Determinants of school attendance among children with disability in Zimbabwe and implication on disability policy

A ZJER review of the factors that influence school attendance among children living with disabilities and their impact on disability policy in Zimbabwe's educational system.This article reviews the factors which influence school attendance among children living with disabilities and their impact on disability policy in Zimbabwe. The data for this analysis was collected in several districts of Zimbabwe. Logit Regression Model shows that gender of the child living with disability, the ability to speak, attitudes of parents and their membership of a support group heavily influence the schooling of children with disabilities. This finding contradicts the provisions of the disability policy which advocate for the inclusion of all disabled persons in all issues concerning their welfare. It is clear that Zimbabwean society continues to exclude disabled children in attaining education and this is exacerbated by lack of clear policies and enforcement of regulations towards the realisation of human rights among children living with disability

Promoting production and marketing of root crops in Southern Africa in a changing climate using integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4d) pathway

Climate change is expected to have adverse impacts on smallholder farmers whose livelihoods depend on rain-fed agriculture. In fact, climate change is expected to continue to pose a serious threat to agriculture in southern Africa as annual rainfall amounts are expected to decline and temperatures are expected to increase. Studies show that the impacts will depend on the extent of smallholder farmers’ adaptation in response to climate change and variability. However, despite numerous extension efforts and repeated past maize crop failures, smallholder farmers in southern Africa continue to show preference to maize over other drought resistant crops. The low rate of adoption of drought resistant crops in response to the changing climate has been blamed on the linear non-participatory manner in which agricultural research and development efforts are organised. The present study seeks to establish whether reorganising research and development in an integrated manner known as Integrated Agricultural Research for Development – (IAR4D) would contribute towards the adoption of drought resistant crops and also improve household incomes. The study used cross-sectional household survey data collected from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi to determine the local average treatment effect of adopting drought resistant crops (in this case root and tuber crops) on household income. A multistage sampling technique was used to sample 600 households from the three countries. The data was collected as part of an end-line survey in the proof of IAR4D concept from conventional, treatment and control sites in each of the three countries. Results from the analysis show that smallholders in IAR4D villages which produced and sold root and tuber crops had higher household incomes than farmers who did not produce and sell these crops. The results also show that smallholder farmers who participated in IAR4D activities adopted roots and tuber crops to militate against the effects of climate change and variability. The study concluded that IAR4D could effectively deal with institutional and technical issues that constrain smallholders from adapting to climate change and variability. Furthermore, climate change adaptation strategies could be easily promoted using an integrated agricultural research for development approach.Key words: Climate, adaptation, marketing, agriculture, innovations Roots and tubers, Southern Africa, IAR4

INFLUENCE OF MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INNOVATION PLATFORM APPROACH ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS MARKETING DECISIONS

One of the very numerous decisions that smallholder farmers face world wide relates to market participation in agricultural markets and, consequently choosing the appropriate marketing channel for their agricultural produce. Such decisions impact on their incomes and subsequently on their welfare. The objective of this study was to determine how a multi-stakeholder innovation platform approach influences pigeon pea ( Cajanus Cajan L.) marketing decisions in smallholder farming in Malawi. The study relied on primary data collected from 115 households in Balaka District in Malawi during an impact survey done in November 2014. Results confirmed that the multi-stakeholder innovation platform approach improves decision making in pigeon pea marketing. Variables such as access to transport services and market information, improved extension, capacity building through farmer training, adoption of conservation agriculture and membership to farmer groups influenced marketing decisions.L\u2019une des plus nombreuses d\ue9cisions auxquelles les petits agriculteurs font face g\ue9n\ue9ralement est relative \ue0 la participation aux march\ue9s entre les march\ue9s agricoles et, par cons\ue9quent choisir les canaux appropri\ue9s de commercialisation pour leur produits agricoles. De telles d\ue9cisions impactent sur leurs revenus et ult\ue9rieurement sur leur bien-\ueatre. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait de determiner comment l\u2019approche de la plate-forme d\u2019innovation multipartite influence les d\ue9cisions de commercialisation du pois d\u2019angole ( Cajanus Cajan L.) chez les petits exploitants agricoles au Malawi. L\u2019\ue9tude s\u2019est bas\ue9e sur des donn\ue9es primaires collect\ue9es sur 115 m\ue9nages dans le district de Balaka au Malawi au cours d\u2019une enqu\ueate d\u2019impact conduit en Novembre 2014. Les r\ue9sultats ont confirm\ue9 que l\u2019approche de la plate-forme d\u2019innovation multipartite am\ue9liore la prise de d\ue9cision de la commercilisation du pois d\u2019angole. Les variables tells que l\u2019acc\ue8s aux services de transport et au march\ue9 d\u2019information, am\ue9liorent la vulgaristaion, le renforcement des capacit\ue9s \ue0 travers la formation des producteurs, l\u2019adoption de l\u2019agriculture de conservation et les groupements de producteurs ont influenc\ue9 les d\ue9cisions de commercilalisation

COLLECTIVE MARKET PARTICIPATION FOR IMPROVED INCOME AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMING HOUSEHOLDS: A CASE OF BALAKA INNOVATION PLATFORM IN MALAWI

