Confronting agrarian authoritarianism: dynamics of resistance to PROSAVANA in Mozambique

Abstract

This paper explores how varying degrees of authoritarianism and populism, although not always coinciding, have been intrinsic to the imposition of agrarian policies in Mozambique. Taking the case of ProSAVANA, a highly controversial agrarian development program, we look at how its undemocratic imposition by the state has given rise to a vigorous resistance movement. By tracing a decade of electoral results in selected districts where ProSAVANA is intended to be implemented, we argue that due to its agrarian authoritarian policies which have had negative implications on rural livelihoods, the ruling party, FRELIMO, has recently been losing popularity to the strongest opposition party RENAMO.

Resistencia a la transición agroecológica en México

“…Por un lado, se ha escrito bastante sobre la resistencia a favor de la agroecología, textos que se refieren a la lucha contrahegemónica de campesinas y campesinos de diversas regiones del mundo, para defender su agua, su tierra y su cultura alimentaria frente al sistema agroalimentario globalizado o hegemónico (Dutta, 2012;Gandarilla, 2012;Labigalini, Saquet y Oliveira, 2017;McMichael, 2005;Monjane y Bruna, 2020;Rodríguez, Pini y Baker, 2016;Tilzey, 2021;Rabello, Concheiro y Thomaz, 2018). Pero, por otro lado, poca atención ha recibido el estudio de la resistencia a la que se enfrentan las iniciativas de transición agroecológica, sobre todo en regiones donde prevalece la hegemonía del paradigma de la modernización agroalimentaria.…”

Popular Protest, Political Opportunities, and Change in Africa

“…Nevertheless, Frelimo underestimated at least two phenomena: the historical opposition which had developed among local populations, especially in the Centre and in the North of the country, and the transformations civil society was undergoing, starting from those organisations which Frelimo had created, but that were becoming more independent and mature (as for instance the UNAC). During this period there were three forms of struggle against the Frelimo government: the civil war carried out by Renamo (National Resistance of Mozambique), especially in the Centre and North of the country (Temudo, 2005); the opposition by rural classes against the policies of villagisation carried out by Frelimo (Monjane and Bruna, 2019); finally, localised demonstrations organised by urban workers especially in Maputo, as in the case of railways workers or students of the University of Eduardo Mondlane in the 1980s. In general, these demonstrations resulted in the tightening of the measures of repression by Mozambican institutions, leaving no space for social or political changes.…”

“…For this reason, still in 2013, a team of JVC visited the Nacala Corridor, establishing direct relationships with the mentors of the "No to ProSavana" campaign. The Mozambican government disclaimed the promoters of the "No to ProSavana" campaign as unpatriotic and treating them as opponents of development and progress (Monjane and Bruna, 2019).…”

“…As Mozambican researchers have stated, it was not the ProSavana programme that woke up a supposed sleeping land, but rather the rural local social movements, in particular UNAC (Monjane and Bruna, 2019). Thus, this awakening of rural protests and issues became one of the most relevant impacts of the ProSavana.…”

Of zinc roofs and mango trees: tractors, the state and agrarian dualism in Mozambique

“…The other study site was the Nacala corridor, an area spanning five provinces and several districts in the North of Mozambique (MASA 2015). The Nacala corridor was chosen for being the locus of land based conflicts and an area of potential expansion of large-scale and export-oriented agriculture (UNAC and GRAIN 2015;Shankland and Gonçalves 2016;Monjane and Bruna 2020). This provided an interesting backdrop to analyse the motivations of government as well as private partners in relation to a programme advertised as geared towards small-scale farmers while prioritising high potential farming areas.…”