Creating food self reliance among the smallholder farmers of eastern Zimbabwe: exploring the role of integrated agricultural research for development

Nyikahadzoi, Kefasi; Siziba, Shephard; Mango, Nelson; Mapfumo, Paul; Adekunhle, Adewale; Fatunbi, Oluwole

doi:10.1007/s12571-012-0218-8

Cited by 46 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…At the farm level, one of the immediate and key livelihoods outcome expectations is improved food security [24]. The biophysical transformations that are occasioned by practicing conservation agriculture are expected to result in sustained increase in crop yields [25].…”

Section: Conservation Agriculture In Southern Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…CA adoption has been widely promoted targeting the improvement in productivity in almost similar farming systems in the three countries. Increased crop productivity of farmers transform to enhancement in availability and access to food and surplus for sale [24,35]. This indicates that adoption of CA can have a direct and positive influence on household Food Consumption Scores ceteris paribus.…”

Section: Conceptualizing Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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The impact of adoption of conservation agriculture on smallholder farmers’ food security in semi-arid zones of southern Africa

Mango¹,

Siziba

Makate³

2017

Agric & Food Secur

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Background:In southern Africa, conservation agriculture (CA) has received a lot of research and promotional support from various organizations in the past decades. Conservation agriculture is largely promoted as one of the few win-win technologies affordable to farmers, in the sense that potentially it improves farmers' yields (in the long term) at the same time conserving the environment. This is because conservation agriculture reduces nitrogen loss in the soil, promotes water and soil conservation and improves agronomic use efficiency of applied nutrients. However, some concerns have been raised over the feasibility of conservation agriculture on smallholder farms given constraints imposed by the biophysical and institutional realities under which smallholder farmers operate. The main aim of this study is to answer the question whether conservation agriculture is resulting in tangible livelihood outcomes to smallholder farmers. The counterfactual outcome approach was used to estimate ex post impact of conservation agriculture adoption on one of the key livelihood outcomes-food security. Results:The study that utilized a data set covering 1623 households in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique found no significant impact of conservation agriculture adoption on Food Consumption Score of farmers in Zimbabwe and Malawi. Possible reasons for the insignificant of CA impact on food security in Zimbabwe and Malawi could include the small land areas currently devoted to CA, and the failure to implement the full complement of practices necessary to set off the biophysical process that are expected to drive yield increases. In Mozambique, conservation agriculture significantly improved the Food Consumption Score for farmers exposed to the technology. A possible reason for effectiveness of CA in Mozambique could be due to the fact that often CA is being promoted together with other better cropping management practices such as timely weeding and improved seed varieties, which are poorly practiced by the generality of farmers in a country just emerging from a war period. Conclusion:This paper provides one of the few ex post assessments of the impact of conservation agriculture adoption on household livelihood outcomes-food security. Given the mixed findings, the study suggests that conservation agriculture farmers in the three countries need to be supported to adopt a value chain approach to conservation agriculture. This entails the introduction of commercial or high-value crops in the conservation agriculture programmes, value addition on farmers produce, access to the necessary support services such as markets for seed, fertilizer, herbicides and equipment as well as reliable extension. We believe that under such circumstances conservation agriculture can effectively reduce food insecurity and poverty in the medium to long term.

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Section: Conservation Agriculture In Southern Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Conceptualizing Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of adoption of conservation agriculture on smallholder farmers’ food security in semi-arid zones of southern Africa

Mango¹,

Siziba

Makate³

2017

Agric & Food Secur

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“…The IP project work in Balaka had another aim of ensuring efficient water and nutrient use in cereal-legume systems, using conservation agriculture. Promotion of conservation agriculture was therefore at the centre of project implementation activities [4]. Conservation agriculture improves soil structure with minimum disturbance of the natural soil ecology [38].…”

Section: Achievements and Benefits From Ip Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overall, the efforts of the project were meant to improve agricultural productivity and livelihoods [4]. Improving food security and income was therefore the key target.…”

Section: Achievements and Benefits From Ip Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of these agricultural development methods are characterised by sector fragmentation which reduces their effectiveness in promoting agricultural development amongst smallholder farmers [2]. Moreover, implementation of these interventions has always taken linear and non-participatory Agricultural Research and Development Approaches (ARD) of technology transfer [3,4]. This has promoted researchers to introduce an Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) model as an alternative agricultural development approach.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diversity amongst farm households and achievements from multi-stakeholder innovation platform approach: lessons from Balaka Malawi

Makate¹,

Mango²

2017

Agric & Food Secur

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Background: Understanding diversity of smallholder farm households is of critical importance for the success of development interventions. Farming households often will devise livelihood strategies that provide the best guarantee for survival and based on their socioeconomic vulnerability. This study examines how achievements from the Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) approach through participation in innovation platform activities accrue to smallholder farming households of diverse socioeconomic status. The study is based on a representative sample of smallholder farmers from Balaka innovation platform found in Balaka district of Malawi. Balaka innovation platform was formed in 2009 with the aim of addressing key farmer problems of low crop productivity, lack of input and output markets, limited access to agricultural credit, low incomes and poverty in general. Through multi-stakeholder dialogue, the platform proposed activities meant to improve livelihoods of participants. Some of the activities include conservation agriculture adoption, crop diversification, improved communication through the platform, linking farmers to microfinance institutions and markets, collective market participation, joining farmer groups organised by the platform and various other activities. The main aim was to improve crop productivity, household incomes and food security. Results:A multivariate study that combines principal component analysis for essential data reduction and cluster analysis to classify typical farm households based on their socioeconomic characteristics and reported achievements from innovation platform activities was used. It is evident from the results that achievements from innovation platform activities are not uniform across farmer groups of different socioeconomic status. Conclusions:The upshots call for segregated approaches in promoting adoption of various livelihood improving activities, technologies and approaches through the innovation platform approach in smallholder farming areas such as the ones in Balaka, Malawi. Tactics selected by development partners to fight against smallholder farmer problems of low productivity low incomes and food insecurity should conform to farmer socioeconomic vulnerability for greater success.

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Drivers of Level of Adaptation to Climate Change in Smallholder Farming Systems in Southern Africa: A Multi-Level Modelling Approach

Zamasiya¹,

Nyikahadzoi²,

Mukamuri³

2020

African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation

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Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-fed agricultural production for food and income. Smallholder farmers in these countries are using multiple adaptation practices to manage the effects of climate change. This chapter examines household and community-level factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change in the Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study used a multilevel modeling approach to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change is conditioned by access to extension services, access to remittances, family labor, household education (household level factors), and linking capital (community-level factor). This chapter therefore concludes that smallholder farmers that have higher levels of adaptation to climate change are those that are well linked to external organizations and have access to agricultural extension services. The chapter recommends that adaptation to climate change can be enhanced by improving access to agricultural extension services and promoting linkages with external organizations that provide information on agricultural adaptation practices.

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Creating food self reliance among the smallholder farmers of eastern Zimbabwe: exploring the role of integrated agricultural research for development

Cited by 46 publications

References 8 publications

The impact of adoption of conservation agriculture on smallholder farmers’ food security in semi-arid zones of southern Africa

The impact of adoption of conservation agriculture on smallholder farmers’ food security in semi-arid zones of southern Africa

Diversity amongst farm households and achievements from multi-stakeholder innovation platform approach: lessons from Balaka Malawi

Drivers of Level of Adaptation to Climate Change in Smallholder Farming Systems in Southern Africa: A Multi-Level Modelling Approach

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