Context
Mozambique suffers from regularly occurring extreme events such as heavy storms and severe droughts that threaten the economic system and the livelihoods of its population. Following the significant drought that occurred in 2016, the GDP growth decreased by approximately 50% compared to the previous fiscal year. To better adapt to climate change and water-related extreme events in particular, the government developed a water sector action plan in 2018 based on the country’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) and the national adaptation strategy, which aimed to increase water storage capacity by 30%. Subsequently, the comprehensive national program entitled PRAVIDA (‘water for life’ in Portuguese) was initiated and proved a success during its first phase which ended in 2020.The National Institute of Irrigation (INIR) is responsible for application of the rainwater harvesting system and has tried to enhance farmland by increasing water accessibility, given that only 3% of farmland is irrigation-equipped. INIR has installed irrigation infrastructure, largely in the south. However, the country still requires technical and financial assistance to achieve the national goal—extended water storage capacity throughout the country.
CTCN Support
The CTCN will support the exploration of possible rainwater harvesting system options and undertake a technical assessment to identify the most appropriate system, especially for agricultural use, by determining applicability and effectiveness and providing a cost-benefit analysis. The outputs will also include a concept paper for proposals to international climate and ODA funds.
Expected Impact
The technical assistance will contribute to the implementation of adaptation strategies and help drought-prone areas secure water for agriculture through rainwater harvesting. Rainwater harvesting systems will improve agricultural production and benefit a large portion of the population, as more than 75% are employed in the agriculture sector. Since women comprise a significant portion of the workforce, they will greatly benefit from this assistance.
