption of key technologies in established
groups compared to ‘new’ group and ‘non’ group members and increases in adoption among
‘non’ group members in mid-term compared to the baseline of botanical pesticides, manure,
mulch, planting holes, rotation, line planting and recommended spacing and improved seed
storage.
• There is significant adoption of new varieties by members and non-members, such as
rosette resistant groundnut and white sesame that were introduced by VIDA, and also an
increase in the variety of crops grown.
• There is an increase in production and sales by established groups and also more generally
in target communities since the baseline.
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The second intermediate result is the ‘improved functioning of agricultural input and output
markets’. There have been major improvements in the markets, but most of this has not been
due to VIDA 2. Where market access remains poor this tends to be due to low turnover,
distance, weak infrastructure and institutional issues1
 – most of which are beyond the scope of
VIDA 2. Evidence collected by VIDA 2 and others suggests that external inputs, like fertilizer,
are not generally viable for the crops promoted by VIDA 2 under current conditions in Nampula.
Therefore the project has rightly decided to promote low external input techniques, which will
tend to reduce the achievement of the current input tracking indicators for result 2. These
indicators should therefore be redrafted to be more appropriate to the current reality.
There have been some important successes in developing specialized output markets, such as
certified seed and certified organic produce, but overall the profitability of the association
marketing chains is strained by strong competition. Farmer power outside of association
marketing chains remains limited. Therefore, although the intermediate result of improved
markets has partly been achieved, this has mainly been due to factors outside of VIDA 2. There
may be opportunities to support farmers further when they market outside of the association
chain.
Intermediate Result Three is ‘improved capacity of ministry of Agriculture and other
stakeholders to perform key activities related to achieving livelihood security’. This result
needs to be seen in the context of the major capacity building process for the Ministry of
Agriculture taking place through Proagri, which is the main driver for increased capacity at
district and provincial level. The evaluators found that there are good relations with other
stakeholders, good coordination and good collaboration - collaboration is good at district
level, but is sometimes let down by the centralised nature of CARE decision making2
. There has
been some good sharing of training and VIDA has been an important catalyst in capacity
building at provincial level on Conservation Farming. Despite this, capacity building through
VIDA 2 hasn’t been particularly structured, and has proved difficult to monitor. The
Intermediate Result as written is not particularly appropriate for a project like VIDA 2, and this is
one of the reasons it has been awkward to achieve and monitor; it is recommended that this
result should be reformulated to concentrate more on coordination, collaboration and mutual
learning, rather than the one-way process implied by ‘capacity building’.
Intermediate Result Four is ‘increased household food consumption, especially for
vulnerable young children’. This result has been approached through nutrition education, work
with women’s groups and more general improvement to agricultural production and income.
Dynamic women’s groups have proved to be successful in disseminating messages about
nutrition, however the main motivation of the women’s groups is to increase their own
production and income, particularly cash under the women’s own control, and therefore it is
important that this emphasis continues and they are not in the future seen ‘just’ as nutrition
groups. There has been significant behaviour change in the use of enriched porridges, and this
has occurred not only among the group members but in the wider community, men have also
been made aware of and are supportive of this practice. There has also been uptake of the
practice of feeding infants at least five times per day, but this has not yet spread significantly in
the wider community. There has been adoption of vitamin A rich orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.
There has been much less uptake of exclusive breastfeeding of babies under four months, this
 
1 E.g. the high costs of doing business through Nacala Port and other institutional/bureaucratic barriers which raise
of doing business in Mozambique.
2 Making it difficult for the District level VIDA team to respond rapidly to a district level initiative from DDADR –
VIDA tend to need to refer such initiatives to headquarters, which can cause delay.
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practice is more bound-up with cultural beliefs and practices and therefore it is unrealistic to
expect change though the promotion of a message through agricultural extension workers.
Overall the promotion of the more straightforward nutritional messages through the agricultural
extension network has proved successful, however the extension workers themselves have
limited background in nutrition, which understandably restricts their capacity to engage with
more complex issues. This is still more evident when dealing with even more culturally entwined
issues of sex and gender power that are important in HIV/AIDS behaviour change.
1.3 Issues
Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS
There is a reasonably high level of knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention, and
VIDA has contributed to this - however the difficulty of moving from increased knowledge to
low-risk behaviour is another matter. The context for behaviour change is complex, and the
viable options for rural women are particularly difficult. Realistic expectations are needed about
what should be achieved through mainstreaming, given the training of the staff and structure of
the project. VIDA extension workers, living away from their families, are a high-risk group and
should be treated as priorities for achieving low-risk status.
VIDA, with its objective of improving agricultural production, nutrition and livelihoods is not
inconsistent with the needs of poor and vulnerable households, including those affected by
labour shortages, chronic illness and HIV/AIDS. A vibrant rural economy is more likely to be
able to support the strain of HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality. Social capital in terms of
groups and associations may also increase community support for affected households and
women organized in their own groups, and with their own income, may reduce their risk level
and increase their resilience. These existing outcomes of VIDA can be strengthened by
supporting emerging community strategies for coping with AIDS, giving continued emphasis to
labour saving approaches, exploring the safety net aspect of associations and groups, providing
nutrition education for people living with HIV/AIDS and forming partnership with other
organizations/projects with complementary expertise.
Reaching more people
VIDA 2 is currently directly reaching over 40,000 households who have a member in one or
more of the VIDA supported groups or associations. There is also a degree of adoption among a
further 80,000 households in the communities where VIDA is working. This exceeds the original
targets of the project. Although VIDA 2 can be satisfied that it has exceeded its targets, it still
leaves over 80% of households in VIDA districts that are not being reached. It is recommended
that VIDA, while retaining its overall group/association based approach, becomes more outward
looking in the remaining two years of this phase - to expose a larger proportion of the whole
community to the VIDA menu. This will mean concentrating on those technologies that are
most widely applicable and easiest to spread with minimum extension input, working where
appropriate through existing community groups rather than only through specially formed
groups or associations and not assuming that groups automatically need the additional intensive
input to graduate to associations and fora.
7
VIDA has pursued strategies to include more women within the mainstream programme
and this has been largely successful, with women, and particularly members of female headed
households, responding to opportunities to form women’s groups and working on production
and income generation. There are further opportunities to develop this work, such as using
extension approaches and technologies particularly appropriate to women, and encouraging other
organizations to engage in saving and literacy work.
Giving small farmers more power in the market
VIDA 2 was planned at a time when building associations, fora and unions was seen as the key
way to increase the market power of rural farmers. These structures remain important and
require continued support, but changes in the overall private sector marketing capacity mean that
for most farmers, including many association members, sales outside of the association-fora
channel are likely to remain the more important for the foreseeable future. It is therefore
important that small farmer market power is supported more widely, not just when marketing
through associations. This is an area for investigation and pilot work during the remainder of
VIDA 2, and could become a more planned intervention in VIDA 3.
Generating and spreading new ideas
A major strength of VIDA 2 has been its rich and constantly developing menu of new
technologies to promote to farmers, its ability to try these out with farmers and adapt them with
feedback from farmers. This dynamic access to new technologies has provided a major
motivating factor for group activities and for volunteer animators and demonstrators. Any future
extension network needs to consider how to continue to develop, test and adapt new ideas.
Participatory research and extension can be a part of this – but caution is urged, as participatory
approaches need appropriate attitudes and skills at all levels, that are not currently present, and
are more difficult to manage than more structured approaches. It is necessary to be realistic in
accepting that a degree of ‘top-down’ approaches will be needed while appropriate skills and
attitudes are gradually built. This is not a quick process.
Organising extension post-VIDA 2
The current extension system is very centralized, with virtually all decisions being taken in
Nampula. This may have been appropriate in the early stages of VIDA 2, and is also a symptom
of CARE’s centralized operating procedures. However such centralized approaches do not help
to build autonomous Mozambican capacity to manage extension and other development
initiatives at district and community level. Post-VIDA there may be opportunities for staff to
form autonomous service providing companies, associations or NGOs - possibly to compete for
outsourcing contracts – but to make this a realistic opportunity, CARE would need to start
working now on building this capacity. This does require some hard-headed decisions by CARE
on what degree of priority to give this. Building this post-VIDA capacity will take management
resources, and may detract for some of the short-term impact. However the approach does
provide both a potential sustainable exit strategy and potential partners for CARE to work with
in future. VIDA 3 could provide an intermediate bridging phase in this process.
Validating and building community activist capacity
VIDA 2 works with a dynamic network of 220 nutrition animators and 120 farmer
demonstrators – many of these work 10-20 hours per week for VIDA without pay - their reward
seems to be a wish to see their communities develop, personal status, a bicycle, learning
opportunities and possibly some future career prospects. Many other organizations in
Mozambique also work with community volunteers, including a growing number of HIV/AIDS
community activists. Currently there is no accredited training for any of these
activists/volunteers - many are caught in a trap of not being able to undertake further formal
8
training because they have not sufficient years of formal education – the formal system is
quite inflexible for these adults.
A degree of quality control of training and accreditation for community activists could provide
important motivation and improved quality of work throughout Mozambique. This is a proposal
that is larger than VIDA and needs considerably more investigation and discussions both locally
and at a national level over a 3-5 year timescale. VIDA would however be in a good position to
pilot future development of this proposal, if initial investigations prove positive.
Managing and Monitoring
Results from a staff questionnaire show that VIDA has promoted an impressive variety of staff
training and that staff have interesting ideas of how to improve VIDA – this bodes well for
future more decentralized management.
The mid-term survey is a significant improvement on earlier data collection, but it is frustrating
that changes in sample and questions make it difficult to compare change over time – it is
important to get the methodology and indicators robust at the start of a project like VIDA and
resist the temptation to change or add indicators unless essential. It seems that regular
monitoring data is being collected, but that it is not yet being analysed and used for management
decision-making, although this is promised by the end of 2004. Appropriately used monitoring
data, giving sufficient emphasis to outcomes (like adoption) and not just outputs (like number of
demonstrations) would provide opportunities for stimulating a more ‘problem-solving’ rather
than ‘output driven’ management style, and therefore contribute to a learning approach.
The total of the changes recommended in this evaluation and those already planned in VIDA
pose a significant management challenge. CARE will need to look carefully at the priorities for
change and decide which they have the capacity to manage. A structured process for managing
the change, including appropriate outside support needs to be planned.
Conclusion
VIDA 2 is a successful project that is beginning to make measurable change in household food
and livelihood security in the operating area. Challenges ahead include
• reaching a larger proportion of the whole population;
• investigating, piloting and learning lessons from approaches and technologies that could be
mainstreamed in VIDA 3;
• extending collaboration with the agriculture departments at both provincial and district level
through joint planning initiatives;
• building autonomous institutional capacity (i.e. a number of independent companies or
associations of ex-VIDA staff) that could create sustainability after VIDA;
• managing change using existing staff capacity, while keeping core work going.
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1.4 Recommendations
Ref Recommendation
4.3a The indicators for Immediate Result 2 should be revised to reflect the promotion of low
input techniques and the consequent more focussed demand for external inputs within the
current Nampula Province context.
4.3b Further study is required into how best to ensure the sustainable availability of high quality
and appropriate seed varieties. Other input market intervention by VIDA should be limited
– where appropriate this might only involve stimulating demand at farmer level and
encouraging supplies to be stocked at the wholesale level.
4.4a VIDA should explore with DPADR their specific needs in terms of Monitoring and
Evaluation and whether VIDA is able to provide this technical assistance.
4.4b There should be a concerted effort to use the increasing capacity of the Posto Agronomico
de Nampula (PAN), and particularly the appointment of an anthropologist, to deepen
collaboration between VIDA and the INIA during the last two years of the project.
4.4c Intermediate Result 3 should be reworded to emphasise mutual learning and planned
collaboration between different stakeholders.
4.5a Develop more audio visual material using song as the principal medium for message
transmission, use national radio and community radios to disseminate the material over a
wide range of communities
4.5b Carefully link nutrition messages to agricultural practice: new crops new messages; new
processing methods new messages. These should always be referred back to the main
messages on child feeding practices and balanced varied diet. This will reinforce the “old”
messages whilst maintaining interest in the new ideas.
4.5c Continue to include men in nutrition discussions; to help ensure women’s access to
foodstuffs for better nutrition.
4.5d Develop work around fruit and vegetables in the dry coastal districts:
• Construct fruit and vegetable availability calendars; with sections for planting; harvesting;
conservation and preparation and consumption.
• Include wild and cultivated fruits and vegetables.
• Prepare locally designed material on blackboard or tin for display in the village – help to
arouse curiosity about fruit and vegetable consumption.. For example: A fruit and
vegetable calendar could be displayed and the activists would update monthly the fruits
and vegetables available in the area for consumption. For example: A blackboard could
be used to remind people (using pictures) of the time to conserve/preserve vegetables.
Link this work with the fruit tree planting initiatives and the processing initiatives.
4.5e Conduct a separate training event for animators on exclusive breastfeeding in order to learn
more about cultural beliefs and practices. This cannot be a message driven exercise and must
start with a thorough analysis of the existing situation. Work on exclusive breastfeeding
should be carried out in women-only fora initially in order to ensure frank inter-change.
4.5f Forge links with other agencies (governmental and non governmental) working on nutrition
education; share materials and experiences; promote events that include the wider community
in demonstrations and discussions.
4.5g Learn about social marketing techniques from the World Vision Zambezia project on Sweet
Potato. Apply in the communities where VIDA is promoting sweet potatoes.
5.1a Extension worker HIV/AIDS risk should be reduced:
• Offer the extensionists the opportunity to participate in a behaviour change programme
(peer education) (synergy with APPLE).
10
Ref Recommendation
• Review location and work schedule of extension workers to minimize risk of long periods
of time spent away from the family home
5.1b Build on the strengths of extension workers (through adaptation of the agricultural extension
packages to mainstream HIV/AIDS) but do not overburden them with community HIV
behaviour change.
5.1c Actively share resources and knowledge within CARE on HIV/AIDS, making use of the
synergy between the APPLE project and VIDA and linking the livelihood and HIV experts
at different levels within CARE.
5.1d Forge partnerships (offering logistical support and access to the thousands of
associations/groups) at provincial and district level to organizations that specialize in
behaviour change and IEC in the area of HIV/AIDS
• In the health system
• Associations of People Living with HIV/AIDS
• Local/International NGOs (for example, PSI)
5.1e VIDA staff should be encouraged to examine the evolving coping strategies of communities3
in the light of HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality and where appropriate support the
initiatives.
5.1f Carry out operational research to explore and enhance the social safety net aspect of
associations/groups (test the elasticity of support as prevalence increases).
6.2a While groups/associations should remain a key element of the extension process, there needs
to be more emphasis in ensuring learning opportunities reach the whole community. This
will require groups, extension workers and monitoring systems to be more outward looking.
Technologies should be prioritised which can spread easily to the wider community. It
shouldn’t be assumed that groups should always graduate into associations. There is scope
for cautious expansion and integration of extension through radio with a potentially increased
emphasis in VIDA 3.
6.3a Expand the number of women’s groups and continue to provide extension services to them,
with an emphasis on replicable technologies and (independent) access to markets.
6.3b Encourage and facilitate work by other organisations with the women’s groups such as
Ophavela on savings and Ministry of Education on literacy.
6.3c Tailor extension work in the wider community to women’s needs; for example, on farm
demonstrations and training days for women. Prioritise technological options in the light of
their replicability for women who are not necessarily in groups/associations.
7a VIDA, ideally in partnership with some other Nampula based organisations, should sponsor
some research into ways of overcoming market constraints faced by small farmers and, if
appropriate, pilot some solutions. This might provide some clearer orientation for activities
in VIDA 3.
7b VIDA should investigate the viability of a Nampula based consultant(s) being trained and
registered to certify crops as organic (and possibly Fairtrade).
8.1a For the remainder of VIDA 2 the project should:
• Maintain a strong but small technical team able to network provincially, nationally and
internationally. This team needs to have a good understanding of the diverse rural realities,
be well connected to and receive feedback from men and women farmers and to women
feeding their families.
 
