The Mwai Protected Farming Community is located in Matutuíne District, southern Mozambique—an area defined by its sandy soils, gently rolling savannas, and seasonal watercourses that feed into the Maputo River system.

 

This ecologically rich region is home to diverse wildlife, including elephants and buffalos which frequently roam between community lands and nearby conservation areas. While these animals are iconic, their movement has historically posed significant challenges to rural farmers.

 

In May 2025, in partnership with Conserve Global, MWA installed a solar-powered electric fence enclosing 14 hectares, selected through full community consultation. Uniquely, this site is a shared communal field chosen to initiate agricultural production from the ground up. It currently has zero cultivation, representing a new beginning shaped by 120 families who have committed to working the land together.

 

The fence provides critical protection from elephant raids and opens a path for safe, climate-resilient farming. This initiative reflects the community’s collective will to grow food, secure livelihoods, and coexist with the wildlife they share their landscape with.