Maputo Bridge Capital (MBC), founded by Anselmo Boaventura in Fort Worth, Texas, provides sponsors with seven thematic ways to support verified smallholder farmers in Mozambique. Rather than a singular approach, MBC allows sponsors to direct their support toward specific sectors such as food security, environmental sustainability, or community development. Through our partnership with the COJAZ cooperative in Zambezia, we ensure that support reaches those on the ground where it is needed most.
The 7 Thematic Focus Areas
🌽 Maize
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Focus | Maize farmers across all provinces |
| Impact | Food security (maize = staple food) |
Why maize? It is the primary staple crop in Mozambique, with 3.5M tons consumed annually. Every farmer who grows maize feeds their family first, then sells the surplus. Sponsoring here supports fundamental food security.
🥜 Cashew
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Focus | Cashew processing + farming cooperatives |
| Impact | Export revenue (AGOA duty-free to US) |
Why cashew? Mozambique is one of Africa's largest cashew producers. Export crops like cashew offer farmers higher income potential compared to staple crops, and local processing adds significant value to the supply chain.
👩🌾 Women
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Focus | Female farmers only |
| Impact | Gender equality + women's income |
Why women? A significant portion of MBC's farmers are women. Studies indicate that women often reinvest a higher percentage of their income back into their families for food, education, and health, creating a ripple effect of community benefit.
☀️ Solar
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Focus | Farmers with solar irrigation systems |
| Impact | 3 harvests/year (vs 1 rain-fed) + clean energy |
Why solar? While traditional rain-fed farming typically yields one harvest per year, solar irrigation can enable up to three. This technology provides resilience against drought and stabilizes income, representing a key research area for future agricultural scaling.
🌿 Carbon
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Focus | Agroforestry + carbon sequestration |
| Impact | 750 tons CO2 sequestered per year |
Why carbon? Agroforestry involves planting trees alongside crops. This practice offers environmental benefits by sequestering carbon, providing a sustainable model that could potentially be expanded through future carbon credit initiatives.
🦁 Gorongosa
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Focus | Park-adjacent farmers + conservation buffer zone |
| Impact | Wildlife protection + human-wildlife conflict reduction |
Why Gorongosa? Farmers living near national parks are central to conservation. When these farmers have access to resources and income stability, they can move away from subsistence methods that may encroach upon park lands. This includes innovative approaches like beehive fences, as discussed in The Gorongosa Index: Measuring Park Economic Impact.
🌍 Diversified
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Focus | All sectors, all provinces, all crops |
| Impact | Maximum reach across MBC network |
Why diversified? For those who want to support the entire spectrum of our initiatives, this category spreads sponsorship across all crops, provinces, and farmer types, ensuring broad support across the region.
$25 plants a farmer's season in Zambézia.
Paid straight to the local seed shop. You get the receipt, a field photo and a harvest update.
A gift, not an investment. Not tax-deductible.
Understanding the Smallholder Season
For a smallholder farmer, the season is a critical cycle dictated by the climate. Planting timing, access to quality seeds, and the application of fertilizer determine the yield. By the time of harvest, farmers repay into a Community Fund, which is then used to sponsor the next farmer, creating a self-sustaining cycle of support that allows the cooperative to scale its reach.
Frequently asked questions
What is a staple crop?
A staple crop is a food that is eaten routinely and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet, such as maize in Mozambique.
How does irrigation change a farming cycle?
Irrigation allows farmers to grow crops outside of the traditional rainy season, potentially increasing harvest frequency from once a year to multiple cycles.
Why is agroforestry beneficial for the environment?
Agroforestry, the practice of integrating trees with crops, helps improve soil health, increases biodiversity, and captures carbon, which assists in climate change mitigation efforts.
Supporting Mozambique's Agriculture
To see how our verification process works and learn more about our operational model, you can visit How sponsoring a farmer works. You can also explore profiles of our partners at Meet the farmers. For a deeper look at the technological landscape and future possibilities, read The Roadmap: 50 Interventions That Could Transform Mozambican Agriculture Forever.
We invite you to make an impact by sponsoring a farmer from $25 at /pt/patrocinar. Please note that sponsorships are gifts, not investments.