3 The extension workers should receive a short training on mainstreaming in order to increase awareness of the type
of changes they may expect in the communities. Mechanisms should be put in place within the project for the
extensionists to report these changes and suggest modifications in the extension packages to respond to the needs of
the communities.
11
Ref Recommendation
• Continue to build links between INIA/PAN, the local agricultural universities and
farmers.
8.1b VIDA 2 could investigate and test different approaches to overcoming the constraint posed
by hand labour. The objective might be to be in a position to make a major commitment to
this in VIDA 3.
8.1c VIDA 2 should advocate for a study into the viability of developing the local phosphate
deposits into fertiliser.
8.2a Any moves towards a more participatory approach to research and extension should be made
only after careful consideration of the skills and attitudes of implementing field staff and the
capacity of management to manage and supervise these less structured activities. The first
step is to build staff skills and attitudes.
8.2b There should be a gradual shift in management style towards quality of fieldwork and not just
quantity. This would include a greater emphasis on more participatory interaction with
farmers and adoption type indicators of performance. It should also involve the creation of
‘safe space’ to discuss qualitative issues, such as the reasons why certain messages are not
being adopted. Specific times should be set aside (probably monthly at both District and
Provincial levels) for such ‘problem solving’ discussions. Some facilitation and management
training may be required initially.
8.3 VIDA 2 should work actively with those groups and associations being provided with
services by animators and demonstrators to develop examples of sustainable community
incentives.
8.4a The technology menu should be reviewed with field staff on an annual basis with particular
emphasis on trying to learn lessons from those technologies where adoption rates are low.
This should lead to a streamlined menu and more confidence among extension staff about
when and how to promote different technologies.
8.4b Conservation farming should be demonstrated over a multi-year basis to spread the labour
cost of digging the holes. Continued emphasis should be placed on technologies that reduce
labour demand.
8.4c Work to mitigate the impact of cassava brown streak virus should continue and be
intensified, including consideration of ways to minimise the consequent narrowing of the
local cassava genetic base.
9 CARE should take a decision soon on whether it is prepared and able to commit the energy
to creating sustainable Mozambican extension capacity from existing VIDA staff members
post-VIDA. If CARE decides to do this, it needs to investigate, plan and then implement the
steps needed to create this, in consultation with existing interested staff.
10 Initiate a process for validating and building community activist capacity within a 3-5 year
time-frame
• Promote discussion with stakeholders4
; including community activists, on the concept of
accredited courses for activists.
• Prepare a position paper based on research with the stakeholders (in Mozambique) and
experiences (worldwide) of similar initiatives
• Forge alliances with other NGOs/Educational institutions (national and international) to
discuss a united position on training and capacity building.
• Prepare an advocacy position and actively lobby donors and government
• Pilot, in Nampula, an accredited community activist’s course.
11.2a The temptation to change or to add ever more indicators needs to be resisted. Every effort
 
4 Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education and Technology, Universities/Polytechnic colleges and
training institutions, NGOs (National and International), professional, community activists.
12
Ref Recommendation
should be made from the beginning of a programme like VIDA to establish a sufficiently
simple and robust baseline and indicator system to require only minor modification during
the life of the programme.
11.2b VIDA is encouraged to complete the work of entering and analysing the monitoring data and
using the results for adaptive management.
11.2c Identify training for the monitoring staff ( including aspects specific to the monitoring
indicators used by USAID); this could include a visit to World Vision Zambezia monitoring
section to learn about the systemization of data.
11.2d Towards a learning organisation:
o Conduct constructive discussions with USAID on paring down the monitoring system in
order to allow space for reflection on the process involved in development activities
o Contract someone to interview and write some of the key stories and lessons learnt by
VIDA.
o Institute management meetings at all levels that build on problem solving (need to start
and see how it goes, initially there will be reluctance to expose any “weakness” but as
trust grows this will be replaced by frank and productive discussion)
11.3 The ongoing management load and additional change management load of VIDA should not
be underestimated. This will require careful prioritisation and appropriate support and
supervision.
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2 CONTEXT
2.1 Background to VIDA and CARE Programmes in Nampula
Changing Context in the North of Mozambique.
There have been considerable changes in the operating context of the VIDA II project in the
political, economic and social spheres.
Comparison of General Data : National and Nampula Statistics
General National Nampula
Population (INE projection 2004) 19 million 3,563,220
% of population below the poverty line (IAF 2003) 54% 52.6%
Nutritional Status
Chronic malnutrition. Children 0-5 years (DHS 2003) 41% 42%
Acute malnutrition. Children 0-5 years (DHS 2003) 4% 6%
HIV/AIDS prevalence
HIV/AIDS prevalence 15-49 years old (2002) 13.6% 8.1%
Communication
Total % of population with radios (IAF 2003) 45.5% 48.3%
Source. www.unicef.org/mozambique (2004)
Politics and decentralization
On the political front there has been successful second term municipal elections which resulted
in both of the major parties, FRELIMO and RENAMO, gaining control of towns in the
province. For the first time in its history RENAMO is governing two municipalities (Angoche
and Ilha de Mocambique). The elections were peaceful and the transition period has been calm.
The decentralization process in the country has begun to have a positive impact and Nampula is
one of the pilot provinces that has taken a lead in the process. Nampula has developed a Strategic
Development Plan, based on the District development plans and a participatory process that
involved all major stakeholders from the public and private sector. In many of the districts the
Local Community Development Committee (CDLs) are beginning to have a real impact on
district programmes.
Economics improvement reflected in poverty figures
Nampula has been seen to take strides forward from the late 1990s where the poverty levels were
amongst the highest in the country (67%). The latest household budget survey shows that
Nampula is now below the national average of 54% absolute poverty with a level of 52.6% (IAF
2003). The wealth generated in Nampula is based on the agricultural production and processing
that has flourished in the province. There are still however, pockets of poverty in all districts, and
some of the coastal districts have been particularly affected by “brown streak” disease that attacks
cassava (the staple crop), and inclement weather conditions. There are concerns that the
economic fortunes of Nampula may have reached a plateau as farmers are unable to make the
leap into mechanized or larger scale farming due to investment constraints.
Nutrition status lags behind
Although the absolute poverty figures show improvement the percentage of malnourished
children is still above the national average and reflects the lack of health services, continuing
dietary problems and pockets of extreme poverty leading to both chronic and acute malnutrition.
14
HIV increases dramatically
The levels of HIV infection have also almost doubled in the last two years; a trend that is
extremely worrying as it indicates that the epidemic is in a phase of rapid take-off. The
implications for both the urban and rural populations of increased prevalence rates are serious
when taken together with the poor coverage of the health system; the inability of the National
AIDS programme to reach all communities; and reliance on labour intensive agricultural practices
as the main livelihood strategy. .
Agricultural sector
Within the agricultural sector there have also been changes in terms of the both the public sector
and the private operators. PROAGRI I has finished, leaving a legacy of better trained and
qualified agricultural staff and stronger institutional capacity, and has been replaced by
PROAGRI II that puts emphasis on provincial and district integrated services; including the
private sector and NGOs. This will provide an enabling environment for the VIDA II project.
Although there have been large increases in rural retail capacity, turnover of agricultural inputs,
with the exception of those for cotton and tobacco remain very low. The vibrant markets in
rural areas suggest that where there is demand, then the market will tend to supply the goods.
Whereas at the beginning of VIDA the major crop was maize, and in some years many farmers
had a difficulty to find a purchaser, the current situation is more complex. The market is looking
for a variety of different crops and increasingly the level of farmer supply is the limiting factor
rather than the marketing capacity. In future the quality of the crop and issues such as fairtrade
and organic certification are likely to become more important.
2.2 Evolution of VIDA activities
CARE has been assisting farmers in Northern Mozambique develop their agricultural potential
since 1995. This work started first with the development of rural businesses based on the
production of sunflower oil using manually operated oil presses. This was piloted in three
districts through the project OPEN. The experience gained from this programme was used as the
basis for the first phase of VIDA. Working in eight districts of Nampula province and through
three partner organisations in four districts of Zambezia province, sunflower became an
important cash crop and over 900 oil presses were sold. Later sesame was developed, first as an
oil seed crop for the production of cooking oil and later as an export crop. Now between 6,000
and 9,000 tonnes of sesame are exported annually. In the final half of VIDA I Paprika was
introduced as a cash crop to be marketed in collaboration with a Zambian based company,
Cheetah Zambia. Although initially a success, the failure of Cheetah to purchase the crop on time
in the second season led to a rapid decline in production of this crop.
The development of farmers organisations has been a central feature of CARE programmes since
the start of the VIDA projects in 1997. With assistance from CLUSA, the VIDA project formed
189 associations. These were later developed by CLUSA into rural trading organisations, Foras,
which now form an important part of the trading structure that terminates in the producer
owned trading company, IKURU.
Seed production has been the basis for the successful introduction of new crops such as
sunflower and sesame and new varieties of maize, groundnuts and cowpeas. Initially started as a
means of producing seed for the CARE programmes the seed programme grew into the main
producer of quality certified seed in northern Mozambique. By 2002 over four hundred tonnes of
seed were produced annually by small-holder farmers, many of whom were women’s groups. The
15
seed was produced for sale to CARE and to seed companies such as PANNAR and Agro
Alfa. Most of the seed sold to these companies was sold outside of the province and so VIDA
target farmers, except those producing the seed, were not benefiting from this programme. In the
second phase of VIDA a drive to concentrate on production of seed only for those who will use
the seed within the northern region has begun.
During the later half of VIDA I, a growing awareness that the benefits of increased income
resulting from the work VIDA was doing would not be translated into improved child nutrition
if women were not given advice on child nutrition, led to the inclusion of a nutrition component
into VIDA. Since the start of VIDA 2 this programme has been expanded in area and in scope to
include not only nutritional advice but also agricultural and business development advice for
women. Agri-business opportunities tried have included seed production, sesame and groundnut
production, fruit drying with solar driers and broiler chicken production.
At the end of VIDA I it became apparent that farmers’ ability to raise production and hence
income was limited by a lack of labour. As almost all farmers do not possess animals or tractors
for ploughing the initial approach to this problem was to raise production per unit of labour by
raising crop yield through the use of fertilizers and hybrid maize. Trials conducted at the start of
the second phase of VIDA showed, that at current fertilizer prices, the majority of farmers
applying fertilizer to maize and seven other crops would loose money. It was therefore decided to
raise crop yield using low external input methods based on the use of organic fertilizers and
pesticides and to raise crop value by certifying these crops as organic.
VIDA is pioneering organic certification in Nampula and the development of higher value export
crops. VIDA decided to concentrate effort on the two most valuable field crops, groundnut and
sesame. This has involved the introduction of disease resistant early maturing groundnut varieties
and sesame varieties with a better grain quality than locally grown varieties. The soil fertility
management methods are based on the use of conservation farming methods that involve the
preparation of planting basins in the dry season, the placing of organic matter in the planting
basins and the growing of relay intercropped green manure crops to produce mulch.
During the second half of the second phase of VIDA the rise in the incidence of Cassava Brown
Streak Virus in VIDA target districts has produced an urgent need to introduce cassava varieties
with resistance or tolerance to CBSV and to introduce alternative crops to cassava such as sweat
potato or sorghum.
16
3 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY
This evaluation was done by a team of two external consultants – one specialist in nutrition and
one in agriculture and rural development. For part of the fieldwork, the team was joined by a
member of staff from the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development – Alfred
Jaime. Snr Jaime looked particularly at the relationship between VIDA 2 and the District
Directorates of Agriculture.
The evaluation team used a combination of approaches to reach their conclusions:
• Reports - review of the large number of project reports, including quarterly and annual
progress reports – these are listed in annex 1.
• Surveys - review of the mid-term survey which covered a random stratified sample of 600
households within VIDA 2 target communities, divided equally between those participating in
groups/associations and those not participating. There was a further division of whether the
groups/associations were new or had been in existence sometime. This survey was also
compared with the results of the 2002 baseline survey. An evaluation of mid-upper arm
circumference (MUAC) of children from 6-59 months was carried out to assess nutrition status
in the project area. 5
• Field visits – this involved focus group discussions with a mixture of purposefully selected
and randomly selected groups/associations in five districts in which VIDA 2 operates. Where
possible, groups were separated into men and women to allow a more open sharing of views.
These also included visits to fields, fishponds grain stores etc. as appropriate to the location.
• Key informant interviews – this included the Provincial Director and four District
Directors of Agriculture and Rural Development, extension staff, nutrition animators and
farmer demonstrators, private sector partners and other NGOs.
• VIDA staff – interviews, completion of a questionnaire (see Annex 3) and a staff workshop.
The draft results of the evaluation have been presented to staff and stakeholders in Nampula and
to CARE and USAID in Maputo for discussion before the recommendations were finalised.
 
5 MUAC measures the current nutritional status of children, and so is not comparable with the height for age
statistics gathered during the baseline survey.
17
4. RESULTS ACHIEVED
4.1 Strategic objective 1.
To increase household food and economic security through increased and diversified
sustainable agricultural output.
The strategic objective of VIDA II is to affect a measurable improvement in food security for
30,000 households in Nampula Province through the increase and diversification of agricultural
output. Incomes of the target group are expected to increase by 30%.
VIDA II continues to employ an approach based on the generation of improved technologies,
new market opportunities, on-farm value added activities (for example, processing), and
improved household diets through nutrition education and improved access to nutritious foods.
VIDA II works through fora and associations, as well as less formal extension groups and
women’s groups; training community demonstrators and animators for out-reach agricultural and
extension work.
The project has carried out a vast array of activities over the last two years working towards the
overall goal of increasing household food and economic security. Details of the activities will be
discussed in the sections dealing with the intermediate results I, II, III, and IV.
The impact of the project on household food and economic security is measured through five
indicators:
• Increase in household income: INCOPROX (not available)
• Household assets;
• Dietary diversity;
• Length of hungry period;
• Chronic malnutrition (only measured at final evaluation)
Progress against the indicators is shown in the graph below and demonstrates a tendency to
improvement, although there is no information on the impact on household incomes or children
malnutrition levels6
. NB. Full table of indicator and targets in Appendix 4.
Fig 4.1 a - Available Indicators of Increased Household Food 
and Economic Security. Baseline and Mid-term 
results 
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
% of HH with
radio 
% of households
with Bicycle 
% decrease in
hungry period 
Baseline 
Midterm 
Source: Mid term survey final survey. Mark Langsworthy. 2004.
 
6 INCOPROX is to be calculated by MSU at a later date.
Data on chronic malnutrition will only be provided in the final evaluation.
18
Household Assets
Overall ownership of household assets has increased substantially from the baseline to
the midterm survey. For example, in the baseline only 34 percent of surveyed households
had bicycles, in the mid term survey over half of the households reported bicycle
ownership. The percentage of participant households owning different kinds of assets is
significantly higher than non-participant households (see graph below)
Radio ownership has increased by approximately 10% against the projected 20% for the mid￾term period. However bicycle ownership has increased by approximately 20% as predicted.
Overall value of assets has increased for participating households when compared to non
participating households. While total value of household assets is higher for participant than non￾participant households, the difference is statistically significant only for established (old)
participants
Table 4.1a - Total Value of Household Assets for Categories of Households
Non Part. New Part Old Part. Total Baseline
Value of all assets (MT) 1,224,830 2,049,635 2,123,047a 1,666,158 n.a. a
subgroup mean significantly different from the mean of non-member subgroup at 10% level (t-test)
The graph below shows asset ownership divided by baseline data, non participating households
(non), households that have recently begun to work with the project (new), and households that
have been working with the project for an established period of time (old).
Fig 4.1 b - Assets by Non participating households, new 
households and old participating households compared with ti i ti
baseline data
0 20 40 60 80 100
Wooden bed
Wooden table
Bicycle
Motorcycle
Sewing machine
Radio
Cotton mattress
Foam mattress
Wooden chest
Clock
Car
Lamp
Tin roof on house
Cement/brick walls of house
Baseline 
Old 
New 
Non 
Source. Mid Term Survey final results. Mark Langsworthy. 2004
19
Food Security and Improved household diets
There are two indicators of household food security; number of months that households report
experiencing shortage of food, and the diet diversity index which measures the quality of
household diet. Overall, the household food security has improved from the time of the baseline
to the midterm. The number of months of food shortage has decreased by over 40% (from
almost 2.5 to 1.4) and the diet diversity index has increase by over 15 percent (from 4.00 to 4.16)
However, there are no great differences in household diet across the project participation
categories. The diversity index of the “established ” participant households is statistically different
from that of the non-participants, but the difference is only 11%.
Table 4.1b - Household Food Security indicators, by Category of Project Participation
and Gender of Household Head.
HH Category No. months of food
shortage
Diet diversity score
Non 1.41 4.56
New 1.40 4.47
Established 1.33 5.08a
Male-Headed 1.35 4.63
Female-Headed 1.58 5.02a
Total 1.39 4.69
Baseline 2.49 4.00 asubgroup mean significantly different from the mean of non-member subgroup at 10% level (t-test)
Conclusions.
In general it can be concluded that VIDA II has achieved its mid-term aspirations and is moving
towards achieving the strategic objective of the project. Detailed information on the methods,
approaches and technological options offered by the project are discussed in later sections of this
report and will generate specific recommendations for the remaining two years of the project. 
4.2 IR 1 – Increased adoption of sustainable agricultural
technologies and practices
The mid-term survey shows considerable adoption of a range of practices promoted by VIDA
when compared in two ways:
ƒ Comparison of practices reported in 2004 in long establishes groups/association with newer
groups/associations and those in the same communities but not in groups/associations.
ƒ Comparison of practices reported in 2004 compared to 2002 – in the earlier survey the
numbers surveyed in groups/associations were small, therefore it is difficult to use the
member data in statistical analysis – however the comparison of non-member practice over
time is relevant in showing spread of practices in the wider community.
20
Fig 4.2 - Reported adoption of selected agricultural practices7
% of households
2002 2004
Agricultural Practice
Non Non New Old
Crop Protection
Commercial pesticides 15 13 15 20
Botanical pesticide n.a8. 23 42 60
Soil Fertility
Commercial fertiliser 3 7 12 9
Manure 1 9 8 23
Liquid manure n.a. 0 1 2
Compost n.a. 2 3 5
Mulch n.a. 69 79 82
Mulch/fert in planting holes n.a. 39 51 66
Plant legume cover crop n.a. 17 15 29
Rotation/association with legumes n.a. 83 92 92
Average number practices adopted n.a. 2.3 2.6 3.1
Recommended planting
Line planting 26 46 82 86
Recommended spacing 10 26 65 75
Opening holes before rains n.a. 11 26 38
Thinning (debaste) 279 45 66 71
Average no practices adopted n.a. 1.3 2.4 2.7
Erosion Control
None n.a. 30 15 4
Plant cover crop n.a. 22 26 30
Contour plant n.a. 10 17 25
Fallow n.a. 12 20 26
Drainage ditches n.a. 31 41 63
Plant Trees n.a. 5 9 24
Reduce field burning n.a. 4 11 6
Barriers (contour) n.a. 42 52 54
Average number of practices adopted n.a. 1.3 1.8 2.4
Seed storage practices
Botanical pesticides 3 15 25 42
Rat traps 28 21 22 34
Rat guards 2 3 11 12
Actellic 2 4 7
Average number of practices 0.8 0.9 1.4
% Households that purchased seed 44 45 53
The survey data reveals a remarkably consistent, and in many cases a statistically significant trend
of reported adoption with rates rising from 2002 to 2004 and from those in target communities,
those in new target groups/associations and those in old target groups/associations.
It should be remembered that the figures give reported adoption – they do not reveal whether
some respondents were giving what they thought was the “right” answer - whether or not they
are actually following the practice. It seems unlikely that this distortion is very high, as some
techniques which many farmers know to be “right”, but they find difficult to follow, such as
using compost, have received a genuinely low score.
 
