Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Rural roads play a fundamental role in promoting economic development, market accessibility, and social inclusion in developing countries. In Mozambique, particularly in Nampula Province, rural roads are highly vulnerable to climatic events, resulting in frequent deterioration and increased maintenance costs. At the same time, Nampula has considerable agricultural potential, generating substantial quantities of agricultural waste that often lack appropriate disposal or utilization pathways. This study evaluates the potential use of coconut husk ash (CHA) as a sustainable stabilizing agent for lateritic soils used in rural road construction. Laboratory tests, including particle-size distribution, Atterberg limits, Proctor compaction, and California Bearing Ratio (CBR), were conducted on natural lateritic soil and soil stabilized with 10% coconut husk ash. The results indicate a reduction in plasticity and an improvement in geotechnical performance following stabilization. The liquid limit decreased from 42.0% to 32.1%, while the plasticity index was reduced from 16.9% to 14.0%. The stabilized soil also exhibited lower expansion under soaking conditions and improved capacity characteristics. These findings suggest that coconut husk ash is a promising sustainable alternative for enhancing the engineering properties of rural road materials in Mozambique while simultaneously promoting agricultural waste valorization and supporting circular economy principles.</p>