Reducing social vulnerabilities through foreign investments. A case-study of Niassa Green Resources in northern Mozambique

Abstract

This thesis is about foreign investments within the agricultural sector of developing countries and the consequently influence on rural communities. Which effects do foreign investments have on the social vulnerabilities of rural communities in developing countries? More specifically, how do Norwegian investments within the agricultural sector affect social vulnerabilities in rural communities in Niassa, Mozambique? The thesis presents the results from a field research based in Malica, a rural village in northern Mozambique. The research is organized as a qualitative case study of the Norwegian shareholder company Niassa Green Resources and the effects their investments have on social vulnerabilities in Malica. The purpose of this master is to answer the following question: Have investments through Niassa Green Resources affected social vulnerabilities in Malica? The empirical research proved that Niassa Green Resources` investments have affected social vulnerabilities in Malica both positively and negatively and that some of these effects are found in more rural communities adjacent to the company`s plantations. Based on the conclusions from the empirical research, I have prepared a proposition for a community development project in rural villages located adjacent to the plantations of Niassa Green Resources. The project is based on the nutritious, drought resistant tree called moringa, and aims to increase food security in rural communities through the provision of moringa trees. To meet the requirements deriving from Niassa Green Resources` current financial situation, the project is designed as a co-operation together with the Ministry of Health and the Institute of Agriculture in Mozambique.