About us

The Grupo de Facilitadores is an informal group. It started with three professionals in 2012 who know each other from the eighties when they worked together in the delta of the Rio Limpopo. The Grupo aims to assist the smallholders and their communities in the Limpopo and Lumane area with suggestions to improve their livelihood and become more resilient to climate change. The Grupo was requested by the Governor of Gaza Province to also look into the possibilities to protect the provincial capital city of Xai-Xai from flooding. And several individuals have asked for advice.

The Grupo is a unique combination of national and international expertise, hands-on agricultural field experience, knowledge of land and water expertise (drainage, irrigation and flood control), climate change, strong local knowledge and network. It is familiar with the international development architecture and social entrepreneurship. They were and still are involved in day to day agricultural support services, water management, rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage schemes and control of the dikes at the left bank of the Rio Limpopo.

Projects

#1: Development plan of the Lumane smallholders

Preamble

The population of the Lumane basin is facing two extreme weather events every 6 to 7 years. The first one is the flood provoked by the Rio Limpopo that inundates the entire lower Lumane basin up till Lake Pave. The second one is the extreme drought induced by El Nino. The effects in 2015/2016 were extremely severe.  In combination with the local erratic rainfall the security of the livelihood of the smallholders is under threat.

The population of the Lumane is estimated at around 20,000 families, located in villages at the dunes between the Rio Lumane and Rio Limpopo. The villages and their agricultural land are found at the reddish sandy soils with a low fertility. It provides somewhat better conditions for low input agriculture then the white sandy dunes, more to the interior. The land for rainfed agriculture cannot  be extended anymore, all reddish clay soils are occupied.

Involvement of the Grupo de Facilitadores.

The Grupo noticed that Google Maps is providing new and surprising information. That motivated the Grupo to launch two studies. The hydrological study calculated that there is abundant fresh water available the whole year around for irrigation.

See for more detail: Report MSc thesis calibrating, 2014 and Brochure Lumane hydrological catchment area. The socio-economic study emphasized the need to cultivate the lowlands of the Lumane wetlands and to provide dedicated support to the smallholders with specific agricultural services. See for more information: Estudo Relatório final socio-económico sector familiar, Lumane,(2015) and Brochura Plano de desenvolvimento dos Pequenos Produtores de Lumane (2015). The landlord of the Lumane wetlands confirmed that they are willing to lease the land to the smallholders provided that new investments are available. Special care will be taken to environmental challenges such as the relatively few hippos and crocodiles that live in that area. See: Scoping study, Lumane (2016).

On the basis of all this research the Grupo has made a water management plan. See: Rio Lumane gestão de água na agricultura and Baixo Limpopo, resource analysis and smallholders, and a full investment proposal for over 8000 hectares. See paper: Anticipated agricultural production levels.

Funding of the Lumane plan

It is obvious that investments in land and water reclamation is in itself not a commercial enterprise, nowhere in the world. It requires public participation, national or international. But there are several individual business models to be identified; Leasing of the land, marketing of agricultural surplus, small and micro credit and workshops for agricultural inputs. The proposals that have been presented to interesting parties have incorporated these business models. The Plan is financially sustainable after implementation. Smallholders -although modest- will also invest. 

#2: Flood control Baixo Limpopo

Preamble

The wetland of the Baixo Limpopo, a total area of 70.000 hectares, is protected at the left bank against inundation between Chibuto and Chilaulene.

The protection of the left bank is a combination of dikes, sluice gates and pumps. This protection was constructed in 1955/1956 just after the huge inundation of 1954. 

The flood of 2000 (see picture below) with a water level at downtown Xai-Xai of some 3-4 metres was exceptional.

But it might happen again with climate change progressing. Downtown Xai-Xai was blocked for more than two months as well as the national highway EN1.

The protection of the left bank had as main purpose to protect agriculture at the left bank. The Portuguese ‘colones’ needed security and protection from flooding, the availability of fresh water, secure the drainage and discharge of heavy rains.

Involvement of Grupo.

The Grupo made a check of the entire flood control situation in August 2017 as part of the investigations for the masterplan for Xai-Xai. It showed that the dike close to Chibuto was not restored after the 2000 inundation although such funds were made available and that the dike halfway between Magula and Chibuto had collapsed during the 2013 flood over a length of 50-100 metres. This happened after the dike was restored after the 2000 flood. It was located too close to the river despite a request from the population to build the dike further away from the river. This dike was not rebuilt as part of the general restauration of the dikes after 2013, for unknown reason.