7 Bold indicates a proportion or mean significantly different from the 2004 non-member sub-group at the 10% level. 8 n.a. - Figure not available because of difference in questions in baseline and mid-term surveys. 9 Slightly different question – this is % thinning maize.
21
The figures also don’t reveal whether the practice has been adopted on the whole area of the
farmer’s fields or perhaps just the group/association demonstration field. However it probably
does indicate that the technology is at least being tried by the farmer. This interpretation was
confirmed by field visits - with farmers giving a variety of responses – some had tried the
techniques only in demonstrations, some were waiting to see what the demonstration results were
before trying them in their own fields, some were using them on their own plots within the
association field and some were using them on their own fields.
It is very important that reported adoption also seems to be rising among non-members. This
indicates that the technology is not just staying among those with whom VIDA works with
directly, but is spreading to a certain extent within the target communities. One would expect
spread beyond the target communities to be slower, but hopefully is still occurring.
The adoption figures represent a major achievement:
ƒ They show significant adoption among the 41,000 households in groups/associations with
whom VIDA is working10.
ƒ They show at least some sustainable and improved agricultural practices are being adopted
among the estimated 80,000 households in communities where VIDA is working but who
have not joined groups/associations.11
It should however be recognised that while the adoption figures are good this doesn’t yet indicate
that farmers are reaching sustainability. For instance on soil fertility:
ƒ While erosion and mulching practices will reduce the rate of fertility loss, fertility loss is likely
to be continuing.
ƒ Reported use of manure and artificial fertiliser are most likely to be on small vegetable or
specialist crops and are not yet available on a scale to build the fertility of the larger fields
sufficiently for people to farm their way out of poverty.
In other words, attaining sustainability will require a considerable intensification of some of the
practices that are just beginning to be adopted.
Crops grown and sold
The mid-term survey shows significantly more planting of improved maize, sunflower and
sesame by old associations/groups and more planting of improved groundnuts and cowpeas by
both old and new associations than non-members. However adoption of new varieties by non￾members (and knowing their names) is still impressive – ranging from 17% for rosette resistant
groundnut to 60% for white sesame. This does indicate that improved seed gets passed on, along
with the name. In the area covered, VIDA has been the main organisation working with Metuba
and Manica varieties of maize, Nikuaha cassava, Nametil and Momane groundnut, IT 18, 36 &
76 cowpea, orange fleshed sweet potato, Black Record sunflower and white seeded sesame – so
most of the adoption can be directly attributed to VIDA.
There has also been a general increase in the variety of crops grown since the baseline, with the
main decline being in cotton growing. New and old association/group members tend to grow a
significantly wider variety of crops - including more growing millet, groundnut, cowpea, jugo
beans, oloko beans, local sweet potato, paprika, piripiri, sunflower, white sesame, pineapple and
 
10 Mid-term table 4 - the 306 households who had members in at least one group contained a total of 421 group
members meaning 38% of households are involved in more than one group 11The mid term survey data shows that approximately 2/3 of households in the target communities do not have a
member in any group.
22
soybean. While some of these crops have been promoted by VIDA, others have not. It
may mean VIDA participants are keener farmers, however what it does mean is that participating
in VIDA, which has tended to concentrate on a relatively small numbers of crops with the
highest potential, doesn’t seem to have lead to a reduction in crop diversity. This is a positive
outcome.
The mid-term survey shows significantly greater production and sales by old groups. There is
significantly higher production by old and/or new groups of maize, groundnut, cassava,
sunflower, white sesame and soybean higher sales of maize, groundnut, pigeon-pea, cassava,
paprika, white sesame and soybean.
Comparison of production and sales between baseline and mid-term surveys is difficult because
of differences in weather, and the data gives quite mixed results with some crops going up and
others down, and this is not always linked to those that VIDA has worked on12. Overall from the
baseline to the mid-term there is a 63% increase in production of key food crops and 28%
increase in the value of key cash crops.
These results are in line with the observations from field visits, which showed stronger
production and selling by older more established groups. This is a positive trend, the challenge is
now to repeat this with the newer groups and also in the wider community (see section 6).
Conclusion
The intermediate result is being met and if things continue as at present, more significant changes
can be expected by the end of VIDA II. However, although many group members and some
target community members can be expected to have adopted a significant number of practices by
the end of the project, there will still be a majority of communities who will not have had direct
exposure and here adoption rates are likely to be slow.
Most of the changes are likely to be sustainable after the end of VIDA 2 as they require no
external inputs and seem to be recognised by farmers as giving benefit. However as market
conditions change and better varieties are developed there is likely to be a decline in relative
benefit over time without ongoing extension exposure to new opportunities. In addition there is
likely to be decline in quality of some of the existing improved seed varieties unless this is
replenished – it is uncertain whether the farmers and the market will achieve this in the medium
term without some extension support (see section).
4.3 IR 2 – Improved functioning of agricultural input and output
markets
There has been an enormous change in overall market capacity for both inputs and outputs
during the last few years. There has also been improvement in some road access. These changes
have been largely independent of VIDA 2. However this doesn’t mean market access is
sufficient - communities far from primary and secondary road access remain with much weaker
market links, higher prices and less variety of inputs and lower prices and choice of buyer for
 
12 Increases in production by non-members of maize, rice, sorghum, cassava, cowpea, pigeonpea, sweet potato,
white sesame and tobacco and decreases in cotton.
23
outputs. This is largely due to geography, infrastructure and low volumes rather than
market weakness as such (for further comment see section 7).
The stronger market capacity has:
ƒ Undermined the comparative competitiveness of associations and fora in comparison to
other channels (except for niche markets such as fair-trade and organic) and therefore
undermined the overall profitability of associations and fora.
ƒ Increased the emphasis across the sector on raising production levels and quality rather than
a concentration on market capacity.
Input Supply
VIDA has taken a wide variety of initiatives to address IR 2 including:
1. Worked with INIA and AgroAlfa to produce basic seed – this resulted in a revolving
seed fund managed by INIA, but control was insufficient and the fund leaked away.
ICRISAT has since taken over working with INIA on basic seed.
2. Encouraged women’s groups to form seed banks – women borrow seeds on the
condition that they pay it back to their group as a seed-bank. Seed-banks tend to lend to
members on a 1kg:1kg basis for the group block, and to members and non-members on a
1kg:2kg basis for their own fields. Seed-banks, by encouraging greater self-sufficiency at the
local level, don’t tend to encourage more farmers to buy seed through commercial networks –
which is one of the indicators of this result
3. Worked with AgroAlfa to provide inputs (tools and seed) on consignment basis to
shops - CARE identified the shops and fora and in most cases provided the transport,
AgroAlfa provided the tools. Repayment for the tools was around 70% and for seed around
20% - AgroAlfa lost money and stopped the programme.
4. Worked with Agrifocus to supply actellic on consignment to shops and fora – most
shops paid back, but associations did not. Agrifocus follow-up is weak. This is continuing
with Agrifocus supplying around 10 shops this year.
5. CARE fetiliser on consignment to shops – about 10 shops have been given two bags of
fertiliser by VIDA which they then sell by the tin, principally to vegetable growers. On average
shops have sold about one bag each -this is at an early stage and the results have not yet been
analysed.
6. Chemical fertiliser economic viability trials – chemical fertilisers are extremely expensive
in Nampula Province. Trials by VIDA and others have shown that, with the exception of
vegetables, fertiliser is not currently economically viable for the crops promoted by VIDA.
Better returns are achieved when small quantities of fertiliser are combined with conservation
farming, but still this is unlikely to be viable at current prices. This finding means that one of
the original suppositions behind this Intermediate Result13 is not currently valid.
Overall there have been some interesting initiatives, but the sustainable impact on input supply
has been very limited. This is primarily because effective demand is low (because of many other
competing priorities for relatively limited household disposable income). Where there is demand
– e.g. second-hand clothes, bicycle parts and kitchen utensils – the province has seen the market
supply even relatively remote areas with considerable vigour. The fact that hoes and actellic are
not available in more remote areas is not because the market chain is weak, but demand is weak
and seasonal14.
 
13 See VIDA DAP 2.3 which supposed that fertiliser would be found to be viable and therefore could be promoted. 14 And possibly in the case of enxadas traders have seen themselves hurt too often in the past when NGOs or
MADER have suddenly done a free or subsidised distribution – leaving them with unsellable stock, or because many
farmers go on hoping for a free or subsidised distribution, rather than buying.
24
Seed is more complicated, as it can be difficult for the existing trade networks to obtain
appropriate varieties and because it is a perishable commodity. However the limited interest by
the seed companies in developing sales in Nampula Province probably reflects a correct
assessment that demand in the short to medium-term is insufficient to justify significant
investment in capacity.
In this context VIDA has made a correct strategic choice to concentrate on low external input
agriculture15 – conservation farming, biological pesticides, local seed storage and saving. The
demand for external inputs, at least in the medium term, is likely to be much more limited and
focussed than the indicators in the tracking table suggests. Probable inputs in the medium term
are likely to be actellic, some seed and inorganic fertiliser for vegetables, veterinary inputs,
fungicide for cashew, occasional replacement of worn-out tools, occasional replacement of
degraded seed. In some cases the indicators for IR 2 are likely to be in contradiction to the
successful achievement of IR 116.
Recommendation 4.3a – The indicators for Immediate Result 2 should be revised to
reflect the promotion of low input techniques and the consequent more focussed demand
for external inputs within the current Nampula Province context.
Most retailers, market traders and ambulantes buy their stock from a wholesaler of some kind.
Future limited VIDA support to the market should perhaps pay more attention to ensuring
appropriate products are available on the wholesale market – and trust to the existing market
networks to deliver at retail level. This can be complemented by work at farmer level to increase
demand (e.g. IR 1). As long as there is sufficient demand, most farmer needs will be provided by
the market without the intervention of NGOs – and in fact NGO intervention is more likely to
hinder the development of sustainable market networks. The exception perhaps is replacing
degraded seed and introducing new seed varieties – how best to do this requires further study:
It is possible that the volunteer demonstradores and animadoras could become marketing agents for
certain seed and other products – this might provide a useful financial incentive for them, but
could also bias their work towards selling activity.
Recommendation 4.3b – further study is required into how best to ensure the sustainable
availability of high quality and appropriate seed varieties. Other input market
intervention by VIDA should be limited – where appropriate this might only involve
stimulating demand at farmer level and encouraging supplies to be stocked at the
wholesale level.
Output Marketing
The original focus on VIDA, to work where possible with associations, was in order to
complement improvements to marketing being made at this time through the associations. With
improvements to other marketing channels, the association channel has become less critical, but
is still important, particular for certain crops.
Specific interventions by VIDA have been:
 
15 This is based on a hard-headed analysis of the costs and benefits of certain external inputs to poor farmers in rural
Nampula Province rather than being driven by ‘Political correctness’.
16 For instance the current indicators are the number of households buying fertiliser and seed and the quantities
bought – both are likely to remain low if the conservation farming and seed-banks in IR 1 are successful.
25
ƒ Support to farmers to produce and get their seed certified - which may be bought by
VIDA for its own programmes or sold on to commercial seed companies or NGOs.
ƒ Support to organic groundnut growers, including certification (which is held by CARE).
ƒ Support to association development in areas where CLUSA is not working – e.g. in Angoche
– including helping these associations make contact with commercial buyers.
ƒ Support to associations and groups in general to produce for potential markets.
Some important initial work has been done to help farmers produce for new and often niche
markets. Since the market environment is constantly developing, their needs to be a sustained
capacity to respond to new market opportunities. This capacity is needed in both the marketing
sphere and in extension – to enable farmers to learn how to grow new crops demanded by the
market.
VIDA’s concentration on marketing through associations has meant that insufficient attention
has been paid to increasing the power of farmers to negotiate with some of the other channels
available (see section 7).
Conclusion
This intermediate result is only partly being met by VIDA and has largely been overtaken by an
enormous increase in market capacity independent of VIDA – and perhaps a degree of mis￾diagnosis of the problem in the programme design. Market access often remains poor – but this
is often due to low turnover (due to weak effective demand for inputs and production of
outputs), large distances and weak infrastructure – rather than market failure.
On the input side, the low input approach promoted by IR1 is appropriate and means that IR 2
indicators need to be more specific. Care is needed to avoid any intervention damaging
sustainable channels. On the output side, work is still needed to make access to changing
markets sustainable. More work could also be done to strengthen small farmer negotiation
(including encouraging women farmers engagement with the market) capacity in relation to the
different channels available, rather than exclusive concentration on marketing through
associations.
4.4 IR 3 – Improved capacity of Ministry of Agriculture and other
stakeholders to perform key activities related to achieving food
security
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
National Level
The team from DNER mainly know about VIDA from annual meetings organised by USAID.
They would be interested in field visits to learn more about the work VIDA is doing. VIDA has
attended the last three annual national rural extension meetings and made presentations on
CARE extension systems with associations, CARE experience with promoting cash crops and
CARE experience with outsourcing contracts.
26
Provincial level
The Provincial Director is well informed about VIDA and is enthusiastic about the design and
implementation of the programme and considers that there have been satisfactory results. There
has been coordination of activities in a number of spheres:
ƒ Involvement in joint planning, including three monthly coordination meetings.
ƒ Paying for the Provincial Director to visit Conservation Farming in Brazil.
ƒ The joint holding of a conference on Conservation farming in Nampula.
ƒ Integration of DPADR staff into various training for VIDA staff.
ƒ Participation in the production of the market information bulletin.
ƒ Collaboration over special events like the “Dia de Productor”.
However the original plan to have a member of VIDA staff sitting within the DPADR never
materialised – because at a time when VIDA was having difficulty in recruiting staff it was
unclear what the person would contribute. The DPADR requested direct support in the area of
programme monitoring. Further discussions on the specific needs of the DPADR would need to
take place before an assessment of CARE´s ability to provide technical assistance can be made.
District Level
The closest collaboration takes place at district level and relations appear to be very good17.
ƒ There is joint planning of the work at District level between DDADR and VIDA.
Sometimes plans made at District level do not receive sufficient support from VIDA at
Provincial level.
ƒ Generally there is a geographical division of work between the VIDA and DDADR
extension workers – with the VIDA extension workers covering the more distant areas as
they have motorbikes.
ƒ VIDA technicians share their extension messages with those of the DDADR
ƒ VIDA helps with prizes and transport for special events.
ƒ VIDA has provided training to DDADR technicians.
There is concern at District level about what will happen to the work, including support for the
demonstradores and animadoras when VIDA ends. As might be expected the DDADRs would like
the VIDA equipment to be handed to them at the end of the project!
With Proagri the difference in capacity between the Government extension network and that of
VIDA is not as great as there used to be between international NGOs and the Government. The
table below shows similar levels of human and equipment resources18 in the various teams,
although the VIDA staff receive higher pay and have more resources for day-to-day activities.
Table 4.4 - Comparison of DDADR and VIDA resources at District level
Resource Meconta Mogovolas Angoche
DDADR VIDA DDADR VIDA DDADR VIDA
Human resources
Tecnicos Medios 6 2 3 ?
Tecnicos Basica 6 5 9 ?
Technicos Elementares 2 6 1 ?
 
