The green revolution in Zimbabwe

This paper presents an historical overview of plant breeding research, variety release and seed supply of staple food grains in Zimbabwe, and assesses the impacts of the new varieties on yields using national aggregate yield data. The paper also analyses farm-level factors determining farmers' adoption decisions in the semi-arid areas, where the mini-green revolution lagged behind more favorable areas. The results indicate that the adoption of improved crop varieties will not lead to substantial yield gains unless improved soil management methods, such as application of manure and fertilizer, are also adopted

Evolution of Social Science Research at ICRISAT, and a Case Study in Zimbabwe. Working Paper Series no. 20

This paper consists of two distinct yet complementary parts. The first part analyzes the evolution of social science research (SSR) at ICRISAT. It describes the initiation of SSR, its continued recognition and incorporation in the Institute's research strategy, its structure, staff strength, collaboration and partnerships; and the constraints faced by SSR - including debates on relevance and performance, and how these have been dealt with within the Institute. The second part was motivated by the CGIAR's thrust to enhance the contribution of SSR to sustainable agricultural development, food security, and poverty eradication. It is a case study of livelihood diversification behavior among smallholder farm communities in Zimbabwe and illustrates how SSR contributes to livelihood analysis, targeting of research and development, and informing policy. It addresses several key questions: Given the changing environment in the semi-arid tropics, what factors constrain rural livelihoods? How do resource-poor smallholder farm households cope with these constraints? How do their coping strategies impact on farmer investment behavior? And what are the implications for targeting of research and development

Evolution of social science research at ICRISAT, and a case study in Zimbabwe

Social science research (SSR) at ICRISAT evolved in the context of its socio-economics program, covering agricultural economics, science and technology policy, rural sociology, and anthropology (Byerlee 2001). These disciplines play complementary roles in obtaining a basic understanding of the rural economy in the semi-arid tropics (SAT), identifying priorities for research, informing policy, monitoring research impacts and helping to direct investments by ICRISAT’s partners. The first part of this paper analyzes the evolution of SSR in ICRISAT. The second part is a recent case study on livelihood diversification behavior among smallholder farm communities in Zimbabwe. It illustrates how SSR contributes to livelihood analysis, targeting of research and development, and informing policy. The structure and content of SSR at ICRISAT has been shaped by the Institute’s overall research strategies over time. Before 1996, ICRISAT’s major emphasis was on increasing production and food security through new technologies and new uses for our mandate crops. The strategy focused on more efficient use of small quantities of inputs and their timely application to enrich nutrient-poor soils. In the latter half of the 1990s, there was renewed effort on problem-based, impact-driven science and delivery of outputs. By 1997, the Institute’s strategy aimed to identify alternative uses of the natural resource base that could help reduce poverty, promote food security, and prevent environmental degradation. In line with these changes, socio-economics research focused on analysis of the potential of agriculture in the semiarid tropics, alternative investment strategies, input and output markets, and policy. In accordance with the CGIAR’s vision of a food-secure world by 2010, ICRISAT’s vision today is to improve the wellbeing of the SAT poor through agricultural research for impact. The Institute has a mandate to enhance the livelihoods of the poor in semi-arid farming systems through integrated management of genetic and natural resources (ICRISAT 1980–2003)

New tools, methods, and approaches in natural resource management

ICRISAT and its partners have developed a range of new tools, approaches and methods to advance agricultural research in environments characterized by low household and natural resources, high climatic variability and limited infrastructure. These include: applications in simulation modeling, climate forecasting, climate-change and adaptation strategies, economic approaches to food security analyses, market studies, socio-economic analysis of how and why farmers make investment decisions, risk-return trade-offs on such investments, gender-related factors influencing technology choice, extension methods to promote technology adoption, GIS-based mapping and characterization methods, modeling of soil loss and surface water runoff, exploitation of agricultural niches such as fallows. This document provides examples of these successes, and identifies ways to build on them to alleviate poverty and food insecurity among smallholder farm communities in the semi-arid tropics

The new variant famine hypothesis: moving beyond the household in exploring links between AIDS and food insecurity in southern Africa

This is the post-print version of the final published article that is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2009 SAGE Publications.A number of southern African countries have experienced food crises during recent years. The fact that the scale of these crises has been disproportionate to the apparent triggers of climatic adversity or production decline has led to the suggestion that they are more closely related to the AIDS pandemic, which is at its most extreme in many of the same countries. This hypothesis, developed by de Waal and Whiteside (2003), has been termed ‘New Variant Famine’(NVF). The New Variant Famine hypothesis is helpful in drawing attention to the effects of AIDS in diminishing both food production and capacity to purchase food, but it focuses more intensely on the household level than many other theories that seek to explain food insecurity, which tend to emphasise the integration of peasants into a capitalist market economy, and the functioning of markets and institutions. The household level focus also characterises much research on the impacts of AIDS. In this article we argue that the effects of AIDS on food security are not confined to the household level, and that an NVF analysis should also consider processes operating within and beyond the household including social relationships, relations of age and gender, colonial inheritance and contemporary national and international political economy. Recognition of these processes and how they interact with AIDS may offer greater scope for political mobilisation rather than technocratic responses