The Grupo has made a full assessment of the situation of the dikes, sluice gates and pumps. A hard copy is available at request, and handed over to the local authorities. From this assessment it can be concluded that there is hardly any drainage capacity available during high water. The pumping capacities at the ‘colectores’ are non-operational. Pumps have been removed and not been replaced. In the section between Magula and Chibuto there are two locations where the dikes are non-existing. This implies that high water in the river can flow freely into the hinterland and inundate land and crops. It prevents cattle from grazing there and they are forced to graze at the dunes where fodder is less. Also most of the sluice gates are un-operational, the gates cannot be moved anymore, they are rusted. The dikes between Magula and Xai-Xai are in a reasonable condition as well as the sluice gates although there are two critical situations. High water might not inundate this section directly but the water may come from more downstream of the city, from the section Xai-Xai-Chilaulene. There are several locations were the dike is severely eroded and close to collapse. Inundation will harm thousands of cattle that used to graze there.

There is no separate flood control for downtown Xai-Xai. The city is subject to the conditions of the surrounding dikes, sluice gates and pumping capacity. The Grupo has formulated a masterplan for downtown Xai-Xai to assure safety against inundation and waterlogging. It implies among others an independent area protected against inundations (polder).

Such a polder should resist a flood like the one of 2000. The dikes are higher than the dikes that protect agricultural land because of the strategic and economic value of downtown Xai-Xai. See: Final report Scoping Study Masterplan Xai-Xai (2016).

The future. It is obvious that an organisation should be nominated with the mandate to control and maintain the flood control system at the left bank of the Rio Limpopo. That organisation should have a clear and strong mandate and a separate budget. And that the users of the land and water are paying a fee for the services. This is not the case at this very moment. It seems obvious that only two organisations are capable to assume this responsibility; Provincial Department of Public Works and/or the Regadio de Baixo Limpopo (RBL). It might take 5 years before such an organisation will be fully operational and in control.

#3: Masterplan and emergency plan Xai-Xai

Preamble

The provincial town of Xai-Xai of the Province of Gaza has been inundated regularly in the past. The most dramatic inundation was in 2000. The city was under water for months and downtown Xai-Xai had to be evacuated. The national traffic had to pass via Chibuto, a deviation of nearly two hours. The local economic and human losses were substantial. Those who lived downtown experienced this inundation as dramatic. Some of them lost their houses. Businesses had to be closed. The provincial and municipal administration lost (important) documents and had to move to uphill Xai-Xai.

The consequence of the constant threat of inundations is that the population balance of Xai-Xai is extremely uneven. Only 3% of the population is living at downtown Xai-Xai and 97% is living uphill at the very erosion prone sandy hills. But most of the administration and businesses are in downtown Xai-Xai. There is a constant and increasing movement of people and goods from uphill to downtown. Traffic is asking its price; death, air pollution, dust and traffic jams.

Uphill roads are eroded and infra-structure has collapsed. It seems that as a consequence the population of Xai-Xai is increasing only with an average of 1,14% per year while the national increase is around 3%; the inhabitants of Xai-Xai prefer to live somewhere else! The long term urban planning for Xai-Xai is planned to be located at the hills. This means more erosion, high costs of infra-structure and increasing traffic.

Every day some 40.000 people move in the morning from uphill to downtown for their daily work or for their businesses. During lunch hours some are moving up and come down again. At the end of the day they all go back uphill to their homes. After rush hour the center of down town looks abandoned in the evening. The city is supposed to grow with 26.000 inhabitants from 2011 to 2021 of which only 800 downtown and 25.200 uphill. Ask people from Xai-Xai where their heart is and most of them will say downtown. That is where their identity is, that is where Xai-Xai is alive and kicking. That is where most people want to be during the day, the place to be. But do they want to live downtown? No, too dangerous because of flooding!

The national highway is passing through the centre of town. This results more and more in (deadly) accidents, traffic jams, air pollution, dust and more time spent to move from downtown to uphill.

