A seca de 1982-1983 no sul de Moçambique e seu impacto para as comunidades locais, estudo de caso do distrito de Moamba

Abstract

This study analyses the 1982-1983 drought in southern Mozambique and its impact on local communities in the Moamba district, and seeks to understand the role played by the Mozambican government in minimising the impacts of the drought. Moamba district, like many other districts in southern Mozambique, requires research into the impacts of the 1982-1983 drought on communities, as this drought had catastrophic effects that continue to be felt today. Although there is a lot of literature on the 1982-1983 drought and its impacts on southern Mozambique, little literature specifically addresses the social, economic and political impacts that this drought had on the Moamba district. The fieldwork carried out in Moamba allowed us to understand that the drought had social impacts, as it forced the local population to migrate to other districts in Maputo province and to neighbouring countries in search of better living conditions. At an economic level, the drought of 1982-1983 contributed to a drop in agricultural production and led to the closure of local businesses due to the lack of raw materials such as sugar cane, citrus fruits and other products produced in this district. The drought also had political impacts, as it contributed to the discrediting of the economic policies implemented by the Frelimo-led Mozambican government shortly after independence. In fact, evidence shows that during and after the 1982-1983 drought, some members of the community joined the ranks of RENAMO (TRADUÇÃO NOSSA)