Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Production and Productivity in Africa and Lessons for Mozambique

The work of the IGC relating to agriculture in Mozambique began in April 2011 with this rapid response project solicited by the Mozambican government in the context of the design of poverty-alleviation policies. Mozambique was facing civil riots because of high food prices stemming from low domestic agricultural production. After comprehensive fieldwork and interaction with Mozambican authorities, a specialized team (headed by Professor Carlos Guanziroli) identified a program entitled ‘Programa Integrado de Produção e Produtividade’ – PIPP (Integrated Program of Production and Productivity) in July 2011. This program identified the causes of low agricultural productivity in Mozambique and, informed by comparable programs in Sub-Saharan Africa, proposed a specific sequence of policies.