ORAM (The Associacao Rural de Ajuda Mutua) was formed in 1993 and registered in 1994 as an organisation to promote, support, and defend the land rights of rural peasant farmers, mainly though acquisition of title to the land. The Nampula branch came into being in 1998. The major objective of both ORAM national and ORAM Nampula is to enable rural farmers to get title to natural resources and the land which are currently seen as state land. This way they will have secure title and can benefit from returns in investing on such lands. Once communities have secured land rights, ORAM then facilitates the formation of farmers associations and cooperatives, disseminates information on land registration, mediation and resolution of land conflicts, and promotes the involvement of women in rural development.