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Conservation Agriculture Practices and Adoption by Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe

Author

Listed:
  • Mazvimavi, Kizito
  • Ndlovu, Patrick V.
  • Nyathi, Putso
  • Minde, Isaac J.

Abstract

This study is based on a panel survey interviewing 416 farmers practising conservation agriculture for at least five cropping seasons. Farmers obtained higher yields on conservation agriculture plots than on nonconservation agriculture ones. The mean maize yield on conservation agriculture was 1546 kg/ha compared to 970 kg/ha for non-conventional draft tillage plots across all 15 districts. However, the contribution of conservation agriculture to total household food security requirements was limited due to small plot sizes. Labor and land still remains a major challenge that limits the expansion of conservation agriculture area. Winter weeding remains a challenge, with 63% of farmers practicing it. Application of residues is still limited (56% of farmers practising it). Fertilizer application is largely dependent on access to free fertilizer. The survey results show that the 78 % of the respondent farmers were initially selected by the NGOs and were provided with inputs such as seed and fertilizer. The other 22% of the farmers in the sample were selected as spontaneous adopters, who did not initially receive any NGO support to implement conservation agriculture practices. Eleven percent of the interviewed farmers had stopped conservation agriculture practices by the 2008/09 cropping season due to withdrawal of input support by NGOs. Research should continue to explore different recommendations for different areas as farmers face dynamic agro-ecological and soil environments. Conservation agriculture should not be introduced as a blanket technology for all areas, but should be flexible and adaptable to local conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Mazvimavi, Kizito & Ndlovu, Patrick V. & Nyathi, Putso & Minde, Isaac J., 2010. "Conservation Agriculture Practices and Adoption by Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe," 2010 AAAE Third Conference/AEASA 48th Conference, September 19-23, 2010, Cape Town, South Africa 96822, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaae10:96822
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.96822
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mazvimavi, Kizito & Twomlow, Steve, 2009. "Socioeconomic and institutional factors influencing adoption of conservation farming by vulnerable households in Zimbabwe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 101(1-2), pages 20-29, June.
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    1. Raymond Mugandani & Liboster Mwadzingeni & Paramu Mafongoya, 2021. "Contribution of Conservation Agriculture to Soil Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-11, September.
    2. Drake N. Mubiru & Jalia Namakula & James Lwasa & Godfrey A. Otim & Joselyn Kashagama & Milly Nakafeero & William Nanyeenya & Mark S. Coyne, 2017. "Conservation Farming and Changing Climate: More Beneficial than Conventional Methods for Degraded Ugandan Soils," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-14, June.
    3. Christian Thierfelder & Pauline Chivenge & Walter Mupangwa & Todd S. Rosenstock & Christine Lamanna & Joseph X. Eyre, 2017. "How climate-smart is conservation agriculture (CA)? – its potential to deliver on adaptation, mitigation and productivity on smallholder farms in southern Africa," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(3), pages 537-560, June.
    4. Homann-Kee Tui, Sabine & Valbuena, Diego & Masikati, Patricia & Descheemaeker, Katrien & Nyamangara, Justice & Claessens, Lieven & Erenstein, Olaf & van Rooyen, Andre & Nkomboni, Daniel, 2015. "Economic trade-offs of biomass use in crop-livestock systems: Exploring more sustainable options in semi-arid Zimbabwe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 48-60.
    5. Olawuyi Seyi Olalekan & Balogun Taofeek Ayodeji, 2017. "The Endogeneity Effects of Conservation Agriculture Adoption on Smallholder Farmers' Food Security Status in Osun State, Nigeria," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 9(5), pages 144-156.
    6. Vaiknoras, Kate & Norton, George & Alwang, Jeffrey, 2015. "Farmer preferences for attributes of conservation agriculture in Uganda," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16.

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    Keywords

    Farm Management; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Resource/Energy Economics and Policy;
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