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Flood‐based farming systems can contribute significantly to smallholder farmers’ food security and household income. The objectives of this study were to assess socio‐economic importance of flood‐recession cropping (FRC); characterise maize agronomic practices; determine factors that affect selection of crop establishment method; and identify major crop production challenges in the mid‐Zambezi Valley. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 123 respondents, 11 focus group discussions and field observations. Factors affecting selection of crop establishment method were analysed using the binary logistic regression model and all other data were analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 20.0. FRC was ranked highest among livelihood sources. Crops grown and allocated mean land areas (ha) were maize (0.56), sweet potato (0.25), sugar beans (0.16), okra (0.32), cowpea (0.21), tomato (0.14) and watermelon (0.19). Most farmers (69%) established crops by holing out planting stations in furrows. Maize plant spacing averaged 0.86 × 0.64 m and 75% of the farmers planted at least four seeds per station at 0.28 m mean depth. Only 8.9% of the farmers used inorganic fertilisers and 4.3% used certified seed. Furrow and holing out was more likely to be practised by farmers who resided in Muzarabani, had more household labour, perceived their fields as inadequate, owned more draught power animals, and cited high temperature as a challenge. The more years a farmer had practised FRC, the less likely they were to practise furrow and holing out. Major production challenges were pest damage, and inadequate labour and equipment. There are opportunities to (1) improve crop yields through using certified seed, selecting appropriate crop establishment methods, optimising plant spacing, and microdosing with inorganic fertilisers; (2) intensify high‐value crop cultivation to create employment; and (3) diversify food and income through post‐harvest processing and value addition. Research should address crop pest damage, and inadequate labour and equipment, and yield benefits of different crop establishment methods.