Lessons learnt from the sesame value chain in Mozambique
Despite recent encouraging advances, Mozambique faces a state of chronic underdevelopment with over 65% of its population living in extreme poverty and most of the country lacking access to basic infrastructures such as water, sanitation, and electricity. Over the course of the past two decades, the country has experienced annual GDP growth averaging 7% and has improved life expectancy, increased school enrolment and improved agricultural yields by 50%.
Governments and development agencies should join forces with key value chain actors to support product differentiation and promote marketing strategies that serve markets for both low- and high-grade sesame seed.
Top takeaways
1. Low-quality, unsorted sesame produce lower the price of the commodity on the export market.
2. Poor integration among value chain actors prevents the downstream flow of information, knowledge and quality agro-input.
3. Lack of access to credit intermediation limits the ability of the sesame value chain to grow.
4. Limited research on climate change impacts threatens the production capacity and resilience of producers.
5. The opportunity for developing seed crushing plants for edible sesame oil is low; other, more profitable sesame processing opportunities are available.
