Gorongosa’s Sustainable Livelihoods Development program is helping farmers like Rogério Jambo turn small plots into bigger profits and more opportunities
Rogério Jambo once relied on farming large areas—four to five hectares—to make enough money for a motorbike. But in 2024, he produced tomatoes, cabbage, onions, collard greens, and beans on just a 20-by-60-meter plot, earning more than 80,000 meticais with the guidance and inputs provided through Gorongosa National Park’s Sustainable Livelihoods Development program.
This year, Jambo expanded his efforts. Using a solar-powered pump, improved seeds, and techniques like integrated pest management, staking, and staggered planting, he now cultivates three hectares of irrigated crops—a significant step up in both productivity and sustainability.
The Gorongosa Restoration Project, together with partners Resilience, Right To Play, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Mozambique, supported Jambo’s transition to small-scale, high-yield farming. In September 2025, the group held a regional steering committee meeting to review the program’s progress and future plans.
The meeting brought together district administrators, community leaders, and presidents of Natural Resource Management Committees from six nearby districts—Gorongosa, Nhamatanda, Cheringoma, Dondo, Muanza, and Maringué—along with representatives from Mozambique’s Ministry of Land and Environment (ANAC) and the Dutch Embassy. Their goal: assess mid-term results and strengthen collaboration for ongoing success in the Beira Corridor communities.
In 2024, Jambo also received a small processing unit through the program, enabling him to provide corn meal processing services for his community in Nhauranga, Tambarara locality. The new machine can process 600–800 kilos per day, serving more than 500 local families who each mill around 35 kilos weekly. When the steering committee visited Nhauranga, they joined Jambo in inaugurating the new machine—a milestone he hopes will create another local job.
Committee members also visited other communities, including Madzimachena, Tambarara, and Matacamachaua, to see how integrated projects in agriculture, nutrition, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), sexual and reproductive health, and reforestation are improving lives. Community members shared firsthand stories of transformation, followed by a plenary session on achievements and ongoing challenges.
In September the committee hosted a hands-on workshop in the Cheringoma District that united district officials, community leaders, and partners around one goal: building a sustainable future for the region. Over several days of discussion and collaboration, community voices took center stage as participants shaped shared strategies for urban planning, local development, and environmental conservation.
With technical support from UN-Habitat, the workshop strengthened local governance and renewed a collective commitment to protect Cheringoma’s natural and cultural heritage for generations to come.After reviewing results in the field, the committee reaffirmed its commitment to funding projects that are improving both livelihoods and local resilience.
For Jambo, one persistent challenge is transport. Last year, a lack of vehicles caused much of his tomato harvest to spoil in the fields, forcing him to sell at just 400 meticais per crate—far below market value. He now advocates for shared investment in transport, similar to the successful cost-sharing model for solar water pumps.
The Sustainable Livelihoods Development Steering Committee continues to play a key role in ensuring the program aligns with national environmental and human development goals.
After reviewing results in the field, the committee reaffirmed its commitment to funding projects that are improving both livelihoods and local resilience.
And Mr. Jambo? Today he leads a group of 25 farmers and collaborates with 50 rain-fed producers around the model field, sharing his experience as a success story. With his earnings, he bought the long-awaited motorbike, paid for school supplies for his children, and continues to inspire others in his community.
“The program is teaching us many things and creating a real change for the communities.”
-Rogério Jambo, farmer, Nhauranga