17 Three out of the ten District Directors (and some other staff) covered by VIDA were interviewed during the
evaluation.
18 None of the equipment of the DDADRs had been provided by VIDA.
27
Equipment
4x4 vehicle 1 0 1 0 1 0
Motorbikes 6 2 4 9
Bicycles 15 10 10 24
Computer 1 0 2 0
Conclusion
Coordination with the DPADR and DDADRs have been good, relations are good and all levels
would like to see VIDA continuing after this phase. Some capacity has clearly been built, but this
has not been in a systematic and structured way. This is reflected in the tracking table for this
result which doesn’t have defined indicators. A proposed more structured capacity building
planning and monitoring system has not been implemented19, probably because the position
within DPADR was never filled.
The implementation of Proagri has meant that enormous capacity changes have slowly been
emerging at Provincial and District level independently of VIDA. There have been trade-offs
between prioritising this IR 3 by working closely through and within MADER structures and
achieving more rapid gains on IR 1, 2 & 4 by more flexible direct implementation approaches –
albeit coordinated and working where possible in close collaboration with DPADR/DDADRs.
Generally the desire to produce the rapid results has predominated. Given the capacity building
already taking place as part of Proagri, and the resources, skills and time needed for more
systematic capacity building, this does not seem to have been an unreasonable decision.
Recommendation 4.4a – VIDA should explore with DPADR their specific needs in terms
of Monitoring and Evaluation and whether VIDA is able to provide this technical
assistance.
INIA – Posto Agronomico de Nampula
The Posto has seen considerable increases in capacity in recent years, with more, higher qualified,
staff returning from training and rehabilitation and equipping of the post – this is independent of
VIDA. The posto is soon to recruit an anthropologist/sociologist.
There is a MoU between the Posto and CARE and in the first two years of VIDA the two
organisations worked together with AgroAlfa on the multiplication and selling of basic seed (see
section 4.3). VIDA has led on work with natural pesticides and facilitated on-farm trials with
sorghum, bananas, maize, cowpea, sunflower, sesame and cassava in which INIA has designed
the protocols. The Posto also collaborates with ICRISAT, SCF(USA), CLUSA, WVI and Swiss
Cooperation.
VIDA would like to link the Posto directly with farmer’s associations for field testing and
feedback – this hasn’t yet developed. VIDA feel they have influenced the Posto to do trials with
some of the farmers existing varieties of sorghum and bananas. Although relations remain good,
there is some frustration within VIDA that as the capacity of the Posto and INIA has increased,
including their collaboration with ICRISAT and CIMMYT, their interest in collaborating, sharing
results and sharing seed with NGOs may have declined.
 
19 Mark Langworthy M & e Plan for VIDA II. April 2002
28
Conclusion
There has been successful collaboration between the posto and VIDA. Systematic and
sustainable capacity building has not occurred. There are opportunities for more collaboration
and synergy between the two organisations and ways of achieving this should be explored. The
appointment of an anthropologist may be an opportunity to strengthen the relationship –
particular with some of VIDA’s practical fieldwork and certain associations able to test
technologies and provide feedback.
Recommendation 4.4b – there should be a concerted effort to use the increasing capacity
of the Posto, and particularly the appointment of an anthropologist, to deepen
collaboration between VIDA and the Posto/INIA during the last two years of the project.
CLUSA
There is a considerable level of collaboration and coordination between VIDA and CLUSA.
Collaboration in the field, where VIDA staff is helping associations to increase production and
CLUSA staff helping them with their sales, is close and with considerable synergy. CLUSA staff
often share offices with VIDA at the District level.
The relationship between the two organisations is not one of capacity building, certainly not in a
single direction – although each organisation has influenced the other’s way of working.
IKURU
There is a close relationship between VIDA and Ikuru. VIDA staff work with a number of
associations and fora specifically to help them produce crops to be bought and marketed by
Ikuru. In a similar way to the relationship with CLUSA, the link between the organisations is not
so much one of capacity building but of mutual synergy that benefits both.
Universities
VIDA has provided useful experience to a number of students from the agricultural faculties
from Cuamba and Nampula. This has provided some useful information for the project, but
more importantly has provided some ‘real life’ experience for the agricultural students. It would
be beneficial to both sides if this collaboration continues and expands.
SNV
VIDA also has a MoU with the Dutch Volunteer Programme (SNV) who have a programme of
developing community development committees (CDLs). VIDA provides extension support to
agricultural production activities of the CDL. Unfortunately the key person in SNV was not
available during the evaluation so it is difficult to comment further. However it would seem that
the relationship is one of mutual synergy rather than capacity building. VIDA does however help
support the capacity development of the CDLs.
Conclusion
Relations with the various stakeholders are good, collaboration and coordination are good.
There has been some “capacity building”, but this has not been particularly structured and the
lasting capacity built is relatively small compared to the other changes taking place in most
29
organisations, with the possible exception of the work on conservation farming. There is no
system to monitor the change in capacity achieved.
The wording of Intermediate Result 3 – with the relationship between VIDA and MADR and
other stakeholders described as “capacity building”, with its implications of a one way flow, is not
really appropriate in the current context. The emphasis should be on collaboration and the
promotion of mutual learning and making the most of the different roles and skills of different
stakeholders. This emphasis would be closer to the reality achieved.
Recommendation 4.4c – IR 3 should be reworded to emphasise mutual learning and
planned collaboration between different stakeholders.
IR4 - Improvements in household food consumption, especially for
vulnerable children.
The impact indicator for this objective is based on an improvement in dietary diversity and has
been calculated at 4.69, close to reaching the proposed target of 5 from a baseline of 4 in 2002.
Indicator Baseline Target Achieved Mid term evaluation
Diet diversity (number of different food
groups consumed by HH in last 24 hours
4 5 4.69 4.69
The results in IR 4 have been reached through a variety of measures.
• Direct nutrition training and dissemination of food and hygiene messages
• Intensive work with women’s groups on agricultural extension activities
• Work with women’s groups on income generating initiatives
Direct Nutrition Training
A wide range of nutrition messages have been disseminated during the first two years of the
project. However, the teams have concentrated on three principle messages namely:
• Enriched weaning porridges for children from 4 months of age
• Increasing the number of times a child is fed (with a target of up to five times a day)
• Understanding the importance of Vitamin A in the child’s diet.
All messages on improving the quality of diet are based on locally available food, including
sesame and sunflower, groundnuts and orange flesh-sweet potato. Other nutrition messages
concerning family diet and exclusive breast-feeding have not been the focus of the programme
and are therefore not assimilated as fully by communities.
The extension workers have a reasonable knowledge of basic nutrition and the aspects linked
directly to the dissemination topics are clear. However, they lack depth of knowledge which
limits their ability to adapt messages to local and changing circumstances. There are some aspects
that need reinforcing due to the complex nature of the messages and the demand for additional
information from the community. Exclusive breastfeeding is one of these aspects. This is a
30
complex cultural issue and requires sensitive facilitation and a breadth of knowledge that the
extension workers do not have.
Radio programmes have been developed in partnership with Save the Children US and have been
on air in the province of Nampula. Some of the groups visited had heard them; the messages
confirm information they have been given from the animators and extension workers and serve
to reinforce the messages. CARE staff needs to be better informed about the programming
schedules in order to inform the community. Some of the women’s groups have recorded
theatre, songs and poems and there is interest from the groups (men and women) to participate
actively in the radio programmes.
The animators work with a wide range of groups and not exclusively with their own
association/groups. Each animator is responsible for working with four groups; they also give
talks and demonstrations in churches, mosques and at the health centers. There appears to be
extensive sharing of ideas and practices with neighbours and family as evidenced by the “leakage”
of the messages on enriched papas to the non participating households.
There is a suggestion from the training team that in some areas there has been some return to
using low calorie papas although this is not reflected in the statistics. This should be followed up
by the extensionists in order to identify the possible problems; these could be related to
availability of products; time pressure on the mothers at this time of year; or negative experiences
with the papas. These issues need to be teased out in order to find ways of discussing the
problem with the families in order to find workable solutions.
Intensive work with women’s groups on agricultural extension activities
The women’s groups have a special dynamic and have proved to be successful fora for the
dissemination of messages about nutrition. However, it must be remembered that the women’s
groups are formed mainly in order for women to have access to technology, inputs and
information on their own terms and under their own control. Their main motivation is to
increase their income. One reason for increasing productivity and income generating possibilities
is to provide opportunities for improved nutrition and household consumption. It is therefore
important that the extensionists continue to provide the necessary skills for income generation
and improved agricultural output to the women’s groups as one of their primary target groups
and that they should not be marginalized in future into “nutrition education” groups. Improved
nutrition will occur when household production/incomes, women’s production incomes and
nutritional knowledge is increased.
Working in groups within the VIDA project has widen the horizons of the women who
otherwise are confined to fairly restricted geographic areas; VIDA input puts them in touch with
new ideas and practices. This is positive and seen as important by the women themselves;
indicating the beginning of an empowerment process.
Extension activities are carried out for both food crops and for marketing
• Olima wo suka (conservation farming) for maize and groundnuts
• Improved varieties of seeds for multiplication
• Cash crops: sesame, sunflower, cowpeas, vegetables and groundnuts
• Planting of papaya trees
• Orange flesh sweet potato cultivation
• Banana seedlings
31
• Horticulture
• Food conservation : dried vegetables and tubers
• Seed banks
• Livestock: Intensive chicken raising.
• Fish ponds
• Savings groups
Although it is difficult to strictly attribute increased knowledge and skill in farming to improved
nutrition outcome a logical link exists between these interventions and improved availability of
food for the household. Coupled with the nutrition education it appears that women have
adopted the weaning porridge messages (both in terms of quality of the porridges and quantity).
Results achieved in IR4.
The results indicators for the infant feeding component of the project are as follows:
Indicator Baseline Mid-term
evaluation
HH adopting specific improved feeding practices
25.3% 26%
37% 86%
29% 84%
• % of infants < 4 months exclusively breastfed
• % of infants 4-10 months fed enriched
complimentary foods
• % of infants < 24 months continuously fed
through diarrhoea episodes
• % of infants fed extra food during and after
diarrhoea episodes
75% 90%
Increased number of HH feeding children 4-24 months
at least five times a day
0% 23.1%
Increased number of households feeding children 4-24
months calorie dense food
37% 86%
Source. Mid-term survey final report. Mark Langworthy. 2004
In the majority of the indicators, with the exception of the exclusive breastfeeding, there has been
considerable measurable improvement. The data for infant feeding are impressive and show
considerable up-take of nutrition education carried out in the communities. As there are no other
agents carrying out nutrition training it is clear that the results can be attributed to VIDA input.
Exclusive breast feeding
The statistics for exclusive breastfeeding have not shown a significant increase. VIDA staff has
not concentrated their efforts on this aspect of infant feeding and although in the field visit it was
clear that women had been exposed to some messages about exclusive breastfeeding this had not
been translated into behaviour change.
Enriched porridges
During the field work discussions were held with both men and women about the training in
enriched porridges. It was clear from the discussions that people were aware of why it was
32
important to improve infant feeding practices and how this could be achieved with local
products. This is reflected in the statistics where 100% of households in older associations are
feeding enriched porridges and over 80% in the new associations. Women were clearly
enthusiastic about the porridges and stated that they were universally liked by the children. They
also affirmed that this was a new practice and that previously they had fed children with plain
porridges, putting in salt and sometimes sugar if it was available. They were pleased to know that
the foodstuffs they have available through-out the year can be used to improve children’s health.
Men were also aware of the issues around child feeding and on a number of occasions women
said that men were actively supporting them to provide improved food for the children (buying
sugar or oil if there was not available). Groundnuts (one of the possible ingredients for the
porridges is also a cash crop, but when questioned closely about the whether it was acceptable to
keep some of the crop back in order to make the porridges the answer was that this was not a
problem and that both men and women were united on this issue).
The female animators who are trained in simple nutrition messages do not work only within their
own groups, the majority of them are extremely active in the general community and with other
formal or informal groups. They give talks and demonstration in the churches and in the health
centres. Some of the women’s groups are also cultural groups and so use their songs and dances
to disseminate nutrition messages.
People perceived differences in the children’s health and well being after the introduction of the
practice of feeding enriched papas. Aspects mentioned by the mothers (and fathers) were:
• The children are plumper (a song they sing said, children without enriched porridges are
like leaves that can blow away, children eating enriched papas are like stones, good and
heavy)
• The children develop more quickly; they walk earlier
• The children are healthier; less likely to fall sick with colds and diarrhoea.
The improved percentage of non participating households that are giving enriched porridges can
be explained by the enthusiastic work of the animators in spreading the messages beyond the
groups and even beyond the boundaries of their own communities.
The successful uptake of this message can possibly be attributed to a number of factors. The
concept of enriched porridges does not directly contradict any local taboos or customs. The
recipes are based on locally available products and are extremely palatable to children (they eat
them with relish). It is possible to make very practical demonstrations that are entertaining and
different. The idea is sufficiently different to be attractive but not totally alien. CARE was also
careful to ask the animators to include men and women in the demonstration in order to increase
the effective up-take of the practice. The messages are reinforced through the visits to the health
centres and contact with health staff as the messages are part of the national nutrition education
packages.
CARE has recently trained some of the animators in weighing and recording of child weights.
This is aimed at stimulating the women to maintain the good feeding practices. Although there
are merits in the system, CARE must be aware that the new tasks will lead to new demands. For
example the women are asked to weigh the children and note down whether they are growing
well or not. If they are not growing well they ask the mothers if the child is sick or if the mother
is feeding the child correctly. If the child is sick she then encourages the mother to take the child
to the clinic. Given the remoteness of many of these groups this is often a considerable distance
from home. Some of the animators have begun to ask for small medical kits to treat some of the
33
common ailments; something that is not feasible given the levels of education of the
animators and the Ministry of Health policies on use of drugs in the community.
Discussions are being held with the District Health Directorates around this subject; CARE
VIDA must be careful to not over-reach their capacity by moving into activity areas that are not
within their competency.
Table 4.5 - Child Feeding Practices by Category of Project Participation, Gender of
Household Head
% HH
HH Category
% under 4 mo.
exclusively
breastfed
% 4-10 mo. eating
enriched foods
% 04-24 mo.
eating 5 times per
day
% 04-24 mo.
eating enriched
foods
% 0-24 mo. fed
more during
diarrhoea
Non 28.9 75.0 0.0 71.1 76.5
New 30.6 83.3 18.2a 77.3 94.1
Old 20.3 100.0a 54.1a 91.9a 86.2
Male-Headed 27.5 81.0 12.7 77.2 82.5
Female-Headed 22.2 100.0 56.0a 88.0 88.2
Total 26.0 86.2 23.1 79.8 83.8
Subgroup proportion significantly different from the proportion of non-member subgroup at 10% level (Chi-square test)
Frequency of feeding of infants
The percentage of participating households, in particular the old participating households, who
feed their infants at least five times a day is significantly higher than in the non participating
group. The old participating households are nearly three times more likely to feed than their
children five times a day in comparison with the new households. It is also interesting to note
that over half of female headed households are feeding children five times a day as compared to
less than a fifth of male headed households. During the field visit numerous discussions were
held around frequency of feeding of young children; time and resource constraints. Women were
clear that with a little organisation they could feed the children and carry out their normal duties.
Organisation of infant feeding by women in Erati district.
One of the women explaining her routine.
“I have previously prepared pounded groundnuts that I keep in a covered jar. In the morning I prepare the enriched
porridge for my child. She will eat some of the porridge. The remaining food I take with me to the fields. When the
sun is up and I am ready for a rest, my child will eat the remaining porridge. Then at home I prepare lunch, while
lunch is cooking I will make some more papas, it is very quick to do and I have all the ingredients. After the child has
eaten, I save the remaining papa for later in the afternoon. When we are ready for our evening meal I will prepare a
fresh papa for the child before she sleeps. I easily arrive at five papas every day”
Erati District. Nampula. Oct 2004
Vitamin A rich foods
VIDA has encouraged the planting and use of orange flesh sweet potato, vegetables and Vitamin
A rich fruit (for example, papaya). The Mid term survey shows that 24.8% of households in new
groups/associations consumed Vitamin A rich foods during the previous 24 hours and 29% of
the established association/groups. This compares favourably with the baseline data of 2.3%
consuming orange flesh sweet potato and 14.5% consuming Vitamin A rich fruit and vegetables.
There were a number of problems with the distribution of tubers and cultivation of orange flesh
sweet potato; including loss due to lack of rains and destruction by goats and pigs. The extension
workers are working with the women’s groups on solutions to these problems. A number of
34
conservation techniques have also been taught to women and have been successful although
the coverage of the teaching is still fairly restricted. Two conservation techniques are being used
in the community, namely; chipping and drying of the potatoes; and burying of the potatoes
using straw and sand. Both methods produce reasonable results.
Conclusions
The project is steadily working towards reaching the targets set under this objective. Simple and
practical messages were chosen, linked to the agricultural extension programme, to positively
influence household consumption, and in particular child feeding practices. Care must be taken
to ensure the quality of the training carried out. Training should enable the animators to have
sufficient confidence in their knowledge to be able adapt the training to the practical realities that
they encounter.
The project approach of training animators is successful and resulted in a motivate cadre of
community based nutrition promoters that are capable of disseminating simple nutrition
messages. Care must be taken not to over burden these community volunteers, for although they
are willing and eager to learn and carry out the allotted tasks there is a limit to the time available
for these activities. There is also a limit to the extent that the VIDA project should take on
additional tasks outside of the agricultural sector.
The nutrition messages should continue to be disseminated in mixed groups of men and women;
stimulating the discussion of the availability of these food stuffs and the importance for
maintaining a healthy family. With the increased emphasis on money-making crops the message
concerning the food crops may be lost. The use of song and poems to transmit messages has
been highly successful and should be encouraged
Messages should focus on available foods (both wild and cultivated). When there is a new variety
or new crop in the fields there must be follow-up in terms of use in the home and in the family
pot.
Processing and conservation are extremely important and will lead to more food availability in
the household. These activities can be encouraged within the women’s group but should use
technologies that are widely accessible to the wider community.
Recommendation 4.5a. Develop more audio visual material using song as the principal medium
for message transmission, use national radio and community radios to disseminate the material
over a wide range of communities
Recommendations 4.5b - Carefully link nutrition messages to agricultural practice: new
crops new messages; new processing methods new messages. These should always be
referred back to the main messages on child feeding practices and balanced varied diet.
This will reinforce the “old” messages whilst maintaining interest in the new ideas.
Recommendation 4.5c- Continue to include men in nutrition discussions; to help ensure
women’s access to foodstuffs for better nutrition.
Recommendation 4.5d - Develop work around fruit and vegetables in the dry coastal
districts:
35
o Construct fruit and vegetable availability calendars; with sections for
planting; harvesting; conservation and preparation and consumption.
o Include wild and cultivated fruits and vegetables.
• Prepare locally designed material on blackboard or tin for display in the village – help
to arouse curiosity about fruit and vegetable consumption. For example: A fruit and
vegetable calendar could be displayed and the activists would update monthly the fruits and
vegetables available in the area for consumption. For example: A blackboard could be used to
remind people (using pictures) of the time to conserve/preserve vegetables.
o
o Link this work with the fruit tree planting initiatives and the processing
initiatives.
Recommendation 4.5e - Conduct a separate training event for animators on exclusive
breastfeeding in order to learn more about cultural beliefs and practices. This cannot be a
message driven exercise and must start with a thorough analysis of the existing situation.
Work on exclusive breastfeeding should be carried out in women-only fora initially in
order to ensure frank inter-change.
Recommendation 4.5f - Forge links with other agencies (governmental and non
governmental) working on nutrition education; share materials and experiences; promote
events that include the wider community in demonstrations and discussions.
Recommendation 4.5g - Learn about social marketing techniques from the World Vision
Zambezia project on Sweet Potato. Apply in the communities where VIDA is promoting
sweet potatoes.
36
5. MAINSTREAMING HIV AND AIDS INTO A FOOD
SECURITY AND NUTRITION PROGRAMME
5.1 Livelihood and labour issues
The principal objective of VIDA is to improve the livelihoods of households through increased
production and increased income. This is achieved through improving agricultural production
and stimulating income-generating opportunities. The overall goal of VIDA is consistent with the
needs of poor and vulnerable households including households affected by HIV/AIDS. A
vibrant economy is more likely to support the strain of stretched resources due to HIV/AIDS
morbidity and mortality than a subsistence economy with no margins. VIDA should continue to
offer packages that aim to increase production/income of farmers and strengthen livelihoods
through stimulating a robust local economy
The setting up of associations, groups and networks may also prove to be ballast against the tide
of HIV; the wider the social network, within a robust local community economy, providing more
possibilities for supporting affected households. For example, many of the women’s groups are
creating savings capacities with an additional social fund that is used for members who have
problems such as deaths or illness. There is no indication of the depth of these funds but they are
a sign that the communities are aware of the need for social cohesion in the face of adversity.
The incipient empowerment process for women that has started through the women’s groups
could be a force for positive change as women have more access to improved livelihood options
and increased income.
Although a number of the new technologies introduced through VIDA are labour saving there
has not been an explicit strategy to take into consideration the impact of an increase in prime age
chronic illness and/or mortality on the communities and a subsequent adjustment of the offered
technological packages. To mainstream HIV/AIDS in the programme there is a need to
understand the constraints on livelihood options of prime age chronic illness/death in the project
area and the ways in which the communities are responding to the impact of the illness. Some
possible implications:
Emergent Coping strategies
• Social/Funeral funds
• Labour saving/sharing agricultural techniques
• Changes in sexual behaviour/attitudes
• Amalgamations of households
Negative impacts
• Labour loss;
• Constraints on women’s time to perform essential domestic and child care tasks
• Problems with firewood/water collection due to distance from homestead
• Knowledge loss (men/women die and there are activities that only they know about)
• Loss of income from cash crops; or food crop production.
Each community may have different coping strategies and constraints. VIDA needs to examine
these issues in order to offer technologies that address the issues faced by each community;
37
building on the positive coping strategies that are underway in the communities. Some
examples might be:
• Adaptation of packages such as conservation farming to labour short environments
(mulching and not hole digging/ communal hole digging in support of households with
labour shortage due to chronic illness or death)
• Further work on food processing and conservation in the technological, improved
cassava processing; increased number of groups looking at potato conservation; continue
to disseminate peanut butter and small-scale oil processing.
• Additional packages that improve the quality of the household diet without substantially
increasing work load, e.g. fruit tree planting and garden plots for herbs and vegetables
• Land distribution for vulnerable households in the communities (plots closer to
homesteads – see note below)
• Nutrition education for people living with HIV/AIDS linked to agricultural extension
activities. This activity will become necessary as prevalence rates for HIV increase and
more people become chronically sick
• Help communities most in need of improved access to water to make contact with
institutions supporting water development.
Note : Issues concerning the distribution of land and access to the most fertile land will have to
be discussed on a village to village basis in order to take into consideration the needs of the
labour-short households. It may be extremely difficult to accommodate the needs of the affected
households within a constrained land distribution framework. However, it remains important to
raise issues linked to land usage, land distribution, and the protection of the rights of widows and
children to fertile lands in the context of high levels of prime-age mortality.
Comparative Advantage of CARE
CARE’s comparative advantage is two fold; one in the food security area where they have
considerable experience in agricultural production linked to nutrition education, including the
extensive network of community based associations/ groups; and secondly the expertise within
CARE as an organisation on HIV/AIDS, including a new programme for behaviour change
operating in Nampula Province.
Recommendation 5.1a - extension worker risk should be reduced:
• Offer the extensionists the opportunity to participate in a behaviour change
programme (peer education) (synergy with APPLE).
• Review location and work schedule of extension workers to minimize risk of long
periods of time spent away from the family home
Recommendation 5.1b - Build on the strengths of extension workers (through adaptation
of the agricultural extension packages to mainstream HIV/AIDS) but do not overburden
them with community HIV behaviour change.
Recommendation 5.1c - actively share resources and knowledge within CARE on
HIV/AIDS, making use of the synergy between the APPLE project and VIDA and
linking the livelihood and HIV experts at different levels within CARE.
Recommendation 5.1d - forge partnerships (offering logistical support and access to the
thousands of associations/groups) at provincial and district level to organizations that
specialize in behaviour change and IEC in the area of HIV/AIDS
38
o Health system
o Associations of People Living with HIV/AIDS
o Local/International NGOs (for example, PSI)
Recommendation 5.1e - VIDA staff should be encouraged to examine the evolving
coping strategies of communities20 in the light of HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality and
where appropriate support the initiatives.
Recommendation 5.1f - Carry out operational research to explore and enhance the social
safety net aspect of associations/groups (test the elasticity of support as prevalence
increases).
 
