Home vegetable gardens

The deep red of her hijab stands out other colourful scarves, shirts, and capulanas [1] of the women moving through the nursery. Standing tall, Argentina Mazeze addresses the group gathered around her. "Today, we're going to plough the land until it's soft — really light — and then we'll start with the demarcation."

A vegetable nursery should be located near a water source for easy irrigation, have fertile soil to support seed germination, and be close to farmers’ gardens to speed up transplanting. In Calipo, Mogovolas district, Nampula province, the community nursery meets all these conditions — and is even surrounded by trees to protect it from the wind.

Calipo is one of 53 sites where FAO, through the EU-funded PROMOVE Agribiz programme and supporting Government efforts, established vegetable nurseries. The Calipo nursery is run by 30 farmers, mostly women. They divide tasks, share responsibilities, and learn together. "FAO taught us how to build and maintain a nursery, and provided us with seeds, tools, and training," Argentina explains. "Before, I struggled to afford fresh foods at the market, and I didn’t even know how important vegetables were."

With her baby wrapped on her back, Argentina points to the tools on the ground. Her instructions are clear: "We need a tape measure to mark the lines, stakes for positioning, and rope to keep everything straight."

Once the land is soft, the women swap their hoes for rakes to level the beds. "Then we spread out well-composted chicken manure, mix it into the soil, and water the area." After that, it’s time to sow and tend the seedlings.

"TRANSPLANTING is a very sensitive process."

Transplanting with Cecília João. © FAO/Ricardo Franco

After three to four weeks in the nursery, it's time to transplant. Cecília João carefully holds a bell pepper seedling to avoid damaging the roots. In her bowl, she also carries onions, cabbage, and kale. "Transplanting should always happen in the evening," she says. "That way, the plants can rest overnight and adapt to the new environment." It’s a delicate process, if done incorrectly, the plants won’t grow well.

In her garden, Cecília follows polyculture practices, alternating between leafy greens, fruits, and root crops — a technique learned from FAO. She also learned to sow in rows, respect spacing, and prepare and use organic fertilizer. Her home garden, a sunny plot in the backyard near the community fountain, has transformed her family’s diet."My garden is small, but I harvest many types of crops. I no longer have to walk far or spend money at the market just to feed my family."

"In garden MANAGEMENT, I learned to use sustainable practices."

Garden Management with Orlanda Mindiate. © FAO/Ricardo Franco

When Orlanda Mindiate arrives at her vegetable garden, the first thing she does is check the plants. In addition to weeding, she follows different watering routines depending on the crop: lettuce requires water twice a day, onions only every other day. "Using mulch helps keep the soil moist and reduces how often we water," she explains – just as the FAO technicians taught her. Tomatoes and cucumbers need staking to prevent the fruit from touching the ground and rotting. "So we support the plants with stakes," she adds. For crops like beetroot and onions, she mounds the soil to support better bulb growth.

She also learned to make biopesticide (biol) and regularly checks the beds for pests or diseases, lifting leaves and inspecting the plants. When needed, she applies biol, but crop rotation and polyculture help prevent pest outbreaks. "If I grow cabbage now, I’ll plant something different next season."

Thanks to these techniques, Orlanda now follows sustainable gardening practices. "Since I started my home garden, my quality of life has really improved. There’s more food and more money for other needs." Before, she admits, "I didn’t even know it was possible to grow vegetables at home and succeed."

"HARVESTING vegetables helps me diversify my family's diet."

Harvesting with Felita Manteiga. © FAO/Ricardo Franco

Felita Manteiga walks between the beds with a knife and clean bowl, cutting cabbage leaves and collecting lettuce and onions. Her vegetable garden has changed her family’s life. "We no longer suffer like before," she says. "Now everyone is healthy."

She proudly explains that many women in the neighbourhood come to admire her garden. "They ask questions, and I share everything I’ve learned from FAO. I feel so happy because they’re learning, too."

Felita’s next goal is to deepen her well so she can produce more, even in the dry season. She also plans to grow more drought-resistant crops like enhewe [amaranth].

Together, Argentina, Cecília, Orlanda, and Felita show how knowledge, access to resources, and community support can transform not only individual lives but entire neighbourhoods. Through their home gardens, they are feeding their families, inspiring others, and leading the way toward healthier diets and more resilient livelihoods. With every seed sown, every harvest shared, and every neighbour taught, they are cultivating a future of Better Nutrition for all.

[1] A capulana is a brightly coloured, patterned cotton fabric widely used by women in Mozambique. It is typically wrapped around the waist as a skirt, used to carry babies on the back, or styled as a headwrap, among other uses.