Young female farmers in the Guava community of Mozambique often faced ridicule and discrimination when selling their farm produce door to door. Their limited experience in negotiating prices, preserving produce and building customer relationships further constrained their ability to access markets and secure fair returns for their work.

To address these barriers, Orlenda, a young female farmer, introduced an innovative peer-mentorship approach by partnering with trusted older women in the community to establish an informal mentoring network that supports young female farmers in marketing their produce. The initiative brought together five to seven experienced female farmers who volunteered to mentor younger farmers by sharing practical knowledge about pricing strategies, produce preservation and customer relations.

The approach built on existing cultural practices of community knowledge sharing in Mozambique, allowing the network to quickly gain acceptance and trust. New members typically joined through introductions by existing members, and learning followed an apprenticeship-style model. Young farmers accompanied experienced sellers, observed market transactions and gradually developed skills such as calculating prices, negotiating with buyers and maintaining customer relationships. While knowledge and market information were shared collectively, each woman continued to sell her produce independently.

Older and respected women often vouched for the younger farmers, helping them to overcome discrimination and build trust with buyers. Since its launch in April 2025, the peer-mentorship network has strengthened market access and improved business practices among young female farmers. The farmers interact regularly and began co-ordinating their pricing strategies to reflect crop quality, prevailing market rates and customer demand. Previously, prices were set individually and often inconsistently. The new collaborative approach helped reduce underpricing and strengthened the female farmers’ bargaining power with buyers.

The network also introduced a more proactive marketing strategy, shifting from the traditional approach of waiting for customers to arrive to door-to-door delivery of fresh produce. The new approach made it easier for households to access fresh produce and allowed the farmers to establish a more stable customer base. As a result, farmers were better able to estimate demand, carry appropriate quantities of produce and reduce spoilage.

To remain competitive, the members also shared simple but effective preservation practices, including proper drying to prevent mould, improved storage using sealed containers or treated sacks, and natural pest deterrents (e.g., using ashes and garlic to protect maize from pests). Careful handling during transportation provided another layer of protection for the produce. Equally important was the emphasis on strong customer relations, including transparent pricing, honest weights and measures, and reliable delivery, which strengthened the farmers’ reputation as trustworthy suppliers.

The network has become a platform for collective market intelligence. Members regularly exchange information about demand, price trends and emerging opportunities. This knowledge sharing is sustained through a norm of reciprocity — members who contribute useful information benefit from the collective insights shared within the group.

Each participating farmer has shared these practices with at least three women in their communities. As a result of these innovations, 35 young female farmers were able to sell their maize at US$100.00 per 25 kilograms, representing a 33% increase from earlier prices of US$45.00–$60.00. Improved product quality, co-ordinated pricing and stronger customer relationships enabled farmers to negotiate better prices and build trust with buyers. Each participating farmer has shared these practices with at least three women in their communities. In this way, they are extending the benefits of the initiative and strengthening women’s economic participation in local markets.

This peer-mentorship model demonstrates how community-driven innovation can address social barriers and market inequalities. By combining traditional knowledge sharing practices with practical marketing strategies, the initiative has helped young female farmers build their confidence, improve their incomes and expand their participation in local markets.

Contributed by ADPP, Mozambique.