20 The extension workers should receive a short training on mainstreaming in order to increase awareness of the type
of changes they may expect in the communities. Mechanisms should be put in place within the project for the
extensionists to report these changes and suggest modifications in the extension packages to respond to the needs of
the communities.
39
6. REACHING MORE PEOPLE
6.1 Current Coverage
In the 14 Districts covered by VIDA 2 the programme currently involves around 57,000 group
or association members21. The midterm suggests about 38%22 of households are members of
more than one group, so the number of households with at least one member in a group or
association is around 41,000 households. This is in excess of the original target of 30,000 direct
beneficiary households.
The mid-term survey raw data suggests that around 1/3 of all households in the target
communities have a member in a VIDA linked group or association – i.e. are direct beneficiaries.
This suggests that around 80,000 households are in the target communities but not in groups or
associations.
There are approximately 686,000 households in the 14 districts23. Therefore:
• 6% of households are direct Beneficiaries (households with a member in a VIDA
supported group or association)
18% of households are indirect Beneficiaries (households in a community with a VIDA
supported group or association).
80% of households are neither direct nor indirect beneficiaries. Although VIDA 2 should be
congratulated for exceeding its targets, there is a question about whether the benefits of VIDA
should be spread to more households, and if so, what is the best way of achieving this.
6.2 Appropriate community structures for different activities
There are often trade-offs between the number of people reached by a programme, such as
agricultural extension or nutrition education, and the intensity of outreach work done with
individuals or groups. For different tasks there are different optimum group sizes and structures
- what is needed for a marketing or savings group may not be optimum for a nutrition group.
The situation can become more complicated when one tries to use the same structure for several
different tasks.
For agriculture extension and nutrition education a ‘light and inclusive’ groups structure can be
appropriate – with people coming together mainly to learn - more time can then be spent on the
livelihood learning process and less on developing the group. Women’s groups seem to follow a
‘light and inclusive’ structure. Associations, developed along the CLUSA model of a group
business, require considerable group building and sophisticated committee structures (although in
practice after a few years decision making often seems to be in the hands of a small group of
people). Savings groups need to be exclusive and require the development of considerable trust
building. HIV/AIDS education can involve ‘light and open’ groups, but if one is exploring
deeper issues, such as following the stepping-stones methodology, more closed and trusting
groups are appropriate.
 
21 CSR4 report October 2004.
22 Mid-term table 4 - the 306 households who had members in at least one group contained a total of 421 group
members.
23 1997 census data increased at 2.3% per year.
40
About 2/3 of VIDA groups are extension or women’s groups and 1/3 associations. This is
enabling VIDA to reach about 4,500 group/association members per district. In contrast
PASANA and IDEMU, which have followed the exclusively association model, are reaching
around 2,500 association members per district, with roughly similar staff teams.
Since group and association members are still in the minority in the districts where VIDA is
working, it is important to consider how agricultural, nutrition and HIV/AIDS knowledge
spreads beyond the group members. The midterm survey (see 4.2) shows that this is happening
to a certain extent within those communities where there is an association or group – we have
little information in those communities where there is no association or group. There are a
number of approaches that could help increase the transfer of learning to the wider community
with limited effort:
ƒ Encourage extension workers to see it as their job to serve the whole community (this might
be reinforced if some of the indicators/targets included adoption at whole community level);
ƒ Encourage groups and associations to be outward looking – inviting the whole community to
visit and discuss demonstrations;
ƒ Extension workers, animadoras and demonstradores working with existing groups in the
community, like churches, mosques, schools, health posts (this is already happening to an
extent with the nutrition education);
ƒ Concentrate on technologies that are widely appropriate and can be spread relatively easily to
the wider community;
ƒ Regularly encourage the formation of new ‘extension groups’ at community level.
ƒ Explore the possibility of interacting with primary schools under the umbrella of the new
curriculum that provides 20% of school time for community led learning.
Groups/associations should remain important as a key way of working with an organised group
of people within a community. They allow testing, adapting, feedback and demonstration of new
ideas. In particular with women, groups seem to represent an important empowerment
opportunity – an opportunity to control some money and manage a set of relationships outside
of their husband’s control.
The aim of many extension workers seems to be to graduate extension groups to become
associations. The cost effectiveness of this needs to be considered – where an association is
needed to unblock a marketing constraint then this is likely to be justified. In other
circumstances there needs to be some analysis to justify the relatively intense external association
building input into a relatively small group of people.
Radio is a potential way of reaching more people. VIDA has sponsored some radio
programming, including information on prices. However only some information is appropriate
for dissemination by radio alone, perhaps the most cost effective is when radio programming
(using a range of programme formats – news, magazine and radio-novela) is strategically
integrated into a programme which includes ‘on-the-ground’ extension work. Any expansion of
radio programming needs careful control to ensure quality and integration.
41
Recommendation 6.2 – while groups/associations should remain a key element of
the extension process, there needs to be more emphasis in ensuring learning
opportunities reach the whole community. This will require groups, extension workers
and monitoring systems to be more outward looking. Technologies should be chosen
which can spread easily to the wider community. It shouldn’t be assumed that groups
should always graduate into associations. There is scope for cautious expansion and
integration of extension through radio with a potentially increased emphasis in VIDA 3.
6.3 Reaching Women
Positive targeting
VIDA II has specifically considered strategies to reach more women within the mainstream
project interventions. Strategies tailored to women’s specific needs have been designed, these
include; taking women’s views into consideration in the mixed associations; more on farm
demonstrations for easier access by women; and the showpiece women’s groups that exist either
as independent entities or as part of larger associations. The women’s groups have received have
a full package of advice and extension services, including; agricultural extension advice and
technologies; nutrition training; savings and income generating training and capacity building.
This has been a successful and budding empowerment processes that should be nurtured
The Mid-term evaluation shows a high proportion of female-headed households (over 40%) in
women’s groups. Although at first glance this is extremely positive as the rate is far higher than
the general population rate for female headed households, there is, possibly, a negative slant in
that married women may be prevented from joining these groups by their husbands.
Women’s Motivation:
The reasons for women joining groups/associations are varied and include:
• To increase agricultural production and income on the group plots but also on their own
fields.
• Gain control of agricultural produce and income
• Obtain first hand access to knowledge and technologies
• Have access to a wider social network (within and outside of the community)
A range of strategies to reach women
There are a number of ways in which the project aims to reach women as indicated above:
Women’s groups
The women’s groups are largely part of the mixed associations of producers, but there are some
groups that exist outside of the associations. For example a number of groups have their origins
as cultural dance and choral groups. Some of the women’s groups have male members but
identify themselves very strongly as women’s groups. These groups receive extension services,
plus specific nutrition training. The community animators are trained in nutrition education and
are expected to work with their own group but also with groups in neighbouring communities
and in the wider community. This strategy has been successful in both empowering women
within the production cycle and in disseminating nutrition education outside of the restricted
boundaries of the group/associations. As mentioned previously nearly half of the women in the
42
groups are from female-headed households. The remaining members are a mixed group;
women whose husbands are in the associations; women whose husbands are in the women’s
group; and women whose husbands are not involved in any of the VIDA activities.
Associations
The majority of the producers associations and extension groups are mixed; with both male and
female participants. There is a strong feeling amongst the VIDA staff that despite efforts to
include women in decision-making, there is less direct control by women in the mixed
associations. Membership of the associations is complex and the women involved are not
necessarily just the wives of the male members. It also appears that people are members in their
own right (with own plots and rights to a share of the produce) and not as part of a household.
Therefore women are reached through the associations and extension groups, however, the level
of empowerment and direct access to technologies is lower for women in mixed associations.
Family Fields
It should not be forgotten that the majority of production takes place on the family fields, by
people who are not members of associations or groups supported by VIDA, and that the
majority of women are working on family fields in collaboration with men. Agricultural work is
shared, both through the allocation of specific tasks (land clearance carried out by men) and
working together (planting, weeding and harvesting). Anecdotally, it appears that although
women work in a collaborative way on the fields the majority of decisions about technologies;
crop mix; and decisions about the sale of crops, rest with men. VIDA has made efforts to reach a
wider audience in the community. However, we feel that this should be intensified in the second
half of the project. By carrying out more inclusive out-reach activities VIDA staff must be aware
of the specific needs of the female producers and tailor events in such a way that the women can
benefit (first hand) from extension advice and technology.
Conclusions and Future strategies
Women’s groups have proved a successful model for agricultural extension reaching women.
As the women’s groups mature, their demands for information, technology and services will also
expand, thereby absorbing a significant proportion of time of the CARE extension staff.
Although VIDA has an impressive number of active women’s groups this is still a small
proportion of the overall population covered by the project. In order to reach maximum
coverage of the initiatives it is necessary to consider how replicable (without CARE support)
initiatives are; can the rest of the community, not receiving intensive care, adopt these
technologies? The selection of the extension activities should be based on low capital investment
and easily transferable technologies.
Women consider income-generating activities as a fundamental reason for working in groups. In
the groups where savings have been promoted they provide both provide capital for investment
and an incipient social safety net.24 (Ophavela). The women’s groups appear to share knowledge
with neighbours and non members and are creative in the dissemination of specific nutrition
messages to the wider community.
 
