The technical team of the Beyond Cotton project went on a mission to the provinces of Manica and Tete, in Mozambique, to map potential buyers of cotton and other by-products in the region. The field study, which took place between February 10th and March 4th, identified public and private institutions that will be able to buy products from farmers located in Tete, Manica and Sofala, another important market hub in the central region of the country.
The Beyond Cotton project aims to find alternative sources of income and improve the food and nutritional security of family cotton farmers by processing and selling by-products and other intercropped crops. The information collected during the mission will help the team identify potential buyers, where they are located, products with the best sales potential, in addition to specific quality and quantity requirements.
“Up until now, 81 potential buyers have been identified and interviewed, including 27 public and 54 private institutions, which include processing companies, retailers, general resellers and small buyers,” said Elvira Rendição, of the project’s technical team in Mozambique. Initial analyses indicate knowledge gaps about the use and processing of cotton by-products in the region, although there is significant production potential. Most buyers prefer to purchase high-yield crops and food, especially corn, but also other foods such as beans, sesame, soybeans and vegetables.
The Beyond Cotton project in Mozambique seeks to support sustainable local development by prioritizing the purchase of cotton-based foods produced in each province. For local producers, this means generating employment and income, strengthening and diversifying local economy, taking local specificities and eating habits into account, thus promoting the well-being of the population.
The study that will result from this mission will also support the development of a logistics plan for supply and demand and will seek to point out ways to establish connections between family cotton farmers and local public and private markets.