Southern Africa

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in NextBillion as a part of the series “Recovery 2021,” which explores how businesses, development initiatives and the communities they serve in low- and middle-income countries are building greater resilience for a post-pandemic future.  At the worst…

This article, published by Agrilinks, details the Alliance for Inclusive and Nutritious Food Processing (AINFP)—a partnership between USAID, TechnoServe and Partners in Food Solutions (PFS) that aims to create a more competitive food-processing sector in Africa—and shows how partnerships with local food processing businesses can help them improve food safety, even amid an unprecedented pandemic.

In Mozambique, many students graduate without the necessary soft skills to succeed in jobs or as entrepreneurs, leaving them with limited economic opportunities. TechnoServe’s WIN program worked with the Mozambican government to revise a life skills curriculum that will help young people — and women in particular — access jobs and start their own businesses.

Earlier this year, violent insurgents attacked the city of Palma in northern Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique. They killed dozens of people, forced thousands to flee, and sparked a humanitarian crisis that continues to this day. There is a perceived link between poverty — particularly among youth — and insecurity. TechnoServe is addressing this challenge by promoting economic opportunities for youth in the region.

In northern Mozambique, climate change, regional insecurity, and COVID-19 have combined to create immense challenges for farmers like Jacinta Fernando. A TechnoServe program is teaching these farmers how to grow soybean for the first time — a profitable cash crop that can help them improve their financial security and food security during times of crisis.

TechnoServe’s COVID-19 Impact Report examines how the pandemic disrupted key sectors of emerging economies and the livelihoods of those who work in them. Our second feature in our blog series on the report highlights the challenges food processors faced last year and the promising solutions that could help them maintain their key role in the value chain.

The FED Zambia program will strengthen a vital link in agricultural value chains, supporting improved nutrition, economic growth, and improved opportunities for women.

This article in Perfect Daily Grind covers the Reviving Origins program, a coffee farming partnership between TechnoServe and Nespresso, which focuses on improving productivity and sustainability.