Collective market participation can reduce transaction costs and information asymmetries, which can build up market power. The objective of this study was to evaluate decisions to participate in collective marketing and its effect on household income among smallholder farmers in an Innovation Platform (IP). This study targeted the Balaka IP in Malawi. Collective marketing identified as critical for improving households\u2019 incomes, is one of the activities that Balaka Innovation Platform has been addressing since its formation in 2009. The study involved a sample of 115 randomly selected households from Balaka Innovation Platform. The odds of participating in collective marketing by smallholder farm households in Balaka was significantly influenced by gender, education level, access to social capital through membership in farmer groups that form the Innovation Platform, farming experience, adoption/practice of conservation agriculture and possession of assets e.g. cellphone and bicycle. Moreover, results indicate that functions of IPs such as organising farmers to market collectively, promoting crop diversification, improved extension service, credit access through linkages to microfinance, communication and market linkages, positively influence income. Thus participation in multi-stakeholder IP activities highly influences collective marketing, which in turn impacts positively on smallholder farming households\u2019 income.La participation collective au march\ue9 peut r\ue9duire les co\ufbts de transaction et les assym\ue9tries d\u2019information; lesquelles peuvent constituer un pouvoir du march\ue9. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019\ue9valuer les d\ue9cisions \ue0 participer \ue0 la commercialisation collective et leur effet sur le revenu des m\ue9nages entre les petits exploitants agricoles dans une Plate-forme d\u2019Innovation (IP). Cette \ue9tude s\u2019est focalis\ue9e sur le Balaka IP au Malawi. La commercialisation collective identifi\ue9e comme essentielle pour l\u2019am\ue9lioration des revenus de m\ue9nages, est une des activit\ue9s que la Plate-forme d\u2019Innovation de Balaka a toujours abord\ue9 depuis sa mise en place en 2009. Cette \ue9tude a utilis\ue9 un \ue9chantillon de 115 m\ue9nages al\ue9atoirement select\ue9s dans la Plate-forme d\u2019Innovation de Balaka. Les chances de participation des petits exploitants agricoles \ue0 la commercialisation collective au Balaka \ue9tait significativement influenc\ue9es par le genre, le niveau d\u2019\ue9ducation, l\u2019acc\ue8s au capital social \ue0 travers les groupements de producteurs qui forment la Plate-forme d\u2019Innovation, l\u2019exp\ue9rience agricole, l\u2019adoption/la pratique de l\u2019agriculture conservative et la possession d\u2019actifs eg. t\ue9l\ue9phone cellulaire et bicyclette. De plus, les r\ue9sultats montrent que les fonctions des IPs telles que: organiser les agricultures \ue0 commercialiser collectivement, promouvoir la diversification de culture, le service am\ue9lior\ue9 de vulgarisation, l\u2019acc\ue8s au credit en liaison avec la microfinance, la communication et les liens commerciaux, influencent posistivement le revenu. Ainsi, la participation multipartite aux activit\ue9s de l\u2019IP influence la commercialisation collective, qui en cons\ue9quence impacte positvement sur le revenu des petits exploitants agricoles

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

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

Fragmented participation in management of the fishery for small pelagic fish in South Africa – inclusion of small-rights holders is a complex matter

The reasons why most small-rights holders do not participate in management of the fishery for small pelagic fish (‘small pelagics’) in South Africa, despite legislation and policy encouraging their participation, were analysed. Membership of the Small Pelagics Management Working Group (SPMWG), the main participatory governance organ, is limited to representatives of recognised stakeholder associations. Rights holders therefore have to belong to a stakeholder association, which then selects a member or members to represent them on the SPMWG. Small quotas and the difficulties of sourcing capital mean that small-rights holders are not able to invest in infrastructure. Besides, most of the small-rights holders and their companies lack experience and management skills to survive independently in this highly competitive industry, which is based on high volume and low profit margins. As a result, most of the small-rights holders have no option but to enter into complex catching and processing agreements with vessel- and factory owners belonging to the existing recognised stakeholder associations. For the small-rights holders, it does not make sense to join these associations or even to form their own if they cannot actively participate in the industry independently. Greater participation by small-rights holders should start with their genuine integration into the industry through improved ability to invest in infrastructure and through management skills development. Most likely, this will require an interventionist approach by government.Department of HE and Training approved lis

Socioeconomic circumstances of children with disabilities in Zimbabwe: Implications for human and social capital development

Children with disabilities are an integral part of Zimbabwean society. However these children face insurmountable challenges that hinder their human and social capital development. The current study used a mixed methodology approach to examine the socioeconomic circumstances of children living with disabilities across the country. Two hundred parents and caregivers of children with disabilities in seven provinces of Zimbabwe participated in the study. Questionnaires and focused group discussions were used to gather data for the study. The study results established that children living with disabilities, especially those that are based in rural areas, faced enormous challenges which made it difficult for them to attend school, which development in turn deterred their potential to become assets in the household economy. Thus, their failure to attain an education had implications for human capital development particularly at the household level. This fueled negative societal attitudes towards these children, including rejection even by some key family members. Ultimately, this scenario compromised the development, among these children, of social capital necessary for improved quality of life. The paper calls upon key stakeholders, including the government, to craft intervention strategies that recognize the particular and peculiar needs of these children.Keywords: Disability, children, Zimbabwe, education, rejection, social and human capital