Catalisa: Inclusive Economic Growth with Agribusiness and Youth, Mozambique

Catalisa Overview

TechnoServe has been selected by Anadarko, the leading stakeholder of one of the world’s largest offshore natural gas reserves, to implement the five-year Contributing to Catalyze Investment in Agribusiness in Cabo Delgado (Catalisa) project, as part of its broader social investment strategy in Mozambique. The project will support inclusive, private sector-led economic development in the communities surrounding the natural gas site and throughout the greater Cabo Delgado Province through two components: an agribusiness development component and a youth skills-building component. Within agribusiness development, Catalisa will achieve increased smallholder capacity to profitably produce poultry and horticulture; improved ability of micro-, small, and medium-sized businesses to provide value chain linkages; and robust and private sector-led visions for the inclusive expansion of Cabo Delgado’s poultry and horticulture sectors. Within the youth skills-building component, Catalisa will bring about increased understanding of youth skills gaps in Palma, increased local capacity to implement youth skills training, high youth employability, and increased the ability of youth to identify and pursue business opportunities.

Approach

Currently, in its first year, the Catalisa project is focused on testing interventions and laying the groundwork to scale effective approaches from Year 2 through Year 5. The project team is currently assessing and recruiting farmers to poultry and horticulture out grower networks and technical assistance programs, developing financial and input packages for farmers as well as partnerships with finance and input providers, and supporting four Value Chain Partners with business advisory and scaling technical assistance. For youth skills-building, TechnoServe is contracting a partner organization to implement a training program in the communities surrounding the natural gas extraction site. The Year 1 activities are focused on deeply and comprehensively understanding specific gaps in youth skills, lessons from past skills-building programs, and the labour market landscape (including employment opportunities with local businesses like Anadarko). These findings will inform the customization of TechnoServe’s Strengthening Rural Youth Development Through Enterprise (STRYDE) curriculum to the local context. The curriculum will be piloted with two participant groups later this year.

Anticipated Results

Catalisa’s overall objectives are to increase investment in Cabo Delgado, increase incomes, increase local employment, and spur the creation and growth of self-sustaining businesses. The project has a $10.5 million budget and is anticipated to create around 2,100 jobs impacting over 12,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries over its 5-year lifespan. The amount of private sector investment catalyzed will total over $7 million and result in the generation of over $51 million in revenue.