24 The savings groups are using a methodology introduced by Ophavela. Targets are set for savings and when
reached money is shared amongst the contributing members. Some of the groups have considerable success in
loaning money during the period and creating a social fund with the interest earned. Examples of women sharing up
to 50,000,000 Mt were cited by Ophavela staff.
43
Although the women’s groups are a convenient route to channel ideas about nutrition and
health issues, care must be taken not to forget the core purpose of the group; to raise incomes,
improve production and improve family consumption.
Recommendation 6.3a – Expand the number of women’s groups and continue to provide
extension services them, with an emphasis on replicable technologies and (independent)
access to markets.
Recommendation 6.3b – encourage and facilitate work by other organisations with the
women’s groups such as Ophavela on savings and the Ministry of Education on literacy.
Recommendation 6.3c - Tailor extension work in the wider community to women’s
needs; for example, on-farm demonstration and training days for women. Prioritise
technological options in the light of their replicability for women who are not necessarily
in groups/associations
44
7. GIVING SMALL FARMERS MORE POWER IN THE
MARKET
Originally Association membership was very clearly linked to the tremendous marketing
problems faced by farmers in the 1990s. There was a great shortage of buyers and many farmers
were faced with unsold maize surpluses rotting in their granaries. Marketing through an
association and fora was a way of overcoming the constraint – and the profits made by the
association and fora marketing transactions were able to pay gratuities for key committee
members and sometimes funded local development initiatives.
In more recent years there has been an increase in the numbers of buyers, competition has
slashed the profits of associations and late arrival of marketing credit often means that many
members sell much of their crop to other traders before the association is able to buy. Fora and
organisations like Ikuru have often dropped out of maize marketing and concentrated on more
profitable niche markets.
Overall the importance of the association for marketing their members’ own crops seems to have
declined. Indeed the 2004 mid-term survey provided a very different vision of what members
perceived as the benefits of association membership:
Perceived advantages of association membership 200425
Advantage % member
households reporting
Training in agricultural practices 44
Promotes cooperative spirit 29.5
Help in selling products 20.5
Access to seed 20.1
Nutrition education 7.7
Access to agricultural inputs 7.7
Better production/income 6.0
Access to markets 4.3
Training in seed conservation 1.7
The majority of smallholder marketing does not go through associations and fora. The ground
breaking marketing work done with associations and fora in the late 1990s has meant that much
less emphasis has been placed on improving smallholder power when they do not sell through an
association – the exception to this is VIDA’s support to the Nampula market bulletin Esisapo26.
We don’t know much about the current marketing constraints faced by small farmers in
Nampula, or the best ways of addressing them – with the exception of marketing through
associations:
• Farmers complain of unfair weights and measures used by ambulante traders. Are there
innovative ways of providing ‘standard’ weights and measures in rural areas (perhaps through
CDLs)?
• There have been an increase in the number of rural periodic markets – but distances can still
be great – would more rural markets increase or decrease transaction costs?
 
25 Mid term survey 2004 – from sample of 234 households who reported that they were members. 26 However the existence of the alternative association channel is also likely to force up prices and standards in the
parallel channels.
45
• Could more be done to enable groups or associations to facilitate sales between their
members and a trader, rather than buying it from their members and thus becoming a link in
the market chain – as is currently the case with associations and fora – and thus avoiding all
the attendant problems of needing credit, paying interest, having a conflict of interest27 etc.?
Recommendation 7a – VIDA, ideally in partnership with some other Nampula based
organisations, should sponsor some research into ways of overcoming market constraints
faced by small farmers and, if appropriate, pilot some solutions. This might provide
some clearer orientation for activities in VIDA 3.
Most farmers grow organically yet organic certification, and the higher prices that come with it, is
very expensive and only currently available to the few who are connected to VIDA or other
organisation. Having a local, Nampula based, consultant able to certify crops as organic could
bring organic certification to the reach of more farmers and reduce dependence on organisations
like CARE and CLUSA. Fairtrade certification is another possible way of farmers receiving
higher prices. The mechanism for achieving local certification capacity would need to be
investigated.
Recommendation 7b – VIDA should investigate the viability of a Nampula based
consulatant(s) being trained and registered to certify crops as organic (and possibly
fairtrade).
 
27 Associations/fora tend to have a conflict between buying at a low price in order to make a profit for themselves
and buying at a high price in order to benefit the seller.
46
8. GENERATING AND SPREADING NEW IDEAS
8.1 Continued generation and local adaptation of technologies
Over the life of VIDA 1 & 2 the agricultural and livelihood context has changed enormously.
One of the great strengths of VIDA is that it has continually generated new ideas and adopted
new interventions to address the changing context – oilseeds and oil presses, nutrition education,
working through associations, paprika, white sesame, conservation farming, organic markets,
HIV/AIDS education, brown streak resistant cassava. It has not fossilised with its original
approach and technology package.
Although it is possible that changes may not be so rapid in future, change will continue.
Although the current menu of options is probably broadly appropriate until the end of VIDA 2:
ƒ New approaches will continue to need to be developed for whatever follows VIDA 2.
ƒ Thought is needed about how to continue to generate new ideas in the post-VIDA 2 future.
ƒ There is still a considerable way to go in making the existing technologies available to all the
households in the VIDA districts.
ƒ There will be a continuing need to spread new ideas, respond to different opportunities and
to deal with new crop diseases.
Increased capacity in INIA (now IIAM), the new agricultural universities, more widespread
access to the internet and better links to the private traders demanding new and better quality
products may all help in the generation of new ideas and in networking between different
organisations. However there is no substitute for direct face-to-face work with farmers.
Whatever the new ideas or varieties there will be a continued need for checking them with the
diverse local farmer contexts, testing and adapting with the participation of farmers.
Recommendation 8.1a - for the remainder of VIDA 2 the project should:
ƒ Maintain a strong but small technical team able to network provincially, nationally
and internationally. This team needs to have a good understanding of the diverse
rural realities, be well connected to and receive feedback from men and women
farmers and to women feeding their families.
ƒ Continue to build links between INIA/PAN, the local agricultural universities and
farmers.
If there is an agricultural extension/nutrition programme after VIDA 2, particularly if it is
implemented by smaller dispersed teams (see section 9), then the system for continued generation
and adaptation of technology needs to be carefully integrated. VIDA 2 has shown how the
overall success of the extension component is dependent on a rich and evolving menu to be able
to offer to farmers.
It seems likely that agricultural livelihoods may be approaching a plateau due to the limitation on
the area possible to cultivate per household by hand28. Although this has been ameliorated by
encouraging higher yields, higher value crops and better marketing – there are limits to these.
There needs to be a hard-headed look at how to move beyond the limits of hand cultivation.
One key approach is likely to be animal draft, although there may also be a role for small two
wheel tractors and other technologies. Serious testing of the suitability of animal traction will
require a reasonably scaled and sustained approach.
 
28 This may even decline as HIV/AIDS impacts on household labour power.
47
Recommendation 8.1b – VIDA 2 could investigate and test different approaches to
overcoming the constraint posed by hand labour. The aim might be to be in a position
to make a major commitment to this in VIDA 3.
There are phosphate deposits in Nampula Province – there development as fertiliser could
remove a major constraint to local productivity and profitability. Such a development is beyond
the remit of VIDA, but advocacy may be appropriate.
Recommendation 8.1c - VIDA 2 should advocate for a study into the viability of
developing the local phosphate deposits into fertiliser.
8.2 Participatory Research and Extension
The role of participation in both research and extension is increasingly being recognised and it is
exciting that the VIDA project manager has recently been on a high level course on the subject.
This is likely to provide a stimulus for the gradual inclusion of more participatory techniques.
The forthcoming appointment of an anthropologist within the Posto Agronomia de Nampula
will also provide some new opportunities for collaborating with PAN on more participative
research activities. This could involve activities not only linked to increased crop production, but
also links with nutrition and to constraints faced by households affected by AIDS.
Encouraging more participatory extension will need to be a slow process. Participatory
approaches generally need higher levels of skills among facilitators – and more importantly a
genuine change in attitude among the technicians involved – and also tend to be more difficult to
manage and monitor. Switching to participatory extension without these skills and attitudes in
place is likely to be damaging – so caution is advised.
The participatory Monitoring and Evaluation recommendations29 do not seem particularly
appropriate to the VIDA design, nor the current capacity. This is because the approach, if
implemented fully, would seem to require a programme led by participatory planning at the
community level. While valid in some contexts, this would require a fairly fundamental change in
design in VIDA 2. While some PRA capacity and enthusiasm has been generated, this needs to
be used in appropriate contexts and within people’s capacity. Once again caution is advised.
There are however approaches that can help build participatory attitudes and capacity:
ƒ Broader discussion with farmers in each area on what parts of the menu of technologies they
would like to see demonstrated or used in farmer field schools;
ƒ More qualitative supervision of extension workers, which could include support to the quality
of work, such as the way farmer field schools and ‘dias de campo’ are organised.
ƒ A gradual shift from outputs driven targets (e.g. number of demonstrations given etc) to
results driven monitoring (e.g. adoption of conservation farming in the community), complete
with discussion in extension teams and with farmers for the reasons for high or low adoption.
Recommendation 8.2a – any moves towards a more participatory approach to research
and extension should be made only after careful consideration of the skills and attitudes
of implementing field staff and the capacity of management to manage and supervise
these less structured activities. The first step is to build staff skills and attitudes.
 
29 Timothy Finan – TANGO International 2002 – A Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation System, Report on the
System Design and training of Participants.
48
Recommendation 8.2b – there should be a gradual shift in management style towards
quality of fieldwork and not just quantity. This would include a greater emphasis on
more participatory interaction with farmers and adoption type indicators of performance.
It should also involve the creation of ‘safe space’ to discuss qualitative issues, such as the
reasons why certain messages are not being adopted. Specific times should be set aside
(probably monthly at both District and Provincial levels) for such ‘problem solving’
discussions. Some facilitation and management training may be required initially.
8.3 Animadoras and Demonstradores
The possible future development of the paid extension structure is discussed in section 9.
Key components of the knowledge spreading network are the animadoras and demonstradores.
These are community chosen women and men, the former mainly involved in nutrition education
ƒ 220 Animadoras – community chosen woman. Literate. Responsible for nutrition education
to women and some HIV/AIDS education – works with four women’s groups but also to
community groups like churches and mosques and do house-to-house visits. Responsible to
the Extension Worker. Supposed to work about 4 days per week 2-3 hours per day. Receives
a bicycle but no salary, attends three monthly training for which travel costs and per diem
paid.
ƒ 120 Demonstradores – community chosen man (in a few cases a woman). Literate.
Responsible for agricultural messages, some demonstrations, some nutrition education, some
HIV/AIDS education. Works with about eight groups/associations. Responsible to the
VIDA District Supervisor, supposed to work about four hours per day, five days per week.
Receives a bicycle but no salary, attends three monthly training for which travel costs and per
diem paid.
Although the quality of both animadoras and demonstradores clearly varies, those met during the
evaluation were extremely motivated and seemed to be doing good work. None complained of
lack of payment.
It is difficult to understand exactly what motivates these people to work a considerable period per
week without payment. It is probably a combination of:
ƒ Genuine commitment to the development of their community (dependent on supplying new
and beneficial ideas)
ƒ Status/social capital (dependent on supplying new ideas)
ƒ Learning + new seeds (dependent on new ideas and new varieties)
ƒ Training trips (dependent on relatively small expenses and new ideas)
ƒ Future opportunities (e.g. for further training and career development).
In many cases in Mozambique (and elsewhere) it has been difficult to create a cadre of effective
unpaid base level extension link people. VIDA 2 seems unusually positive in this regard. The
importance of new ideas has been stressed – as it is easy to see that the system would stagnate if
the animadoras and demonstradores were just expected to continue to provide the same tired
messages.
Although the idea has always been that at some stage the fora would provide some compensation
out of their operating profits, this has not happened so far and this seems unlikely while
profitability remains low. There are perhaps other possibilities for sustainable community based
remuneration, even outside of fora – perhaps with individual group and association members
making a small annual contribution. With each animadora advising around 100-150 people and
49
each demostradore around 200 people, a donation of even a few kg of maize per member
could provide a significant reward. This is an area which needs further discussion and work
within communities. Many communities seem to think CARE pays the animadoras and
demonstradores – the first stage needs to be explaining the reality to the groups and discussing with
them the future options.
Recommendation 8.3 – VIDA II should work actively with those groups and associations
being provided with services by animadoras and demonstradores to develop examples of
sustainable community incentives.
Whatever the system developed, it is only likely to be successful if there is a steady supply of
really beneficial technologies and knowledge for the communities to access through the
animadoras and demonstradores – you cannot expect the community to pay for advice they consider
bad or irrelevant!
8.4 Menu of Technologies
As noted above on of the strengths of VIDA is its rich menu of technologies, including nutrition
information, available to farmers. It is this rich menu that drives the system.
The evaluation team did not have time to review the individual technologies on offer, but below
are some observations.
• Good adoption rates for a fair proportion of the technologies suggest that they are
considered beneficial by farmers. There are however a minority of technologies that have
much lower rates of adoption (e.g. exclusive breastfeeding, compost, planting trees, reduced
field burning, rat guards, actellic, liquid manure, chemical fertiliser). Rather than continuing to
promote these in the same way that is proving ineffectual, it would be worth reviewing the
reason for low adoption with field staff. In some cases the technologies themselves may be
regarded as having marginal cost-benefit and be dropped, in other cases they may be only
appropriate in rather specific circumstances (e.g. chemical fertiliser on vegetables), in other
cases the technology or the message may need to be adapted or other constraints removed, in
yet other case there may be social or cultural reasons for low adoption (e.g. exclusive
breastfeeding) and the presentation of the message may need to be reviewed. This process
would lead to a slimmer and more focussed menu and also greater knowledge among
extension workers about when and how to promote different technologies.
• Some extension workers seem to feel that they are being asked to offer too wide a range of
technologies (see section 11.1). The process described above may help to focus which
technologies to introduce in which circumstances and increase the confidence of extension
workers in doing this.
• The package of technologies described as Conservation Farming (olima wo suka) is particularly
exciting as it provides a possibility of more sustainable farming without the continued need to
open new land or buy inputs. First year labour is clearly a deterrent to some – it is therefore
particularly important to demonstrate the benefits over a multi-year cycle and also to show
how only a proportion of land needs to be potholed each year.
• Oil remains an important contributor to improved nutrition. Imported oil remains
expensive, particularly in more remote areas. A proportion of manual oil presses remain from
OPEN and VIDA 1 doing service pressing (often pressing in exchange for a proportion of the
oil extracted). There are also a number of presses not working due to (minor?) breakdowns or
other reasons. Although the high price currently available for sesame has tended to make the
local processing of oil less profitable, it probably still has a role – particular in the more
50
isolated areas. VIDA 2 should consider if there are any actions it can take to ensure the
maximum benefit is achieved through this past investment.
• Continued attention is needed to encourage technologies which reduce labour requirement,
particularly for women and for households affected by HIV/AIDS. Food processing, fruit
trees and animal traction may fall into this category.
• Some technologies like broiler chickens require considerable investment in extension effort
while benefiting a relatively small group of people. In addition broilers are unlikely to be
sustainable except where they have ready access to inputs of feed and chicks and to the market.
Hard-headed analysis is needed on the most effective way to benefit large numbers of people –
particularly women.
• Cassava Brown Streak Virus is likely to cause considerable crop losses in VIDA areas in the
coming years. VIDA should continue and step up its emphasis on multiplying and distributing
CBSV tolerant varieties. At the same time ways of preventing a narrowing of the genetic base
of cassava grown in the area needs to be considered.
Recommendation 8.4a – the technology menu should be reviewed with field staff on an
annual basis with particular emphasis on trying to learn lessons from those technologies
where adoption rates are low or where extension effort per person is likely to be very
high. This should lead to a streamlined menu and more confidence among extension
staff about when and how to promote different technologies.
Recommendation 8.4b – Conservation farming should be demonstrated over a multi-year
basis to spread the labour cost of digging the holes. Continued emphasis should be
placed on technologies that reduce labour demand.
Recommendation 8.4c – work to mitigate the impact of cassava brown streak virus
should continue and be intensified, including consideration of ways to minimise the
consequent narrowing of the local cassava genetic base.
51
9. ORGANISING EXTENSION POST-VIDA 2
The important current tendencies are decentralisation, outsourcing and creating autonomous
Mozambican capacity, and within the CARE family an emphasis on partnership working with
local organisations rather than having a large internal capacity. The current wave of outsourcing
contracts have tended to go to consortia including international NGOs. This is unlikely to be
sustainable - outsourcing needs to be tested with smaller Mozambican contractors with lower
cost structures. Initially such contracts will need additional capacity building and supervision, but
may be more sustainable in the long term.
VIDA 2 has a large, centrally controlled operational capacity:
• About 17 Provincially located technical/managerial staff and 11 Provincially based vehicles.
• 10 District Supervisors and 50 district based paid extension workers.
• 220 Animadoras and 120 demonstradores – community based volunteers.
This structure has produced results, as has been shown in section 4, and has not been
inappropriate for VIDA 1 and 2. However its centralised management structure also has some
disadvantages:
• There has been limited development of autonomous Mozambican management capacity.
• It has been difficult to develop an exit strategy from such a large and centralised structure.
There are plans underway to develop existing staff into an ‘Association of Extension Workers’
which, post-VIDA 2, could compete for outsourcing contracts. However it seems likely that
such an association would be too large and inflexible to really compete on the open market. It
would also run the risk of creating a local monopoly. What might however be viable would be 3-
6 independent units (whether registered as businesses, associations or NGOs) ‘lean & mean’
enough to be manageable and competitive. Some will fail, as in any business, but some may
survive, strengthen and grow.
CARE needs to decide what sort of exit strategy it wants – post VIDA 2 or post VIDA 3. Does
it want to leave autonomous and flexible Mozambican extension capacity able to compete for
future outsourcing contracts and/or perhaps able to work in future partnership with CARE or
does it want to successfully finish the last DAP contract, close the programme, make staff
redundant and move on? This is a serious choice - because creating autonomous Mozambican
capacity will require considerable effort by CARE, which may detract from the outcome of
VIDA 2 & 3.
If the decision is taken to create sustainable capacity then designing and planning the process will
be required. The following are some suggestions – details will need to be researched and
negotiated. The steps are likely to be something like (also depending on how long VIDA 3 is):
• Remaining two years of VIDA 2 – progressive decentralisation of existing work, building
decentralised management and administrative capacity. Capacity building on leadership,
management, institutional development, legal options, tendering.
• First half VIDA 3 - semi-outsourced position. Carefully controlled contracting out. Capital
equipment remain the property CARE, but lent to teams. Continuing capacity building on
leadership, management, institutional development etc.
• Second half VIDA 3 – greater autonomy. Capital equipment transferred. Capacity building
more limited. Teams able to compete for non-CARE contracts.
52
• Post VIDA 3 – complete autonomy. New organisations able to compete for funding or
form partnerships with different organisations, which may or may-not include CARE.
VIDA 3 structures could be geographically based or thematically based. Fairly careful thought
needs to go into this. At Provincial level there would need to be two structures:
Contract management and monitoring unit – perhaps 2-3 people. There is an opportunity to
involve DPADR in this.
Outsourcing support unit – providing some of the technical ideas and the institutional capacity
building (some of the latter might be contracted in on an occasional basis)30. It would be possible
for this unit at some stage to become autonomous from CARE – and to become a higher-level
service provider.
Recommendation 9 – CARE should take a decision soon on whether it is prepared and
able to commit the energy to creating sustainable Mozambican extension capacity from
existing VIDA staff members post-VIDA. If CARE decides to do this, it needs in
consultation with existing interested staff to investigate, plan and then implement the
steps needed to create this.
 
