IMF Working Papers

Understanding Agricultural Output in Mozambique: Using remote sensing to initiate a discussion on development

By Kelsee Bratley, Alexis Meyer-Cirkel

January 17, 2025

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Format: Chicago

Kelsee Bratley, and Alexis Meyer-Cirkel. "Understanding Agricultural Output in Mozambique: Using remote sensing to initiate a discussion on development", IMF Working Papers 2025, 009 (2025), accessed February 11, 2025, https://0-doi-org.library.svsu.edu/10.5089/9798229000628.001

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Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the agricultural land coverage in Mozambique by harnessing advanced remote sensing technologies and draws on successful agricultural development examples to propose strategic pathways for Mozambique. The study leverages Sentinel-2 satellite imagery coupled with a machine learning algorithm to accurately map and assess the country's agricultural land, revealing that agriculture accounts for only 12 percent of Mozambique's land area. By examining the agricultural transformation or “green revolution” that some countries have experienced, it is possible to distill regularities and necessary conditions, which can then be compared to the state-of-affairs in Mozambique. This study not only offers a model of how emerging technologies like remote sensing can inform agricultural state of affairs, it also provides important insights into which concrete bottlenecks are likely to be holding back Mozambique’s agricultural development.

Subject: Agricultural commodities, Agricultural production, Agricultural sector, Commodities, Economic sectors, Food security, Population and demographics, Poverty, Production

Keywords: Accuracy assessment, Agricultural commodities, Agricultural development, Agricultural land usage, Agricultural production, Agricultural sector, Area estimation, Food security, Global, Greenrevolution, Mozambique, Poverty alleviation, Remote sensing, Remote sensing technology, Satellite imagery

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