Across rural Africa, non-timber forest products like baobab are essential to daily life, providing food, income and cultural value. Yet these activities are often informal and undervalued, limiting their potential to support women’s empowerment. At the same time, communities in Mozambique face increasing climate pressures, including droughts, cyclones and declining agricultural productivity, which heighten vulnerability and economic insecurity.

This case study explores how the commercialisation of baobab fruit in northern Mozambique is creating new opportunities for rural women while strengthening climate resilience. Built through a long-term partnership between the Micaia Foundation and Baobab Products Mozambique (BPM), it shows how inclusive business models can transform both livelihoods and social dynamics.

Key features

• Inclusive value chain: BPM provides a fair, transparent market for baobab, paying higher prices and sourcing directly from women
• Scale and reach: Thousands of women are now engaged as suppliers in a formalised, growing value chain
• Skills and leadership: Training in harvesting, literacy and leadership strengthens women’s confidence and participation
• Collective voice: Women are organised into networks and associations, increasing their influence in decision-making

As a result

• Baobab has shifted from an informal, low-value activity to a commercial value chain with international reach
• Women are gaining greater control over income and increased participation in household decisions
• The value chain provides a climate-resilient source of income in a drought-prone region
• Sustainable harvesting and forest management support long-term environmental resilience

This case demonstrates that market access alone is not enough. By linking gender equity, inclusive business and climate resilience, the baobab value chain offers a practical model for supporting more sustainable and equitable development pathways in similar contexts.