Avaliação da situação da segurança alimentar e nutriocional no distrito de Boane

Abstract

The growth of agricultural production in Mozambique is asymmetrical, with the south historically deficient while the north and center are the most productive and, therefore, surplus. Surpluses found in these regions are usually exported informally to neighboring countries. For example, in 2006/7 Mozambique contributed 78% of the corn informally exported in the Community of Development of Southern Africa – SADC (PMA, 2007). The functioning of markets, the seasonality of stocks and prices, and participation of stakeholders play a critical role in determining SAN. In terms of seasonal variation in food prices, peaks are normally recorded by lack of storage capacity for agricultural products, thus contributing for price speculation due to their availability at the moment. Otherwise exchange rate variations of the Metical against the main currencies (US Dollar and Rand South African) as well as the variation in fuel prices related to the costs of transport for the sale of agricultural products dictate the price peaks of products agricultural products in the Mozambican market (SETSAN, 2006 and IAF 2002/03). In Mozambique, markets are strongly influenced by the lack and/or poor state of conservation and functioning of physical infrastructures and transport costs. The situation nutrition since 1998 has not seen significant improvements, revealing that access to adequate food at all times is not yet guaranteed to the population, and may there may be cyclical pockets of transient InSAN, essentially due to the occurrence of climatic and economic shocks, particularly in rural areas. In urban centers, SAN is strongly influenced by economic access to food and not just by their physical availability. In cities, the definition of groups vulnerable to InSAN fundamentally depends on a variety of factors, such as, employment opportunities, basic health and education services, protection services social, rural exodus and the functioning of markets (TIA, 2008).