Livelihood effects of crop diversification: a panel data analysis of rural farm households in Zambia

Mofya-Mukuka, Rhoda; Hichaambwa, Munguzwe

doi:10.1007/s12571-018-0872-6

Cited by 29 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Thus, species grown in small plots like kitchen gardens are unlikely to lead to a meaningful change in the index. SID has been employed in recent similar studies (Jones et al 2014;Linderhof et al 2016;Mofya-Mukuka and Hichaambwa 2018). The second measure is generated by simply counting the number of different crop and livestock species produced by the farmers in the past 12 months before the interview.…”

Section: Production Diversity Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intra-household decision-making, production diversity, and dietary quality: a panel data analysis of Ethiopian rural households

2020

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Considering that rural poor are mostly subsistence farmers, it seems plausible that production diversity could lead to better nutrition for these farmers. The association between production and dietary diversity is complex, and this complexity demands rigorous empirical analyses and more attention to gendered aspects of intra-household decision-making. We employ panel data analyses of 363 Ethiopian smallholders surveyed in 2014 and 2016 to test for this phenomenon, and to explore the association of women's participation in decision-making with both production and consumption diversity. Results show that, diversification can be a strategy to improve the diets, but only of rural poor who have limited non-farm income, who are distant to the markets and mostly subsistence oriented. Moreover, female participation in decision-making associates with higher diversity both in terms of production and consumption, but it does not modify the magnitude of the association between production and dietary diversity. Our analyses contribute to the enriching literature on the linkage between production diversification and dietary diversity. We study this complex relationship in-depth and show that the gendered aspect of intra-household decision-making is an important covariate for both production diversity and dietary quality.

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Section: Production Diversity Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intra-household decision-making, production diversity, and dietary quality: a panel data analysis of Ethiopian rural households

2020

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“…IFDC, 2013). In particular, the country's maize-centric policies supporting input subsidies and direct market support had a marginal contribution to reducing food security and poverty and, negatively affect crop diversification (Mofya-Mukuka & Hichaambwa, 2018). Hence, how agricultural transformation and development occur matters for the floodplain's ecosystem sustainability and the local and downstream beneficiaries.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Local people already perceive crop diversity as a strategy to mitigate the recurring flood, drought, and market access risks (Dierksmeier et al, 2015). Likewise, the Zambian government recognizes the role of crop diversification in achieving food security, improving nutrition status and mitigating risk although on the ground interventions remain maize-centric (Mofya-Mukuka & Hichaambwa, 2018). It is necessary to explain why maize remains the most commonly planted crop across cultivated ecotypes in the floodplain, although other crops and crop varieties are also currently being cultivated (e.g.…”

Section: Targeted Agroecological Intensification and Crop Diversity Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

A gendered ecosystem services approach to identify novel and locally-relevant strategies for jointly improving food security, nutrition, and conservation in the Barotse Floodplain

Carmona

Attwood

Cole

et al. 2020

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

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“…In 2015, AE98% of smallholder households were cultivating maize, while it is estimated that more than half of the land under crop production in Zambia is devoted to maize (CSO 2015). Moreover, Mofya-Mukuka and Hichaambwa (2018) found that government input subsidies and direct market support for maize have negatively affected crop diversification by rural households. Additionally, compared to neighboring countries in the region, Zambia's level of crop diversification is low (as measured by the Simpson Index of Diversification ¼ AE0.37) (World Bank 2018).…”

Section: Is Livelihood and Economic Diversification The Answer?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptation to Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges from Zambia

Rawlins¹,

Kalaba

2021

African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation

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Context appropriate adaptation interventions and strategies that respond directly to localized climate change stressors, hazards, and vulnerabilities are critical for the sustainable development of countries like Zambia. This chapter examines both localized and systemic climate change risk pathways and barriers to adaptation action in Zambia.A three-staged methodology was applied, combining content analysis, focus group discussions, and expert interviews. Livelihood diversification was identified as the central adaptation option across Zambia, despite little empirical research detailing possible risks of diversification. The dominant adaptation discourse is focused specifically on diversifying within agriculture-based livelihoods. However, as all agricultural activities are impacted by climate change, diversification also needs to be explored in value-added or alternative sectors. With this, a weak policy framework and enabling environment are exacerbating cycles of poverty that underpin climate change vulnerability in Zambia. Moreover, maladaptation risks of existing diversification interventions are high as generic approaches often do not provide suitable options to complex and localized risk profiles.To implement a sustainable transition toward climate resilient and compatible development in Zambia, the authors recommend that a systematic livelihood diversification strategy should be rolled out and future research programs designed to support this. Specifically, this necessitates a system-wide analysis of pre-identified livelihood diversification pathways that can be adapted to different scenarios given the current and future climate uncertainties at local scales. The approach should focus on harnessing the positive feedback loops for systematic change to build resilience, while minimizing the dominant risk pathways and eliminating persistent barriers that enable positive feedback loops driving vulnerability to climate change. Thorough stakeholder engagement and incremental development of diversification options, incentives, penalties, and other governance and/or policy mechanisms will be needed to support these processes.

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Livelihood effects of crop diversification: a panel data analysis of rural farm households in Zambia

Cited by 29 publications

References 10 publications

Intra-household decision-making, production diversity, and dietary quality: a panel data analysis of Ethiopian rural households

Intra-household decision-making, production diversity, and dietary quality: a panel data analysis of Ethiopian rural households

A gendered ecosystem services approach to identify novel and locally-relevant strategies for jointly improving food security, nutrition, and conservation in the Barotse Floodplain

Adaptation to Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges from Zambia

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