Comments on: Obama v Kofi Annan: Who has the best model for agriculture in Mozambique?

By: Sigrid

Sigrid — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:23:16 +0000

What I find interesting is the mix between a state-led approach and the aim to involve private financing. Reminiscent of the Asian tigers approach to the economy in general.

The market is an excellent servant, but a terrible master.

By: G de Locht

G de Locht — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:19:46 +0000

Even if ‘Annan model’ looks nice in this article, mind the Annan is the chairman of the Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) funded by Gates Foundation and Rockfeller Foundation, with their own stakes…
The real interest of the small scale farmers are not defended by those models.

By: Ingo Melchers

Ingo Melchers — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 16:58:19 +0000

It might come to an interesting mixture of what you call the Obama and Kofi Annan Model, if Cargill´s and other company´s investments were based on the small scale agriculture. The Mozambican Agriculture, not only in the North, will need strong business actors to overcome infrastructure problems, extremely high fertilizer prices and low management skills of the smallholders and to organize and structure the value chain. But these “strong actors” need not necessarily invest in land aquisitions and produce the soy itself but act as a leader of the supply chain management and as a strong buyer. So, there might be a lot of chances for “inclusive business models” in Mozambique in the near future. Of course new and modern and inclusive agricultural and industrial policies of the government would be very helpful…

By: Joseph Hanlon

Joseph Hanlon — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 10:39:53 +0000

Brazil is indeed becoming a big player in Mozambique. Pro-Savana is a three way Brazil (technical assistance)-Japan ($)-Mozambique programme which really only started this year. They want to do a mix of large, medium and small farms. Embrapa (The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) is taking the lead, and it has a lot of experience in making smaller farmers more commercial and thus raising incomes. Their model of state-led agricultural development of smaller producers is really similar to what I called the Annan model. In parallel there is Brazilian interest in very large highly mechanised farms, and I have a sense that there is some tension between the Embrapa approach and the would-be latifundiários.

By: Jonathan Glennie

Jonathan Glennie — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 03:29:53 +0000

The Brazilians will be promoting their model, which is a self-conscious combination of mega-business and large investments in small scale farmers, the source of much of the food. There is no doubt that mega-agro is an important part of Brazilian growth, but the change in policy under Lula to invest in small farmers as well has led to poverty reduction, increased food production and an increase in demand, further driving economic growth. In other words, it may not need to be an either or. JG

By: Joseph Hanlon

Joseph Hanlon — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 11:29:47 +0000

Donor agencies seem anxious to keep small farmers small — improving soil fertility and planting trees, but not making the key technological leaps that allow expanded area. Mozambican farmers will not be able to feed themselves and earn enough cash from the average 1.5 hectares they farm now.

The essential transformation is to increase the land to 5 ha and raise productivity from less than 1 tonne of maize per hectare to 3 tonnes or more. Zimbabwean land reform farmers have shown that this can be done.

But it requires substantial changes — it requires serious credit, not simply microcredit and savings clubs, and it needs subsidised inputs, mechanisation (animal traction or small tractors) and guaranteed markets.

By: Jefffrey Ashe

Jefffrey Ashe — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:40:36 +0000

Of course there is a third model. The Annon model appears to be similar to the contract farming model for cotton that Mali has been using for decades and that has largely failed.

In Mali we are promoting an third model which by working through women’s savings groups initially focuses on building the fertility of the soil and raising the water table with cover crops and providing shade with glericidia trees. This will establish the conditons for increasing production oriented largely to the first market “the stomach” and selling any surplus locally.

Jeff Ashe
Director of Community Finance
Oxfam America

By: max lawson

max lawson — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:40:34 +0000

great piece joe

I choose the Annan model every time. Mozambique’s agriculture is trapped in the low productivity trap that is familiar across Africa. We need public investment in seeds, extension and inputs such as fertiliser to break this cycle, as has been demonstrated in Malawi. Much better to spend crucial and declining aid resources on this than on subsidising Cargill and land grabbing.

By: Carlos

Carlos — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:47:55 +0000

The Annan Model appears to be ideal and most beautiful but also it appears to more than difficult to execute. Peasants are difficult to rely on if you give them money to produce as they face many problems – lack of technology, whether, pests etc. After receiving funds the likelihood of saying do not have it to return is more than high. By taking into consideration these factors lead me to choose the Obama model! The private sector brings development but unfortunately this goes together with inequality. However there is no way to escape from this!