The feasibility of Introducing New Soybean Cropping Systems in Highland Areas of Northern Mozambique

Abstract

We focused on new soybean cropping systems for food security and income generation among smallholder farmers in highland areas of northern Mozambique. Using a comprehensive data set obtained from on-farm trials, questionnaire survey to trial farmers, their recording of farming activities, and measurement of their farmlands, we constructed a linear programming model to analyze the economic viability of new soybean cropping systems under different farm conditions. The result indicates that the introduction of such systems is economically viable among nearly half of the sample farmers. Even though they face major problems inherent in soybean farming such as lack of finance for labor employment and decline in soybean price, there is still room to introduce new cropping systems, especially soybean and maize intercropping in order to improve food and income supplies.