Mozambique is a poor country even though its economy develops during the last several decades, which influences the poverty rates and gender equality. Recently females became widely occupied in politics, education and health. Still, the discrepancy between different parts of the country shows that their position regarding employment, agriculture and income varies.
Emphasizing macroeconomic stability and growth, the government claimed that by enhancing the state of physical infrastructure and social sectors a step forward can be made. Many households continue to be involved in agriculture, and informal economy helps them to gain enough income.
Generally, Mozambique has gone through “changing paradigms of socialism, neo-liberalism and current liberal economic policies with an emphasis on social development” (Tvedten 2011, p. 24). It has positively influenced human development: the index is 0.393, which is still extremely low, but the progress cannot be denied, as it was only 0.246 in 1980 (Human development report 2014).
The achievements of Mozambique are tightly connected with agriculture, as about 80% of its population are engaged in this field and belong to rural households. Smallholder farmers produce many cash crops such as potatoes, tobacco, tea and paprika, which allows them to increase their income and pay their laborers. It provides 80% of the population with relatively cheap products and contributes to export.
The sector is grooving for about 6% per year and reduces poverty in rural areas providing people with food, work and money (Mucavele, n.d.). To make the improvement stable, agricultural technologies are used, including fertilizer and small-scale irrigation, etc.
Unfortunately, only 3% more farmers referred to them during this time, so the government implemented technical support services and training under the New Green Revolution Strategy. They are low-cost but effective, which allows people to gain profit (Investing in rural people in Mozambique 2014).
The access to wage labor, which enhances the state of agriculture and the whole country, depends on the people’s education. Utilizing it, they can manage the household efficiently and increase their earnings. That is why this sphere gains investments that allow new schools to be built in villages (Tschirley & Benfica 2000).
Coping with rural poverty, Mozambique enhances the access not only to education but also to health care. People can effort better services, know more about the diseases and the ways of their prevention and treatment, they get better food and clean water, which drops maternal mortality from 1000 death to 500 and children mortality from 245 to 138 (Tvedten 2011).
The rapid development of the agriculture is connected with foreign investments and earnings, as they contribute to macroeconomic stability. In this way, agriculture and fisheries got 31% of all investments by 2011, which is the highest rate. Community Investor Partnership Project was implemented to promote the development in rural areas (Investing in rural people in Mozambique 2014).
Investments streamline the transformation of the economy and reduce the poverty rates. Thus, high-wage rural households put their earnings in agriculture. Investments in education and training also contribute to this area, as they are meant for teaching people how to manage workers and minimalize the output.
Thus, the poverty rates in the rural areas are reducing due to the changes in the economy that are targeted at agriculture and entail different spheres. With the help of new programs and investments, people gain the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and use specific technologies. In this way, they have better employment opportunities that allow them to have better income and effort social services of good quality. Agricultural production and productivity increases and changes the lives of people for better.
Reference List
Human development report, 2014. Web.
Investing in rural people in Mozambique 2014. Web.
Mucavele, F., True contribution of agriculture to economic growth and poverty reduction: Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia synthesis report. Web.
Tschirley, D. & Benfica, R. 2000, Smallholder agriculture, wage labour, and rural poverty alleviation in Mozambique: what does the evidence tell us? Web.
Tvedten, I. 2011, Mozambique country case study: gender equality and development. Web.