The gas boom in Mozambique seems to be grabbing all the attention. However, as international operators prepare to commence production and headlines announce ever greater finds, over 70% of the active population in Mozambique still toils in low productivity subsistence farming. These people, stuck in the vicious cycle of poverty are, in most cases, oblivious to the developments occurring in the Rovuma basin. The dimension of the potential impact that the natural resource boom could have on their country is completely beyond their grasp. After all, it’s difficult to think about local content, fiscal income-led development and structural change of the economy, when your mind is focused on finding a way to survive and feed your children every day. Living on $1.25 a day, the margin between life and death is so slim that there is little room for investing, saving or any kind of risk-taking. The stakes are just too high and the safety nets non-existent.