Risk Mitigation through Holistic Sustainable Horticultural Production Practices: The Case of Poultry in Northern Mozambique

With a rapidly growing population and arable land decreasing, sustainable agriculture is vital to managing the already depleted resources in Northern Mozambique to ensure food security. Research in Mozambique has shown that poultry producers have a desire to increase income stability through diversification of farming practices to smooth revenue over time. In low-income countries, agricultural diversification can lead to a reduction of income variance and thus contribute to the well-being of impoverished producers. This research focuses on the most efficient method for implementing sustainable best practices (BPs) for crop production systems to supplement and smooth the income of poultry producers who currently depend on the volatile poultry market for all of their income. Objectives for the project include: 1) construct guidelines for horticultural BPs prior to arrival, 2) perform on site evaluations, make adjustments to guidelines, and analyze the income data sets of poultry growers, 3) perform demonstrations in Mozambique that will educate those involved in the poultry industry based on the proposed BP guidelines, 4) provide areas for future research. Research conducted on soil management and composting techniques interconnect with the poultry production by-products to save on off-site inputs. Most importantly for the impoverished poultry producers in Mozambique the most expensive input of vegetable production, fertilizer, is a free by-product from poultry production. The results from this research can be used to reduce risks associated with poultry production in the US and provide BPs for recycling by-products of the industry. Specifically, given that large poultry producers have begun to start contracting with poor agricultural producers in the rural Mississippi Delta region, this template can act as a risk management springboard for poultry growers in the rural south. This case study serves as a model for future research and aims to gain a deeper understanding of holistic horticulture approaches.