National Survey and Segmentation of Smallholder Households in Mozambique: Understanding Their Demand for Financial, Agricultural, and Digital Solutions

CGAP has been working to build an evidence base on the financial and agricultural lives of smallholder households and conducted Financial Diaries with 90 smallholder households in Nampula Province, Mozambique. Working closely with the Financial Sector Deepening Trust Mozambique (FSDMoç), CGAP also conducted a nationally representative household survey of smallholder households between June and August 2015. This survey sought to comprehensively map the many activities, interests, aspirations, barriers, and pressures facing smallholder households.The questionnaire also explored nonagricultural household activities, financial practices and interests, as well as challenges and aspirations. 

This working paper shares the findings, observations, and insights from the national survey of smallholder households. It begins with an overview of the research approach, core program objectives, research questions, preliminary phases of development, and topics included in the questionnaire. It then profiles smallholder farmers in Mozambique, including their household demographics, farmographics, directions of decision making, how farmers self-identify and characterize their identity, and what motivates them to do the work they do. 

The report also takes up how households manage their income and expenses, along with the issues they face that threaten income and often lead to financial instability. This paper then describes financial inclusion in the smallholder sector, exploring household tools that are essential for financial inclusion, including mobile phones and national identification documents, as well as adoption of financial products, awareness, barriers, and interests. The paper then outlines meaningful segments of the smallholder population in Mozambique, mapping out groups of smallholder farmers that matter for fostering greater product adoption, and delving into their demand for various financial mechanisms.