Impacts of land use intensification on human wellbeing: Evidence from rural Mozambique

•Improvements in wellbeing coincided with higher rates of land use intensification with smallholder commercial and subsistence agricultural expansion.•No changes to wellbeing were observed with the intensification of charcoal production.•Improvements in the wellbeing of the poorest were only found under circumstances of higher market integration.•Sustainable and inclusive markets were required alongside land use intensification to improve wellbeing for all households.•We advocate for broader framings for land use intensification, to reflect smallholder-dominated landscapes and critically engage with discussions around sustainable development.