Mozambique Agricultural Risk Profile

Two-thirds of the total population of 28 million in Mozambique is rural, which is relatively the same as the African average. While agriculture occupies more land area than in most African countries, the sector’s contribution to GDP and exports is only around the African average of 20%.

This methodological brief relies on the national averages to provide a high-level quantitative snapshot of selected risks that affect Mozambique’s agricultural sector. Specifically, it presents how the sector has grown between 1990 and 2013, the major agricultural products and the level of vulnerability. It also provides background information on the various forms of risks including production, market, and macro level risks. The analysis suggests that output price risks are slightly greater than production risks, although both are quite high. Climatic disasters in Mozambique are relatively more frequently than in other PARM countries. Droughts seem to be the most important agricultural risk. Rice, maize, sweet potatoes and sesame seeds are most affected by yield losses while cassava, meat, and cashew nuts are most affected by output price risks.