Munyaradzi Mutenje

The effect of major income sources on rural household food (in)security: Evidence from Swaziland and implications for policy

ABSTRACT The aim of this article was to investigate the food (in)security effect of household income generated from major economic activities in rural Swaziland. From a sample of 979 households, the results of a multinomial treatment regression model indicated that gender of household head, labor endowment, education, size of arable land, and location significantly influenced the households’ choice of primary economic activity. Further results suggested that off-farm-income-dependent households were less likely to be food insecure when compared with on-farm-income-dependent households. However, on-farm-income-dependent households had a better food security status than their counterparts who depended on remittances and nonfarm economic activities.

Determinants of child nutritional status in the eastern province of Zambia: the role of improved maize varieties

Using household survey data from a sample of 810 households, this paper analyses the determinants of children’s nutritional status and evaluates the impacts of improved maize varieties on child malnutrition in eastern Zambia. The paper uses an endogenous switching regression technique, combined with propensity score matching, to assess the determinants of child malnutrition and impacts of improved maize varieties on nutritional status. The study finds that child nutrition worsens with the age of the child and improves with education of household head and female household members, number of adult females in the household, and access to better sanitation. The study also finds a robust and significant impact of improved maize varieties on child malnutrition. The empirical results indicate that adoption of improved maize varieties reduces the probability of stunting by an average of about 26 %.

DEVELOPMENT OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE (CA) SYSTEMS IN MALAWI: LESSONS LEARNED FROM 2005 TO 2014

Conservation agriculture (CA) was introduced to farmers in Malawi to address soil degradation, declining crop productivity and the need to adapt to climate variability and change. This research from 2005 to 2014 aimed at analysing the effects of CA on longer-term productivity and profitability compared with conventional systems as practiced in two communities of Central Malawi. CA treatments outyielded conventional ridge tilled control plots in Mwansambo and Zidyana on average by between 22 and 31%, respectively. An economic analysis from 2011 to 2014 found that, on average, income was 50 and 83% greater in CA systems than in conventional systems. The crops were produced with 28 -39 less labour days ha −1 compared with the conventional practice, leading to greater net benefits. Despite the higher returns with CA, there are still challenges with residue retention, weed control, adequate rotations, management of pests and diseases as well as other socio-economic constraints. At the same time, there are opportunities to address these challenges through site-specific and adaptive research using innovation systems approaches.

Market participation and marketing channel preferences by small scale sorghum farmers in semi-arid Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT A fundamental concern of agricultural development is the efficient marketing of goods and services. This paper examines the determinants of market participation and marketing channel choice decisions by small scale sorghum farmers using a case comprising 380 households from five Wards in the mid Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe. Mixed data collection approaches including a questionnaire, observations and focus group discussions were used. Secondary data triangulated and validated farmers’ responses. A double hurdle based on probit and multinomial logit regression models was applied to the two decision making stages. Ninety six percent of the sampled farmers participated in some market as influenced by payment time, number of buyers in the market, age of principal decision maker and distance to market. Three marketing channels were isolated as local, traders and a combination. The local marketing channel dominates due to its convenience and relatively lower transaction costs. Using the local market option as the referent category, weighted average market price of sorghum, number of buyers in the market, distance to the market, dependency ratio and household income are the most robust determinants of marketing channel selection. Sorghum marketing channel options are limited for small scale farmers in Zimbabwe. Strengthening cooperative based and extension anchored marketing can reduce the risks associated with relating to external traders who usually exploit farmers for price, payment time and quality requirements. Decentralisation of the sorghum markets and promotion of value addition activities in the sorghum value chain is likely to reduce transaction costs and increase the market size.

Productivity and profitability of manual and mechanized conservation agriculture (CA) systems in Eastern Zambia

Climate variability and declining soil fertility pose a major threat to sustainable agronomic and economic growth in Zambia. The objective of this study was to assess crop yield, land and labor productivity of conservation agriculture (CA) technologies in Eastern Zambia. On-farm trials were run from 2012–2015 and farmers were replicates of a randomized complete block design. The trials compared three CA systems against a conventional practice. Yield and net return ha −1 were determined for maize and legume yield (kg ha −1 ) produced by ridge and furrow tillage, CA dibble stick planting, CA animal traction ripping and direct seeding. The dibble stick, ripline and direct seeding CA systems had 6–18, 12–28 and 8–9% greater maize yield relative to the conventional tillage system, respectively. Rotation of maize with cowpea and soybean significantly increased maize yields in all CA systems. Intercropping maize with cowpea increased land productivity (e.g., the land equivalent ratio for four seasons was 2.01) compared with full rotations under CA. Maize/cowpea intercropping in dibble stick CA produced the greatest net returns (US

Evaluating manual conservation agriculture systems in southern Africa

312-767 ha −1 ) compared with dibble stick maize-cowpea rotation (US

Where is the limit? lessons learned from long-term conservation agriculture research in Zimuto Communal Area, Zimbabwe

204-657), dibble stick maize monoculture (US

Are conservation agriculture (CA) systems productive and profitable options for smallholder farmers in different agro-ecoregions of Zimbabwe?

108-584) and the conventional practice (US

Identifying Potential Recommendation Domains for Conservation Agriculture in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Malawi

64-516). The net-return for the animal traction CA systems showed that maize-soybean rotations using the ripper were more profitable than the direct seeder or conventional ridge and furrow systems. Agronomic and economic benefits of CA-based cropping systems highlight the good potential for improved food security and agricultural productivity for smallholder farmers.