Role of Grupo

The governor of Gaza has called upon the Grupo (2015) to look for possibilities to protect downtown Xai-Xai better taking the 2000 high water in the Rio Limpopo into account. Regular high water has a 6 metres level, the 2000 had a 9 metres level; 3 metres higher. The Grupo elaborated a first concept and design. This was presented to the officials and approved. With support of the Netherlands Development Cooperation the Grupo in collaboration with a Dutch consultancy firm elaborated a scoping study for a masterplan in 2017. See: Final Scoping study Masterplan Xai-Xai (2016).

Overview Masterplan

The masterplan has integrated the following challenges:

1. Rehabilitate, increase and enlarge internal drainage system of lower Xai-Xai (1,300 ha)

2. Reallocate national highway EN 1 (9 km), passing north of Xai-Xai

3. Increase the dikes to meet 2000 flood levels

4. Canalisation of Rio Limpopo (2.1 km) to avoid further erosion at Praça de Jardim

5. Planning and basic infrastructure for new (low cost) housing for 100.000 people

6. Compensation for displaced people and businesses; housing, stores, shops and farming

7. Fair and transparent urban water fee collection system

8. Integrate water conservation of the closed Rio Limpopo branch and the colector Ponela and Umbapi.

The scoping study was endorsed by all stakeholders and a high delegation from Gaza discussed the masterplan at the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands. Because of a changing policy the masterplan of Xai-Xai could unfortunately not be supported anymore by The Netherlands.

Later, in 2018, the administrator of Xai-Xai requested the Grupo to look into the emergency situation that had occurred at the Health Centre at downtown Xai-Xai.

With the help of the consultancy firm Tecnica (Maputo) the Grupo was able to develop an emergency plan to reinforce the embankment over a length of 800 meters. The cost were estimated at US 3.1 million. See: Emergency plan downtown Xai-Xai (2018).

Elements of the financial sustainability of the Xai-Xai masterplan

The masterplan consists of the combination and integration of several related components; improved sanitation, higher availability of fresh water for drinking water and/or irrigation, higher dikes to deal with the 2000 flood levels, pumping stations to drain storm water during to the river, and increase of population of lower Xai-Xai from 4000 inhabitants in 2018 to 100.000 in the near future. More inhabitants at lower Xai-Xai will reduce the pressure and erosion on uphill Xai-Xai at the sandy dunes.

Each of these components of the masterplan are effective and are supported by the local stakeholders. However, it does not indicate yet how to finance the masterplan, once the investments have taken place. How to finance the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the plan? It is obvious that the increase of new habitats will be financed by the owners or by the low cost real estate companies through their rent. However, all the other components have a strong public aspect and will (most likely) not be financed by the private sector. Therefore, the financial sustainability will cover only the maintenance and operational costs. Investments in the Infra-structure are considered a public responsibility.

But how to achieve this financial sustainability? There are basically three possibilities. The (1) local and national government can finance it from their regular budget, those (2) who benefit from the improved services pay for it and last but not least (3) a combination of the two.

The Grupo holds the position that a full payment by the local and national government of all the O&M costs, is risky. The very reason is that maintenance and operational costs are not popular among politicians, all over the world. In times of austerity these costs are the first to be skipped; costs that have a strong social component such as health and food supply will dominate the agenda of politicians and will have priority. It has also quite often shown that a full payment by the government will not increase the involvement of the users, not stimulate the efficient use of resources and might increase the costs.

But how about the full payment for these services by the users? Are all users financially capable of paying for these services?

At present the beneficiaries (water users, land owners and owners of real estates) do – in general - not pay for the services. It is also fair to say that the services are not of high standards at this moment. So why should they pay for services that are unreliable? Part of the challenge is that the services will be brought up to standards; no more waterlogging, protection against floods, availability of more fresh water, less waterborne diseases and less traffic jams and accidents.

But the reality at this moment is that beneficiaries do not pay for these services and therefore, the challenge is how to convince and stimulate the beneficiaries to pay. It is for sure not only an administrative and practical challenge but also a political challenge. Without political support at village and city level it might not work.  

The brochure (see: Masterplan Xai-Xai) summarizes the revenues and costs of a possible financial structure in securing the financial sustainability. The revenues have to be calculated on the basis of the annual costs for maintenance and operation. The level of revenues from the beneficiaries is both a financial and political issue. A social policy might result for those in better financial situations to pay more than those in weak financial situations.

