In Mozambique, Creating New Opportunities for Young Women in Agriculture
This International Women’s Day, we’re sharing the story of a young entrepreneur in Mozambique who is forging new pathways for women in her community to thrive.
Farizana Hawa Candango is a 27-year-old woman from Quelimane, a coastal city in central Mozambique. She is a small farmer who owns six hectares (15 acres) of land on which she grows various crops, such as rice and vegetables. In Mozambique, agriculture is the main source of income for over 70% of the population, and 80% of the workforce is employed in agriculture.
Farizana has a degree in business management and has always loved agriculture.
“Three years ago, my husband gave me a two-hectare plot of land, and I had to turn it into a productive farm,” Farizana shared. “At the time, I didn’t have any money to start with, and, in this country, it’s very difficult to get loans from banks when you have nothing to guarantee it, being young and a woman. But my husband, who always believed in me, lent me money to clear the land and start producing something.”
Using her business management degree, she assessed the markets in Sofala Province. She realized that the supply of vegetables was unstable during times of scarcity. For example, during periods of heavy rain or high temperatures, there were not enough vegetables on the market to meet demand.
Equipped with this market information, she created a vegetable and rice farm named Herdade Hawa in 2022. Today, her farm employs eight permanent workers and several seasonal ones. In addition to producing vegetables and rice, Farizana helps disadvantaged single women and widows in the region to make a living. But the path to success was not easy.
Women in Agriculture: Challenges on the Farm
Farizana faced several challenges at the beginning of her business. The first carrot and cucumber crops were not very successful due to a lack of good agricultural techniques.
“I wanted to give up at the beginning,” Farizana admitted. “I lost everything. The carrots came out so small I couldn’t even sell them, and the cucumbers didn’t come out at all. I lost everything—my first investments were all lost due to lack of experience. I didn’t know many production techniques or have good seeds. I had lost hope. I thought the soil wasn’t productive at all for producers.”
Farizana Hawa with her cucumber harvest. (TechnoServe)
Support from the Mangwana Program
In 2023, Farizana joined the Mangwana program. Mangwana, which means “tomorrow” in the local languages spoken in the Beira Corridor, is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by a consortium consisting of TechnoServe, Resiliência, Agencia do Vale do Zambeze, and Agência de Desenvolvimento Economico de Manica ADEM. The four-year project aims to transform the agricultural sector in the Beira Corridor and improve food security and nutrition for 227,000 people, particularly women and youth.
Through her participation in the program, Farizana received technical support, seeds, and fertilizers. “I took the first steps with Mangwana because when I started working with [the project], I received technical support,” Farizana explained. “I learned when and how to produce and I received seeds and fertilizers at a time when I was hopeless. I thought that my land was not suitable, but the Mangwana project technician encouraged me to produce again, and it was the first time that I produced 750 kilos of cucumber. I managed to sell 40,000 meticais ($625), and I had only spent 6,000 meticais ($93) to buy seeds and fertilizers.”
Today, she is a leading producer in her community and has a one-hectare rice demonstration field where other farmers can see the impact of good agricultural practices firsthand.
Creating Pathways for Women’s Economic Empowerment
In addition to managing the farm, Farizana helps young, widowed, and single women from her community earn a living from agriculture. Every three months, she trains a cohort of 10 women. She teaches them the whole production process right up to the harvest, and the proceeds from the sale are equally split between the women and Herdade Hawa.
“I identify with causes that support and empower women, and I came up with the idea of doing something for my community,” Farizana explained. “I give them financial education techniques, and I always advise them to start a business with the money they earn. Last year, I worked with 30 women, and I would like to reach more women who need this support.”
Farizana (center) is also opening a fish pond with her team of local producers. (TechnoServe)
Building a Sustainable Future for Women in Agriculture
Farizana has ambitious plans for the future that will make her efforts a benchmark for agricultural success in the Dondo region.
“With 10 hectares, I can have the space to fulfill my dream of having a hydroponic system,” Farizana shared. “Because it doesn’t depend on the sun and we’ll have green fields all year round, I can already make more than 200,000 meticais ($3,129) with the products I produce and sell. I want to increase rice production and sell to all of Mozambique and have vegetables every season of the year. I also want to continue to work with the women of this community to empower them.”