30 This unit could perhaps provide support to other local service providing companies,
associations or NGOs – not just the –ex-VIDA staff.
53
10. VALIDATING AND BUILDING COMMUNITY
ACTIVIST CAPACITY
VIDA II, in keeping with many NGOs (and to a lesser extent the public service) in Mozambique,
rely on a highly motivated cadre of community activists to disseminate information and practice.
VIDA II works with community demonstrators (agriculture) and animators (nutrition and
agriculture). A significant proportion of the projects resources are spent on capacity building and
training exercises for the activists. At present there are no possibilities for the activists to obtain
recognised or accredited qualifications that demonstrate their increased skill levels. On the other
hand there are is no external adjudication measures to ensure the quality of the training/capacity
building offered by the NGO to the activists.
Given that there are no accredited community activist courses in the country in the area of rural
development; agricultural extension; nutrition; health; HIV/AIDS prevention etc. but that a vast
amount of resources are spend annually on capacity building in all of these areas, there appears to
be an argument for the formalisation of the training/capacity building offered within a flexible
and appropriate framework.
The framework should be built on the following principles:
• Information gathered about the educational dreams of community activists (including
information on the age and sex of activists, present levels of education, professional interests)
• Improving on existing training packages and experiences; document and formalise training
“modules”
• Maintain a flexible, appropriate and inclusive31 approach to community training
• Involve NGOs, government and educational institutions in the debate on accredited training
for community workers.
In order to achieve this goal CARE will need to make a long-term commitment to the
undertaking that supersedes the geographical and time frame of VIDA II.
Recommendation 10 – initiate a process for validating and building community activist
capacity within a 3-5 year time frame
• Promote discussion with stakeholders32 ; including community activists, on the
concept of accredited courses for activists.
• Prepare a position paper based on research with the stakeholders (in Mozambique)
and experiences (worldwide) of similar initiatives
• Forge alliances with other NGOs/Educational institutions (national and
international) to discuss a united position on training and capacity building.
• Prepare an advocacy position and actively lobby donors and government
• Pilot, in Nampula, an accredited community activist’s course.
 
31 Guarantee the inclusion of, for example, women, youth, and disadvantaged groups in the training, through the
design of the courses.
32 Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education and Technology, Universities/Polytechnic colleges and
training institutions, NGOs (National and International), professional, community activists.
54
11. MANAGING AND MONITORING
11.1 Staff Questionnaire
As part of the evaluation the staff responded to a short questionnaire. The results are very
interesting – a summary is given in Annex 4. Some of the salient points are:
• The impressive amount and variety of training that has taken place. On average each
staff member has been on 4-5 courses. Although it isn’t clear whether there is a carefully
structured process of staff development, CARE and VIDA management have clearly
encouraged a wide variety of staff to participate in training. It is not clear to what extent
training is cascaded – with an individual or a group participating in a course, but then sharing
the key points with their colleagues. However during the evaluation the project manager was
busy photocopying the resource materials from his recent ‘Participatory Research and
Extension’ course to share with colleagues – which is a good sign.
• Staff have learnt new skills. The range of new skills learnt is wide and relevant, with an
average of about two reported by respondent and with teamwork being the most common.
This does indicate that staff feel they are progressing in their capacity.
• Staff want to learn more. Common training needs in order of frequency are computing
(13), English language (9), HIV/AIDS (8), associativism (4) and management (4) – the total
spread is both wide and largely relevant. On average respondents made between two and three
suggestions. The request for further training on HIV/AIDS is interesting, since a certain level
of training has already been provided – this request came most commonly from district
supervisors and extension workers.
• Staff have many suggestions for improved working. Most of these suggestions are
reasonable and are not confined to improvements in working conditions. The most common
cluster of recommendations is about a more specialist approach to interventions, the need for
extension workers to try to cover a smaller range of interventions. It is not entirely clear
whether this is primarily a workload, technical skills or community confusion issue – all are
mentioned. This may be something the management want to look at further. The range of
good suggestions across all the staff groups suggests that staff could make good contributions
to a more participatory management style.
• Staff have varied plans for the future. Many of these are linked to helping others and
studying further and not just earning money. It seems that for many staff the type of work
they are doing for VIDA is a vocation and not just a job.
11.2 Monitoring System
Despite operating in some of the same areas for many years as OPEN – VIDA 1 – VIDA 2 there
is a frustrating lack of statistically comparable data over time. This is because:
• Continual changes (and in many cases improvements) in the sampling system makes it
difficult to compare like with like. The mid-term survey seems an improvement on earlier
surveys. Hopefully the sampling frame used for the mid-term can be built on for the final
survey and for VIDA 3 to achieve increased comparability.
• Changes in what is required by the tracking table makes it difficult to compare like with like.
There is a constant desire to add new indicators – which makes the whole process unwieldy.
The recent addition of very explicit sexual practice indicators is a case in point. These may be
the practices we would like to know about – but is it realistic to expect to get truthful answers
to these sort of questions in the context of a quantitative survey (probably done by agricultural
55
students!)? There is a need to temper the funders desire for statistical indicators of impact
with what it is realistic and ethically33 sound to collect. In some cases more qualitative
monitoring would be more appropriate, even if this is less satisfying for the funder.
There is a new monitoring team in place but they do not have any experience or training
Two consultancies have been carried out to look at the monitoring system34 the
recommendations have yet to be implemented in full. It seems that most of the internal
monitoring data (using forms A to F) is only just being entered into the database and is not yet
being analysed. However this is promised by the end of 2004. The challenge will be to use the
monitoring data for management purposes – not just for reporting to the donor. In order to use
the data for management much of it will probably need to be disaggregated at District level and
used by the supervisors – they will need support to be able to do this. This is linked to the need
to encourage more emphasis on adoption monitoring and more space for problem solving
discussions (recommendation 8.2b).
Some attempts are being made to introduce a more participatory style of monitoring although
this leads to some inherent contradictions in the management of the project. At present decisions
are largely taken at central (Nampula) level and are executed by the field staff, it is therefore
difficult to see how a monitoring system based on community perspective could be usefully
implemented. Monitoring is only useful when the information can be used to effect change.
Participatory monitoring requires high levels of skill in facilitation and is time consuming; the pro
and cons should be weighed up in terms of what is useful for the farmers to track, how long the
training will take and whether the project is willing to change based on the opinions of the
beneficiaries.
Learning organisation.
In order to encourage constructive and reflective learning within the VIDA project there is a
need to change the format and purpose of management meetings; a need to shift from
administration to issue based meetings that are seen by participants as a problem solving forum.
This could be achieved by either having separate meetings or allocating a set time to
administrative topics (strictly adhered to) and an hour of discussion on a pertinent topic, relevant
to some or all of the people in the meeting. This will begin to build up trust and confidence, and
encourage staff members to take responsibility for decision making. Ideally there should be less
emphasis on targets and more emphasis on how those targets are met. (see recommendation
8.2b)
One possible methodology would be to use “Most Significant Change Monitoring”35. This is a
very interesting concept for both staff and farmers and could provide staff with time to tell the
story of the project (maybe to a third person- journalist, writer). The stories of the project are
extremely informative and are at present not captured in the reporting formats.
Possible Story Titles.
• The Input Saga
• From Sunflower to Soil Conservation
• 50.000.000 Jackpot share out for rural women
• Leaves to stones: the story of improved nutrition
 
33 For instance what procedures could VIDA put in place to keep such interview replies confidential – even at the
verbal reply stage such survey interviews do not necessarily have access to a confidential interview space. 34 Mark Langsworthy and Tim Finan
35 A methodology developed by VSO (www sites available for details) and also www.mande.co.uk
56
• Why not to put all your sunflower seeds in one basket
• Biopesticides: Beating bugs in Northern Mozambique
Recommendation 11.2a – the temptation to change or to add ever more indicators needs
to be resisted. Every effort should be made from the beginning of a programme like
VIDA to establish a sufficiently simple and robust baseline and indicator system to
require only minor modification during the life of the programme.
Recommendation 11.2b – VIDA is encouraged to complete the work of entering and
analysing the monitoring data and using the results for decentralised management.
Recommendation 11.2c - identify training for the monitoring staff ( including aspects
specific to the monitoring indicators used by USAID); this could include a visit to World
Vision Zambezia monitoring section to learn about the systemization of data.
Recommendation 11.2d - towards a learning organisation:
• Conduct constructive discussions with USAID on paring down the monitoring
system in order to allow space for reflection on the process involved in
development activities
• Contract someone to interview and write some of the key stories and lessons
learnt by VIDA.
• Institute management meetings at all levels that build on problem solving (need
to start and see how it goes, initially there will be reluctance to expose any
“weakness” but as trust grows this will be replaced by frank and productive
discussion)
The INCOPROX figures were not available at the time of the evaluation, so it is difficult to
comment on their usefulness. While INCOPROX is a statistically valid approximation of income
at a particular point in time and place (when and where it is calibrated), its use to track changes
over time, in relation to changes brought about by a project such as VIDA is questionable. This
is because any significant qualitative changes to how households make up their income may
distort the approximation. Although the overall distortion in relation to total income maybe
relatively small – it is precisely the bit that we are interested in monitoring, because it is that part
that is ‘distorted’ due to the project intervention, and unfortunately it seems likely that it is
precisely this part that is likely to fall into the error zone of the approximation36.
11.3 Managing Change
There has been a relatively recent change in VIDA Project Manager – the new manager has had a
chance to get bedded in, so now is a good time to start implementing some changes. Probably
the greatest risk is trying to do too much, too fast. Some changes are already in VIDA’s plans
and this evaluation is suggesting some additional changes, including:
• Spreading extension messages to the wider community;
• Creating a more decentralised, problem solving management system;
• Moving towards a very different structure for VIDA 3 and beyond;
• Cautiously adopting some more participatory approaches to research and extension;
 
