OMR (Observatório do Meio Rural) - rural development research - core support

Outputs/results 2023: In total, 21 research projects were underway in 2023. OMR has monitored the drafting and discussion processes of ongoing policies, such as the Draft Law on Non-Profit Organisations, the Forest Law, and the Land Law. Events and various activities have been organised to discuss and disseminate research results and for advocacy at central and local level on the following themes: (i) Land Law Review Process; (ii) Reconstruction and conflicts in Cabo Delgado; (iii) Public policies and Mozambique's economic update; (iv) Environment, biodiversity and climate change; (v) Food security and nutrition; (vi) Climate change mitigation and carbon market; (vii) Extreme weather events and post-disasters; and, (viii) Compensation mechanisms and corporate social responsibility. 62 texts were published in the "Destaque Rural" series (policy briefs), the editorial line being the most read by the target audience. In addition, 7 publications were made under the "Observador Rural" series. Some examples of OMR's impact: - OMR was referenced as a credible research institution for consulting information on the SUSTENTA programme in the Assembly of the Republic. - OMR's research line 1 was instrumental in calling the representative of the Bank of Mozambique to make statements in the Assembly of the Republic. The institution was not represented at the highest level, generating criticism. - OMR has contributed to raising national and international awareness of the carbon market and the inconsistency in the commercialisation process, as well as issues of benefit sharing with communities affected by the exploitation of natural resources. - OMR has contributed to raising national awareness of the need for a National Food Policy and Food Sovereignty. - The recommendations made in the OMR's studies on food policy have been included in the "Food Security Strategy Policy" that is currently being drawn up. - Draft of the National Policy and Land Law: The timetable for the consultation and review of the Land Law methodology has been postponed. - OMR has contributed to the United Nations organisations integration of more local organisations into their humanitarian actions in Cabo Delgado - at least 6 organisations have already been involved for the first time in 5 years. - A draft decree is being drawn up on the allocation and management of revenue from the tax on mining and oil production for the development of provinces, districts and communities. This decree responds to the recommendations of the studies carried out by the OMR, which recommended increasing the tax to 2,75%, a tax earmarked for communities, as a result of the tax paid by local mining companies. - OMR's research under research line "Poverty, Inequality, Gender and Social Conflict" has been quoted in almost every report on C. Delgado.

This contribution is core support to the OMR - Observatório do Meio Rural, a Mozambican civil society organization whose mission is the "Production and dissemination of knowledge through research, in order to influence public policies based on scientific evidence, as well as to feed local action and advocacy, aiming at achieving sustainable and inclusive rural development." OMR main objective is to "Contribute to agrarian and rural development in an integrated and interdisciplinary perspective, through research, studies and debates about policies and other agrarian issues and rural development. Contribute to the preparation and monitoring of agrarian and rural development policies." OMR main research areas as in its Strategic Plan for 2021-2025 are: (1) Public policies and rural areas; (2) Agribusiness, formerly known as rural development models; (2) Poverty, social inequalities, gender, and political conflicts; (3) Environment (focused on climate change) versus agricultural productivity (focused on soil fertility), deforestation and changes in production systems for greater resilience to climate shocks and artisanal mining (garimpo) and, (4) Land and territory. In terms of territorial focus, the OMR will focus on the following provinces: Cabo Delgado, Nampula (coastal), Zambézia (Alta Zambézia) and Centre of the country (concentrated in the Beira corridor).