Mozambique Challenging the Paradigm 'I am Not Leaving Here Nobody is Taking Me Away': Vulnerability, Migration and Food Insecurity

Abstract

Over the past five decades, Mozambique has experienced an intensification of extreme weather events, including floods, droughts, and high-speed winds, resulting in the forced displacement of thousands of people. Rivers, central to livelihoods, are ambivalent: while they provide essential water, they also cause devastation by flooding communities and destroying infrastructure. At the same time, populations already vulnerable to flood cycles face prolonged droughts, which insidiously compromise the survival of people and animals and destructive winds that amplify the damage. The decision to relocate outside traditional areas of residence becomes extremely complex in contexts of socioeconomic vulnerability and food insecurity. Communities, often forced to migrate to resettlement villages, do not have enough time to maintain productive activities, such as agriculture, as they are required to be permanent residents in the new area. In this scenario, the paradigm of "I am not leaving here, no one will take me away" proves unsustainable, as people have to leave due to the devastating floods and cyclones.
In contrast, to that same extent, leaving their homeland will not promote climate resilience or guarantee food security. The central question raised by communities affected by such events is: How can resilience be maintained in the face of such events? This article analyses a robust data set from longitudinal studies and recent research on climate refugees and Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs). Additionally, we conducted interviews in the resettlement areas where IDPs are located. The results indicate that, five years before the deadline to comply with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mozambique is far behind in achieving key targets relate to SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), while still opting for conventional approaches, known as Business as Usual (BAU). Despite being triggered by such extreme weather events, the methods used to address them should be revised, as they are insufficient to tackle the complexity and uniqueness of climate impacts. It follows that migration, often seen as a solution, fails to promote climate resilience communities and exacerbates food insecurity, which requires an urgent review of climate disaster management policies and practices.