A First Look at Maize Markets and Demographics among Conservation Agriculture Adopters and Non Adopters in Mozambique W.E. McNair 1, D.M. Lambert 1 *, M.D. Wilcox 2, N. Eash 1, C. Thierfelder 3 Results Survey structure and design (Table 1): CA households constitute a small percentage (6.8%) of total households in villages exposed to CA extension efforts. Demographics (Table 2): On average CA households were more likely to be headed by a male when compared to non CA households. CA household heads were, on average, older than non CA household heads, with a mean age of 44.6 years old. Family size of CA households was the largest among the four groups, with an average household size of 6.4 individuals. Frequency of maize market transactions (Chart 1): The majority of maize market transactions occur between December-February. The monthly frequency of market transactions is more variable for conventional farmers in exposed communities with most transactions occurring in December - February. Transactions are more evenly distributed throughout the year for CA adopters. Market sales and purchases (Chart 2): Total market for sales of maize (135,300 kg) is approximately ten times larger than total purchases of maize (13,603 kg). CA farmers are the largest group in terms of quantity of maize sold, with conventional famers in unexposed communities being the largest group in terms of quantity of grain purchased. CA farmers account for 43 percent of all maize sold in the market, while accounting for 38 percent of individuals in the market. Conventional farmers in unexposed villages account for 60 percent of all maize purchased, representing 44 percent of the total participants in the market. Conclusions and Future Directions CA households have, on average larger, families and are more likely to have a head of household that is a male and that is older than non CA households. In aggregate CA households appear to be net sellers of maize, suggesting that CA farmers produce a surplus that they are able to market. Adopters appear to produce more maize than conventional farmers in exposed and unexposed villages, as they make up a larger share of maize sales, while accounting for a smaller share of purchases. Ongoing research examines which actors manage transactions. Multivariate regression analysis will be used to explore the factors determining the timing of transactions, and the role of CA adoption in market participation. Presentation Objective To examine the demographic and market characteristics of CA adopters and non-adopters. Background Mozambique has 1.4 million hectares of arable land suitable for producing maize. Average yields are low (920 kg/ha in 2008 (FAOSTAT). The livelihoods of most families depend on small- scale agriculture. Maize is the main staple and accounts for most of the population’s caloric intake. On average smallholder farmers are 2.4 hectares in area. Most fields are prepared using hoes. Crop residues are commonly burned to clear land. Despite government efforts to promote conservation measures such as planting maize on ridges perpendicular to slopes, soil erosion remains a problem. Erosion of Mozambique’s arable lands will likely accelerate as production intensifies to meet growing food demand. Ongoing efforts by The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the USAID, and other non-government agencies focus on adapting and smallholder farmer adoption of Conservation Agriculture (CA) technologies to agroecological environments in Mozambique to meet demand for food in a sustainable way. The main tenets of Conservation Agriculture (CA) are: (1) minimizing soil disturbance, (2) maintaining residue on soil surface, and (3) mixing/rotating crops. While agronomic findings clearly suggest that yields are higher and soil quality is improved when fields are managed using CA, we are just beginning to understand how better yields translate into higher incomes, access to markets, and the differential impacts these factors have on gender equity and household wellbeing. Data This study uses survey data collected from 558 households in a survey conducted March 19 th - April 7 th The survey was conducted in two provinces of Mozambique, Tete and Manica (see Figure 1). Twenty-two communities were surveyed (Table 1), twelve having been exposed to CA, with the remainder having never been exposed to CA systems. The surveys were conducted by UT personnel and trained enumerators with help from governmental and NGO extension services. Surveys were conducted in Portuguese when participants spoke the language, or in one of the local languages, Chichewa in Tete, and Shona/Chibarue in Manica. The survey collected the following information: Household demographics. Social-economic characteristics. Assets holdings and land ownership. Farm operation characteristics. Access to and type of agricultural services and training available. Agricultural input use. Market access. Table 2 : Head of household gender, age, and household size according to CA Adoption Status Exposed Villages Unexposed Villages Conservation Conventional Disadopters Conventional agriculture Farmers Farmers (CA) adopters Head of household gender: Male Female N 131 (86.09%)167 (78.77%)10 (66.67%)102 (69.39%) 21 (13.69%)45 (21.23 %)5 (33.33%)45 (30.61%) Head of household age age: Mean Std Dev Min Max N Household size: Mean Std Dev Min Max N Chart 1: Frequency of Maize Market Transactions by Month (Purchases and Sales) (1) Total number of households in surveyed region; (2) Village where CA extension efforts occurred; (3) Village where CA extension efforts had not occurred (government or NGO). Table 1 : Surveyed Population and Survey Design. CA-adopters 1 Non- adopters 1 Number of Communities Tete Exposed Unexposed ManicaExposed Unexposed Chart 2: Market Transactions by Subgroup Figure 1– Tete survey area. Key: Yellow pins = villages having been exposed to CA ; Green pins = that had not been exposed to CA. Other villages and towns are indicated by the squares; Red pin = survey base camp, Ulongwe. The Mozambique- Malawi border is outlined by the yellow line. Figure 2 – Principal market, Ulongue, Mozambique (1)Total farmers purchasing maize: 104. (2)Total number of CA farmers buying maize : 11 (10% of farmers in the purchases market). (3)Total number of conventional farmers buying maize in exposed villages: 47 (45% of farmers in the purchases market). (4)Total number of conventional farmers buying maize in unexposed villages: 46 (44% of farmers in the purchases market). (1)Total farmers selling maize: 287. (2)Total number of CA farmers selling maize: 110 (38% of farmers in the sales market). (3)Total number of conventional farmers selling maize in exposed villages: 114 (40% of farmers in the market). (4)Total number of conventional farmers selling maize in unexposed villages: 63 (22% of farmers in the market). Affiliations and acknowledgements: (1) University of Tennessee, (2) Purdue University, (3) CIMMYT, * correspondences; This research would not have been possible without Ivan Cuvaca, Nyasha Chipunza and the patience and understanding of the communities surveyed, or the perseverance of the enumerators. (1) CA farmers with usable responses (2) Conventional farmers from villages exposed to CA with usable responses (3) CA disadopters with usable responses (4) Conventional farmers from villages unexposed to CA with usable responses