When crops fail in regions like Mozambique, children are the first to suffer the consequences of food insecurity. Maputo Bridge Capital, founded by Anselmo Boaventura in Fort Worth, Texas, addresses this crisis by connecting sponsors with verified smallholder farmers in the Zambezia province through the COJAZ cooperative.
173,000 Acres Gone
As of December 2025, approximately 173,000 acres of crops have been destroyed in Mozambique, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and parts of South Africa due to climate extremes. This destruction threatens the food security of thousands of families.
In Mozambique alone, 13 tropical cyclones have made landfall since 2019. Cyclone Dikeledi destroyed 48 health facilities and 221 schools in Nampula province in January 2025.
The Chain Reaction
When a cyclone hits, the damage triggers a devastating sequence of events for local communities:
- Crops are destroyed — the harvest meant to feed a family for six months disappears in hours.
- Seed stock is lost — seeds saved for the next season are washed away or rot.
- Soil is degraded — floodwaters deposit sand and debris, making fertile soil unplantable.
- Infrastructure is destroyed — roads, bridges, and markets essential for trade are lost.
- Food prices spike — supply drops significantly while demand remains constant, causing prices to triple.
- Families go hungry — with no harvest and no insurance, the cycle of poverty deepens.
The Child at the End of the Chain
At the end of that chain is a child whose growth and immune system depend on the calories and nutrients from the family harvest. When crops fail, families reduce their intake, eventually resorting to eating wild leaves and roots. This leads to malnutrition, leaving the child unable to fight off common illnesses like fever or diarrhea. This is the slow, silent violence of hunger driven by climate change.
Impact on the Farmer's Season
For a smallholder farmer, climate instability dictates the entire agricultural cycle. When a sponsor provides from $25, the funds go directly to the local seed and fertilizer shop in the farmer's community. This allows the farmer to secure inputs early. If a climate event occurs, the loss of these inputs can prevent a farmer from planting entirely, but when crops succeed, they repay their commitment into a Community Fund that enables sponsorships for the next farmer.
$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.
The New Normal
Climate change is the present reality for Mozambican farmers:
- Droughts are occurring with greater frequency than the historical 3-4 year cycle.
- Cyclones make landfall about once per year with increasing intensity.
- The El Niño-La Niña cycle causes dangerous whiplash between drought and flood.
- Average precipitation has decreased 3.1% per decade since 1960.
- The Cahora Bassa dam dropped to 19% capacity in January 2025, the lowest level in 30 years.
What Could Build Resilience
Research and technological advancements represent potential pathways to increase resilience for Mozambican agriculture:
- Index-based crop insurance: Utilizing satellite data to trigger automated payouts when rainfall drops below critical levels.
- Drought-resistant seeds: Implementing improved varieties to survive erratic weather.
- Crop diversification: Moving away from monocultures to ensure food security during single-event disasters.
- Satellite monitoring: Providing early warnings of crop stress to allow for adaptive management.
- Mobile money savings: Building cash reserves during successful seasons to buffer against climate shocks.
Related guide: Climate-smart agriculture in Mozambique: 6 technologies helping farmers beat drought, floods and cyclones
Frequently asked questions
What causes crop failure during a cyclone? Crops are lost due to physical destruction from high winds, flooding that deposits debris on fields, and the loss of seed stocks stored for future planting.
How does climate change impact child health? Climate-induced crop failure reduces available nutrients, leading to malnutrition that weakens a child's immune system against common illnesses.
What is the role of infrastructure in food security? Roads, bridges, and local markets are vital for food distribution; when these are destroyed, local supply chains break down, leading to price spikes.
Meet the farmers or read more on our blog.
Sponsorships through Maputo Bridge Capital are gifts, not investments, and are not tax-deductible. 92% of your contribution goes directly to the farmer's local seed and fertilizer shop, while 8% covers field verification and receipt documentation. To support a family, sponsor a farmer from $25 here.