Supporting Female Farmers to Grow Village Chicken Businesses

Supporting Female Farmers to Grow Village Chicken Businesses in Mozambique

Chickens are a gateway to improved nutrition and income for rural women in Mozambique. Building on the success of two earlier initiatives, this project continues support for a group of committed women farmers in Marracuene District to grow their poultry businesses in a sustainable, organized, and profitable way.

With support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and local district government authorities, the project equips women with the tools, training, and market access needed to scale their small village chicken farms into reliable sources of income and food security.

Where: Marracuene, Mozambique

Status: In progress

Supported by: DFAT ANCP

What are we doing?

This project focuses on enhancing the productivity and profitability of women-led poultry enterprises. Activities are grouped across four core focus areas:

Capacity Building
- Hands-on mentorship to solve production challenges
- Training in local feed production and low-cost feed formulation
- Ongoing technical assistance and farm visits
Market Development
- Identifying local market opportunities
- Creating promotional materials and campaigns
- Linking women to restaurants, retailers, and local buyers
Community Engagement
- Building peer learning and support networks
- Promoting local awareness of the project’s benefits
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Tracking farm productivity, income, and flock health
- Conducting regular surveys, site visits, and feedback sessions

Female Farmers to Grow Village Chicken Businesses Mozambique

Mrs. Sarita, an outgrower from Mali village, holding eggs for sale.

Women in Marracuene learning about how to put together sustainble locally feed for their flocks.

More importantly, why?

Village chicken farming in Mozambique is a low-cost, high-potential opportunity—especially for women. Previous projects supported by Kyeema provided Boscheveld chickens, training, and resources to 96 women across three sites. Many thrived, but a few stood out.

This follow-on project focuses on those standout women—the ones who showed not just participation, but commitment, growth, and leadership.

We’re helping them take the next step:

By investing in this group, we’re not only boosting their businesses—we’re creating local role models, strengthening food systems, and demonstrating that with the right support, small-scale village poultry can become a powerful tool for rural women’s economic empowerment.

Expected Outcomes

Healthier, more productive village chicken farms
- 15 women supported directly
- ND vaccination campaigns reaching 500 nearby households
Improved technical skills and knowledge
- Practical training, new manuals, and peer mentorship
Greater market access and higher income
- Monthly sales tracking, new buyer connections
Financially literate women entrepreneurs
- Budgeting, savings, and income tracking support

Female Farmers to Grow Village Chicken Businesses in Mozambique

Mrs. Madalena (breeder) holding her young chicks.

Will this work contribute to ongoing change?

This project is designed with sustainability in mind:

Local extension officers and project participants receive in-depth training
Women farmers receive resource materials and mentorship
Leadership within the community is empowered to advocate and continue project activities
The SDAE (local government institution) is supported to eventually manage the program
The village chicken business model is built to generate its own revenue and reinvest in growth

We measure our outcomes against indicators set out for the specific globally recognised sustainable development goals for 2030

Thanks to our donor

We are grateful for the support of the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program, which makes this important work possible. Their funding is helping us partner with local communities to create a positive and lasting impact.