36 My theoretical understanding of Incoprox is limited, so I might be misled about this problem. However I would
consider it prudent for there to be some independent assessment of the usefulness of Incoprox in tracking income
changes between calibrations or for samples which were not used for the calibration (Martin Whitside).
57
• Piloting some new interventions to prepare for VIDA 3 (e.g. non-association marketing,
animal traction etc.).
These are major changes that will require careful prioritisation and then considerable
management input. Appropriate support will be needed to be able to manage the change. At the
same time the core task of VIDA 2 needs to continue.
Recommendation 11.3 – the ongoing management load and additional change
management load of VIDA should not be underestimated. This will require careful
prioritisation and appropriate support and supervision.
58
ANNEX 1 – LITTERATURE
CARE 2004 – Unifying Framework & Underlying Causes of Poverty Overview
CARE 2003 – Managing Risk, Improving Livelihoods
CARE 2002 - Household Livelihood Security Assessments
CARE 2001 – VIDA Development Activity proposal 2002-2006
Andy Carlton 2004 – Fairtrade cashews and organic Groundnuts – CLUSA, CARE, IKURU
INE 2003 – Demographic and Health Survey. Mozambique
Timothy Finan – TANGO International 2002 – A Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation
System, Report on the System Design and training of Participants.
INE 2003 – Inquerito dos Agregados Familiares. Mozambique
Mark Langworthy 2004 – Results from Midterm Household Survey
Mark Langworthy 2002 – M & E Plan for VIDA II
Ophavela – O alivio da Pobreza
Rebecca Peters 2003 – Preliminary findings and recommendations of internship research project
USAID 2004 – USAID Mozambique Country Strategic Plan FY 2004-2010 Results Framework
VIDA II 2004 – Tracking Table (Draft)
VIDA II 2004 – Plano Annual de Operacoes
VIDA II – Core Business Statement
VIDA II 2003 – Project Implementation Report July-September 2003
VIDA II 2003 – Project Implementation Report April-June 2003
VIDA II 2003 – CSR4 Report 2002-2003
VIDA II 2003 – Results of baseline Household Survey 2002
VIDA II 2003 – Project Implementation Report October-December 2002
Whiteside and Goveia 2003 - The Role of Groups and Associations in Agricultural Livelihood
Development in Northern Mozambique – Experience from CARE Programmes
VIDA II 2002 – Project Implementation Report July-September 2002
VIDA II 2002 – Project Implementation Report April-June 2002
VIDA II 2002 – Project Implementation Report October-December 2001
VIDA I – Final Evaluation of the VIDA I Project
59
ANNEX 2 - PEOPLE MET
Sra. Albertina Alage Director, DNER, MADER
Sra. Isabel Alvez USAID
Sr. Asane Amade VIDA II - CARE
Sr. Amina Anisci Producer Organisations, Gender Focal Point, DNER
Sr. Francisco Amela INIA, Posto Agronomico de Nampula
Sra. Arlinda Beirao VIDA II, CARE
Sr. Sidney Bliss USAID
Sr. Cadre Chai Chai District Director of Agriculture, Angoche
Sr. Kennedy Chakanyuka Fairtrade Labelling Organisation consultant
Sr. Johnny Colon CLUSA, Nampula
Sr. Pedro Comissal Agrarian Research Coordinator, Posto Agronomico de Nampula
Sr. Richard Dixon SCF - US
Sr. Joao Duarte District Director of Agriculture, Monapo
Sra. Louise Health Programmes, CARE
Sra. Christine de Voest USAID
Sr. Abdul Hage VIDA II - CARE
Sr. Idrisse SPER
Sr. Jose Kemble CLUSA, Nampula
Sr. Lebombo Pecuaria, DNER
Sr. Lilali SANAM
Sr. Amilcar Lucas VIDA Project Manager
Sr. Americo Manhica MADER/DNER
Sr. Carlos Mugoma Provincial Director of Agriculture
Sra. Teresa Munguambe VIDA 2, CARE
Sr. Eduardo Oliveira Outsourcing, DNER
Sr. Tim Russell VIDA Project Coordinator
Sr. Todd Thompson USAID
Sr. Fernando Santos USAID
Sr. Jumbe Sebunya CARE Mozambique Country Director
Sr. Rui Sobrano VIDA II - CARE
Sr. Holly Solberg CARE Mozambique
Sr. Irene Souza ProAgri Activity Manager, USAID
Sr. Donna Stauffer USAID
Sr. Juma Vasco VIDA II, CARE
60
ANNEX 3 – STAFF QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS
Numero de questionarios 36
1. Ha quanto tempo trabalha com VIDA
Anos Senior Staff District
Supervisors
Extensionist
s
Drivers Total
0-1 1 1 2
2-3 4 1 5 1 11
4-6 2 2 1 1 6
6+ 7 5 4 1 17
2. Formacao/Nivel antes do VIDA
Senior Staff District
Supervisors
Extensionist
s
Drivers Total
Doutoramento
Mestrado
Tecnico Superior 5 5
Tecnico Medio 6 1 2 9
Tecnico Basico 3 7 8 4 22
Tecnico Elementar
3. Sua experiencia antes do VIDA
Senior Staff District
Supervisors
Extensionist
s
Drivers Total
ONG 3 2 6 11
Empresa Estatal 5 3 1 9
Sector Privado 2 2 2 3 9
Extensionista do Governo 2 2
4. Formacoes/Cursos durante o trabalho com VIDA
Senior Staff District
Supervisors
Extensionist
s
Drivers Total
Extensao agricola 5 8 8 21
HIV/SIDA 2 4 5 11
Educacao nutricional 1 3 6 10
Planificacao participativa 3 2 2 7
Inqueritos 2 4 6
Nutricao 2 2 2 6
Olima wo suka 2 1 3 6
DRP 2 1 2 5
Gestao de negocios 3 2 5
seguranca alimentar 5 5
Associativismo 3 1 4
Avaliacao Participativa 3 1 4
Supervisao 4 4
Agroprocessamento 1 1 1 3
Extensao Rural 3 3
Horticultura 2 1 3
Informatica 2 1 3
Primeiros socorros 3 3
Producao organica 1 1 1 3
Construcao de represas 1 1 2
61
GPS 2 2
Participacao comunitaria 1 1 2
Sanidade Vegetal 2 2
Analise estatistica de dados
qualitativos
1 1
Conducao de ensaios
mother&baby no milho
1 1
conservacao de solos 1 1
Criacao de galinhas 1 1
Culturas alimentares 1 1
Culturas basicas 1 1
Culturas oleoginosas 1 1
Estudo de Solos 1 1
Facilitodor de stepping stones 1 1
Gestao 1 1
gestao de calamidades naturais 1 1
Gestao de fertilizantes 1 1
Gestao de micro empresas 1 1
Gestao de microempresas 1 1
Gestao do pessoal e avaliacao de
desempenho
1 1
Gestao dos recursos 1 1
Gestao e Lideranca 1 1
IPM 1 1
Melhoramnto da mandioca em
relaçao ao CBSD e Mosaico
1 1
Micro empresas 1 1
mitigacao de calamidades 1 1
Monitoria e avaliacao 1 1
Multiplicacao de semente 1 1
multiplicacao e distribuicao do
material vegetativo
1 1
Nocoes basicas de agricultura 1 1
Nocoes basicas sobre culturas
alimentares
1 1
Nutricao em materia de HIV'SIDA 1 1
Pequenas formacoes em
programas de nutricao
1 1
prensagem de oleo 1 1
Producao de bananeiras 1 1
Producao de paprika 1 1
Producao local de sementes 1 1
Satnidade vegetal 1 1
Saude natural 1 1
seguramca alimentar 1 1
tecnologia de producao de
amendoim e paprika
1 1
tipo de solos 1 1
TOTAL 61 41 52 3 157
5. Novas habilidades que ganhou com VIDA
Senior Staff District
Supervisors
Extensionist
s
Drivers Total
62
Trabalho em equipe
2
2
3
3 10
Extensao Rural
2
4
6
lideranca
3
1
4
Construcao de represas
2
1
3
Lidar com a comunidade rural
3
3
M&E
1
2
3
Supervisao
1
2
3
Educacao nutricional
1
1
2
gestao de conflitos
1
1
2
Gestao de negocios
1
1
2
Gestao de recursos
1
1
2
Olima wo suka
2
2
Producao organica
1
1
2
Trabalho de Campo
1
1
2
transferencia de tecnologias
2
2
Agroprocessamento
1
1
Associativismo
1
1
Avaliacao participativa
1
1
Bom senso
1
1
Comercializacao
1
1
Comunicacao e dinamica dos
grupos de produotres
1
1
Conducao de ensaios e
demonstracoes
1
1
conservacao de alimentos
1
1
Conservacao de produtos
1
1
Conversas sociais
1
1
Covivencia com comunidades
1
1
desenvolvimento comunitario
1
1
Elaboracao de protocolos
1
1
Estimar os trabalhos dos
produtores
1
1
Experiencia de trabalho de campo
1
1
Fazer Advocacia
1
1
Fazer papas enriquecidas
1
1
gestao de microempresas
1
1
Gestao de pessoal
1
1
gestao de recursos hidricos
1
1
Gestao e lideranca
1
1
HIV/SIDA
1
1
Informatica
1
1
inpeccao de produtos organicos
1
1
Liderancao
1
1
Metodologias
1
1
Montagem de CDRs
1
1
Muliplicacao de semente
1
1
novas tecnicas de producao
1
1
Nutricao
1
1
papas fermentadas
1
1
Piscicultura
1
1
Planificação participativa
1
1
Prensagem de oleo
1
1
Producao de semente
1
1
63
proteccao de plantas 1 1
Secagem de vegetais 1 1
supervisao de actividades 1 1
Tipos de solos 1 1
Transmissao de mensagens 1 1
TOTAL 39 19 24 6 88
6. Futuras formacoes que precisa
Senior Staff District
Supervisors
Extensionist
s
Drivers Total
Informatica 3 5 5 13
Lingua Inglesa 6 2 1 9
HIV/SIDA 1 5 2 8
Associativismo 3 1 4
Gestao 1 3 4
Desenho, Monitoria e Avaliacao de
Projectos (DME)
3 3
DRP 2 1 3
Ciencias Agrarias 1 1 2
Comercializacao 1 1 2
Credito rural 1 1 2
Extensao 1 1 2
Extensao rural 2 2
Participacao comunitaria 1 1 2
Producao organica 2 2
Supervisao 1 1 2
Todas as possiveis e convenientes 2 2
Abordagem paricipativa 1 1
Administracao 1 1
Advocacia 1 1
Campanha Terra 1 1
Cartografia (Mapeamento) 1 1
Concluir o nivel medio 1 1
Conducao de ensaios on farm 1 1
Direito 1 1
Gestao de micro empresas 1 1
Gestao de programas de des.
Rural
1 1
gestao e contabilidade 1 1
gestao financeira 1 1
Licenciatura em cmunicacao social 1 1
Mangement Information Systems 1 1
Mestrado e doutoramento em
Agronomia
1 1
Metodos de trabalho 1 1
microfinancas 1 1
Novas tecnologias 1 1
poupanca 1 1
qualquer que for 1 1
sistemas de informacao de
mercados
1 1
Sistemas de Irrigacao 1 1
Sistemas de producao 1 1
64
TOTAL 37 24 21 3 85
7. Sugestoes para melhorar VIDA no futuro
Senior Staff District
Supervisors
Extensionist
s
Drivers Total
Especializacao de intervencoes 5 3 8
Melhorar os incentivos dos trabalhadores 4 1 1 6
Continuar a trabalhar para a CARE 2 2 2 6
Trabalho em equipe 1 1 2
Ser gestor de um programa de agricultura
ou extensao
2 2
Advocacia 1 1
Apoiar produtores com tecnicas e
tecnologias que proporcionarm rendimento
p/ combate da p. Absoluta
1 1
Apostar na planificacao participativa 1 1
Assistir as associacoes e comercializacao 1 1
Aumentar a rede de extensao 1 1
aumentar as formacoes em materia de
novas tecnicas
1 1
aumentar comeptencia dos associados 1 1
Boas ajudas de custo (per diem) 1 1
Boas condicoes de vida do trabalhador 1 1
Bolsa de estudos 1 1
Bom relacionamento entre colegas 1 1
Bom senso de trabalho dentro da categoria 1 1
Bons meios de transporte 1 1
Capacitar o pessoal do campo para maior
impacto
1 1
colaborar com outras ONG´s 1 1
compatibilidade salarial 1 1
Comtinuar a ajudar os AF 1 1
concentrar as actividades para melhor
resultado
1 1
Consideracao do pessoal do campo 1 1
Continuar a ajudar os AF na area de
extensao rural
1 1
continuar a criar oportunidades para
formação para aumentar conhecimentos
1 1
Criacao duma base local de gestao de
extensao
1 1
criar associacoes mais desenvolvidas no
meio rurural
1 1
criar pequenas empresas rurais 1 1
Dar bolsas de estudo ao pessal 1 1
dar mais formacoes em outras materias 1 1
Descrição bem clara de actividades 1 1
Diminuir mistura de actividades 1 1
Direccionar as actividades de acordo com a
situacao
1 1
Empoderar algums actividades 1 1
65
Esclarecer todos do vida os objectivos do
vida
1
1
Especializacao das intervencoes
1
1
Especializacao de estrategias
1
1
Expandir as accoes para todos os distritos
1
1
Fazer diagnostico constante
1
1
Fazer DRP e assistir as comunidades para
resolver os problemas encontrados
1
1
fazer rigiriso selecção de candidatos para
preencher vagas
1
1
Formacao continua do pessoal
1
1
formar e assistir associacoes
1
1
fortificar a area de monitoria
1
1
implementar o pacote de poupanca e credito
rural
1
1
incentivar muito as associacoes de
mulheres
1
1
Intensificar formacao dos trabalhadores
1
1
Maior colaboracao
1
1
maior respeito com colegas
1
1
maior tolerancia
1
1
Manter sempre a seguranca alimentar
1
1
melhorar a gestao de recursos
1
1
Melhorar o pacote de incentivos
1
1
Melhorar o sistema de extensao
1
1
Melhorar o transporte dos extensionistas
1
1
Mudanca do enquadramento do proejcto em
alguns distritos
1
1
Nao haver discrimainacao no trabalho
1
1
Nao se pode misturar as actividades senao
o grupo alvo fica confuso
1
1
O projecto nao deve cansar
1
1
Organizacao interna (coordenacao e
motivacao)
1
1
orientar intervencoes para grupos e
associacoes
1
1
Os tecnicos devem ter uma actividade
1
1
Os Tecnicos nao podem ter mais que tres
tarefas
1
1
Pacotes ligados a grande rpomocoa de
microempresas
1
1
passar algumas actividades para
associacoes
1
1
Pessoal activo e profissional
1
1
Promocao de acordo com as qualidades e
requisitos
1
1
promover actvidades rentaveis nos grupos
1
1
questao de vencimento
1
1
Realizacao conjunta das actividades para o
progresso
1
1
Realizar formacoes continuas
1
1
realizar mais recilcagens do pessoal
1
1
66
Recrutamento do pessoal para extensao
deve ter formacao em agricultura
1 1
Recrutar o pessoa qualificado de nivel
medio para frente
1 1
Recutramento do pessoal com foramcao na
area 1 1
Reduzir a dependencia do VIDA à
organizacao
1 1
Reduzir o volume dos pacotes para se
concentrar em alguns
1 1
Ter boa ccordenacao entre colegas e outris
parceiros
1 1
Ter um centro de formacao especifico para
a CARE
1 1
Trabalhar em parceira com com os outros 1 1
Trabalhar mais no mio rural com as
produtoras
1 1
Treinamentos ao pessoal do campo 1 1
troca de experiencia com outras
organizacoes
1 1
Usar nas tecnologias de extensao atraves
de meios audio-visuais
1 1
8. O que voce gostaria de fazer em 2010
Senior Staff District
Supervisors
Extensionist
s
Drivers Total
Visitas de intercambio 1 1
Acessor de programas de des. Rural 1 1
Administrar um projecto 1 1
Ajudar criancas vitimas de HIV/SIDA 1 1
Ajudar o grupo alvo difundindo mensagens 1 1
Aumentar o numero de grupos de mulheres 1 1
Consultor privado 1 1
Continuar a ajudar os AF como vinha
fazendo
1 1
Continuar a desenvolver actividades de
extensao e investigacao
1 1
Criar associacoes de extensionistas para
um forum tecnico onde poderao ser
resolvidas as preocupacoe
1 1
Criar oportunidade de mercado 1 1
Criar um sistema de M&E que abarque
todos os projectos
1 1
Estudar fora do Pais 1 1
fazer com que os camponeses cuidem das
criacas e maes gravidas
1 1
fazer com que todos os nossos beneficiarios
adoptem as tecnicas transmitidas
1 1
fazer com que todos os produtres siabam
defender olima wo suka
1 1
Fazer licenciatura em gestao empresarial 1 1
Fazer mais represas para zonas com falta
de agua
1 1
Formadora em Nutricao ou HIV 1 1
Fornecer insumos aos extensionistas nos
distritos
1 1
67
Fornecimento de servicos na area de
extensao
1 1
Gerir minha propriedade agricola onde
posso aplicar todas as tecnologias que
aprendi com o VIDA
1 1
gerir um sistem de informacao de mercados 1 1
Gostaria de produzir muito material de
promocao para grupos alvos de extensao e
associados
1 1
Maior ligacao dos grupos de mulheres com
outros parceiros
1 1
Montar um centro de consuloria para
producao e inspeccao de producao organica
1 1
passar algumas actividades para
associacoes
1 1
Possuir formacao em DME 1 1
Reduzir a pobreza no grupo alvo 1 1
Ser "Umbrella" para transferir tecnologias
para instituicoes
1 1
ser consultor do funcionamento das grandes
associacoes de camponeses
1 1
Ser consultor juridico para pessoas sem
posses
1 1
Ser grande criador de aves e gado 1 1
Ter propriedade de geracao de rendimentos 1 1
Ter tranporte para evacuar doentes para
hoistal c/precos simbolicos
1 1
Trabalhar como tecnico extensionista para
melhorar a vida do campones
1 1
Trabalhar por conta propria no ramo de
agricultura
1 1
68
ANNEX 4 – Indicators for Impact. Baseline and Mid-term
Evaluation
Baseline Mid term Mid –Term
Results
Indicator
Results Target Achieved
Net per capita average real income per
year rises for both male and female
headed households
Central $48
West $51
20%
20%
Not available
Measurable income in assets per hh for
both male and female headed
households
• Radio % 55% 20% increase 64%
• Goats/sheep % 29% 20% increase
• Bicycle % 34% 20% increase 52%
Measurable decrease in stunting 63.2% M
55.8% F
Not available
Measurable decrease in acute
malnutrition
New indicator In process
Measurable increase in diet quality index
(Nutriprox)
4.00 10% increase 4.69
Measurable decrease in hungry period
(mean number of months reported food
shortage)
2.49 months 15% 1.39
Table 1. Household Assets, by Category of Project Participation
% HH Owning
HH Categories
Type of asset Non New Old
Total
Sample
Baseline
Total
Wooden bed 27.8 30.7 43.2a 32.8 19
Wooden table 18.0 16.8 20.7 18.5 10
Bicycle 45.2 54.7a 59.8a 51.5 34
Motorcycle 0.0 0.7 0.6 0.3 1
Sewing machine 3.4 5.8 7.1a 5.0 4
Radio 59.9 59.9 72.8a 63.5 55
Cotton mattress 9.2 14.6a 20.1a 13.5 7
Foam mattress 3.4 8.0a 4.7 4.8 2
Wooden chest 27.2 27.0 39.1a 30.5 17
Clock 31.0 29.9 34.3 31.7 14
Car 0.7 1.5 1.8 1.2 0
Lamp 77.9 79.6 85.8a 80.5 58
Tin roof on house 1.7 4.4 1.8 2.3 2
Cement/brick walls of house 5.4 8.0 13.0a 8.2 3
Value of all assets (MT) 1,224,830 2,049,635 2,123,047b 1,666,158 n.a. a
subgroup proportion significantly different from the proportion of non-member subgroup at 10% level (Chi-square test) b
subgroup mean significantly different from the mean of non-member subgroup at 10% level (t-test)