#4: The smallholders at left bank of Baixo Limpopo

Preamble

Tens of thousands of families live at the dunes surrounding the wetlands and peat soils of the left bank between Chibuto and Chilaulene. Traditionally, the local population consider the peat land (machongos) along the hills as their land. The exact border of this traditional land is (administratively) not known. It is more or less understood that the land between the hills and the main ditch such as the collector  Ponela, Umbapi and Angluzane belong to the local population, to the local smallholders. The traditional leaders might well have an important say in the allocation of this land. The limited drainage capacity allows the local population to cultivate only during the dry period (May-October). Cultivating during the rainy season is quite risky. A heavy rain (50-100 mm) might inundate the peat land because of the poor field drainage. The smallholders cultivate in the rainy season the red soils at the dunes, to spread their risk.

Role of Grupo.

The members of the Grupo have experience with the left bank of the Rio Limpopo. The left bank was the centre of work of the state enterprise at that time, SRBL. The Grupo has accumulated their experience, made field visits and used new information of Google maps to design a new water management system and present a planning schedule  reclamation.

Challenges

 The left bank can be divided into three areas because of different characteristics;

 1/ Area Xai-Xai – Chilaulene (7000 ha).

The value of the area is mainly to livestock. Spring water is little due to the narrow dunes between the sea and the lowland. Only very few smallholders have a plot of land (machamba). Furthermore the perspective to irrigate the land is restricted because of the small amount of groundwater draining into the collector Angluzane. And fresh water from the river is limited to two or three months a year. The rest of the year the water of the Rio Limpopo is too salty. Therefor the priority for this area seems to be livestock. The water management can be improved by restoring the sluice gate of the collector Angluzane. This would prevent salt water from entering the collector and preserve the little fresh water of the collector Angluzane.

 2/ Area Nhacutse- Xai Xai (12.000 ha)

The agricultural developments and investments over the last 35 years in the Baixo Limpopo have been concentrated in this area. Recently a Chinese company has developed an irrigation scheme (6000 ha) at the right bank. This concentration at the left bank makes sense because an estimated 100.000 people live at the surrounding dunes. However most of the investments have been concentrated on irrigation of the land bordering the Rio Limpopo. Little has been invested in the development of the land of the smallholders. A solid water management plan would allow the smallholders to cultivate two crops a year. And the investment is only a fraction of the costs to equip irrigation schemes; US$ 2000 compared to US$ 10.000 per hectare.

3/ Area Chibuto- Nhacutse (6000 ha).

The area between 2/ and 3/ is divided by the transversal dike Magula/Nhacutse which separates the two blocks. It limits the risk and damage of a possible collapse of a dike. Part of the peat soils are occupied by smallholders but the majority of the land is still not cultivated. Main reason seems to be that the drainage system is not functioning well. The Grupo has not investigated this area in detail. But the area is different from the other two. The soil is much more brownish, less clay and less heavy. It is an area with much more smallholders rainfed agriculture than the other two areas.

NB : High risk means inundations from high water from Rio Limpopo. Low risk means that area is protected by dikes. The percentage of soils indicate the assumed division between the two types of soils; peat and clay.

Summary

The Grupo has made a summary of the opportunities for smallholders agriculture. Some areas are better known than others, some data are just not available (yet). Nevertheless, this might provide a good overview of the opportunities for smallholder agriculture. Detailed investment plans are available on request.

Team

The Grupo exists of 4 members (socios); David Zimba, Leovigildo Ferrao, Jose Chicoge and Paul Hassing. The first three experts are living and working in the Limpopo area, in Xai-Xai. Paul Hassing is frequently visiting the area but is located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

The Grupo has an associated member Armando Bambo. He was agricultural manager of a farm in the Lumane area for several years. He lives in Maputo nowadays.

Acknowledgement. The Grupo benefitted from a large number of individual experts who were very supportive with their knowledge and experience, all on a voluntary basis; Aida Moughawech, Rufino Duvane, Huub Savenije, Vasco Mulla, Asmal Khan, Andre Manhique, Rolf Posthouwer, Christine Verheijden, Freek Huthoff, Gulay Amcaoglu, Ian Tellam, Jose Walters Monteiro, Alexander Mueller, Rui Pitambar, and Henrique Chissano. And, last but not least, the numerous smallholders who shared their local knowledge with the Grupo.

Contact

You can contact us by telephone or by using the form below

• David Zimba 00 258 82 2782260

• Paul Hassing 00 31 6 31779105

• Jose Chicoge 00 258 82 8173450

• Leovigildo Ferrao 00 258 82 402 6568