Private Agricultural Investments and Land Use Change Impact on The Adaptive Capacity of Local Communities to Climate Change in Mozambique

Private Agricultural Investments and Land Use Change Impact on The Adaptive Capacity of Local Communities to Climate Change in Mozambique (PAIMO) (2013-2014)

Background

Currently, there are considerable amount of private agricultural investments in Africa in general and Mozambique in particular. This planned research will generate information on the effects of private agricultural investments on the adaptive capacity of local communities to climate change. Adaptive capacity can be evaluated in terms of livelihood alternatives, access to natural resources, such as water, fertile soil, etc. and mobility of local people and goods. To accomplish the planned research objectives multidisciplinary approach is required. This research will combine socioeconomic, policy, and biophysical studies.

This research provides the opportunity to establish a new cooperation link between two institutions in Finland, i.e. University of Helsinki/VITRI and Pellervo Economic Research (PTT), and Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique. As part of the project activities there will be student and staff exchange between the University of Helsinki and Eduardo Mondlane University. The staff from the Pellervo Economic Research will also be involved in supervising exchange students.

Overall objective: To formulate criterion for climate proofing of private agricultural investments in developing countries

Specific Objectives

Land-use changes through private agricultural investments have an impact on local communities and their adaptive capacity towards climate change in several ways. Changes in the use of forests change the livelihood possibilities and the availability of ecosystem services. In this project, the adaptive capacity of local communities to land use changes in Mozambique is studied by:

  1. Mapping of private investments in Mozambique
  2. Studying the changes in livelihood and availability of ecosystem services in the neighbourhood of selected investment sites
  3. Evaluating the effect of selected private agricultural investment on the adaptive capacity of local communities to climate change
  4. Estimating the change in carbon stocks as a result of land use change and the reallocation of local communities to new areas.

Publications

Peer-reviewed papers

Bleyer M., Kniivilä M., Horne P., Sitoe A., Falcão M.P. 2016. Socio-economic impacts of private land use investment on rural communities: Industrial forest plantations in Niassa, Mozambique. Land Use Policy 51: 281-289.

Kosenius A.K., Kniivilä K., Pitiot M., Horne P. 2019. Location of forest plantations in Mozambique: Gains and losses in water, firewood and land availability. Land Use Policy 88: 104175.

Other publications

Yirdaw E. 2014. Mapping of agricultural and forest investments in Mozambique.Public seminar. Helsinki, Finland.

Monge Monge A. 2014. Introduction to CRISTAL and Preliminary Results from the Field. Project seminar. Maputo, Mozambique.

Kanninen M. et al. 2014. Carbon stocks for six different land use classes in Niassa province, Mozambique. Project seminar, Maputo, Mozambique.

MSc theses

Pienimäki A. 2014. Carbon stocks for six different land use classes in Niassa province, Mozambique. MSc Thesis, Dept. Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki.

Scientific and Societal Impacts

The project will contribute to a better understanding of vulnerability of African communities to climate change impacts, especially when land use investments affect their adaptation capacity. The study will be conducted in Mozambique which has been selected as a case study county due to the large proportion of land use investments and to its role as a receiver of Finnish bilateral development aid.

Partners

University of Helsinki, -VITRI-
Pellervo Economic Research -PTT-
Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique

Research team

Dr Eshetu Yirdaw -Consortium Coordinator; Principal Investigator- (VITRI)
Prof. Markku Kanninen (VITRI)
MSc Adrián Monge Monge (VITRI)

MSc Paula Horne -Principal Investigator- (PTT)
Dr Leena Kerkelä (PTT)
Dr Matleena Kniivilä (PTT )

Prof. Almeida Sitoe (UEM)
Pro. Valerio Macandza (UEM)
Dr Benard Guedes (UEM)

Funding

Academy of Finland (Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland), University of Helsinki, Pellervo Economic Research

Project Duration

2013-2014 (24 months)