The oilseeds subsector and household food insecurity in communal farming areas of Zimbabwe: a preliminary research proposal

A research paper on the oil-seed sub-sector vis-a-vis national food insecurity in the rural areas of Zimbabwe .The oil-seeds sub-sector is composed of cottonseed, soyabeans, groundnuts, and sunflowers. The sub-sector is targeted for expansion following recent government measures aimed at discouraging maize and sorghum production. The aim is to reduce maize production by at least 50 percent in the 1986-87 season. The reason for the new policy of agricultural diversification is the high cost of storing the 2.1 million tonne maize stockpile (January, 1987) which is equivalent to three years’ domestic sales of the Grain Marketing Board (GMB). The annual average storage cost of maize is approximately Z$24 million in 1986-87 alone. Consequently farmers are being encouraged to diversify into alternative non-grain crops such as oil-seeds.US Agency For International development (USAID

The Evolution And Performance Of The Zimbabwe Agricultural Research System - 1900 To 1980: A Case Study In Institution Building For Agricultural Development

An AEE Working Paper on the evolution and perfomance of Zimbabwe's Agricultural Research System.The objective of this paper is to trace the historical development of agricultural research in Zimbabwe from the colonial founding of the country to 1980. Emphasis will be on identifying or highlighting the pattern of development in institution building, research policy formulation and orientation. This will be done to show the interaction between technological change, institutional reform and economic goals and policies. Such an understanding is needed to improve research resource allocation. The paper will conclude by making an assessment of the performance and achievements of the national research system prior to 1980. This provides a basis for illustrating the task of the research system since independence and in future

Economic And Institutional Aspects Determining Pesticide Use In Smallholder Cotton Production In Zimbabwe: A Case Study Of Rushinga District, Mount Darwin

An AEE study to investigate the economics of and factors influencing pesticide use in smallholder cotton production; using Rushinga as a case study.The general objective of the study is to investigate the economics of and factors influencing pesticide use in smallholder cotton production using Rushinga as a case study. The study takes place at a time when there is growing concern about the increased use of pesticides in the developing countries and the associated externality problems. Gross margin analysis showed that pesticide use is financially profitable for the smallholder cotton producer. Gross margin per hectare averaged $3 173. Gross margin per dollar invested in pesticides and per labor day was$4,14 and $22,19 respectively. The study established that smallholder cotton farmers do not over-apply pesticides. Pesticide application rates for all types of chemicals applied falls short of the recommended application rates. This was consistent with expert assessment that there is under use of pesticides in the smallholder cotton production in Zimbabwe. Chemical control emerged as the major strategy available to and practiced by farmers to control pests in cotton production. Non chemical solutions to pest problems and integrated pest management (IPM) are virtually unknown to most of the farmers. The study established that there is lack of information on non-chemical methods at the farm level. Institutional factors such as credit and extension are the major factors enhancing pesticide use in the Zimbabwean agricultural sector. Virtually all the farmers in the sample received credit for the acquisition of pesticides and other inputs from COTTCO. Extension advice on pesticide use is largely provided by the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (COTTCO), which provides only chemical solutions to pest problems to smallholder cotton farmers. The role of public extension service in pesticide extension was found to be very limited. Externalities (poisoning and damage to the environment) of pesticide use are largely unknown at the farm level implying that externality costs are not taken into account in decision making on how much pesticides to use. The study recommends that policy instruments designed to provide information, education and training on pesticide use and the risks associated with pesticide use should be implemented in Zimbabwe. Integrated Pest Management should also be disseminated to the farm level through active public extension service. Detailed research on pesticide productivity in cotton production is necessary

Urban Agriculture, Food Security and the Environment: Socio-economics, Land Use Conflicts and Cultivators’ Views

A DAEE working paper on urban agricultural activities in Zimbabwe.Crop production on open municipal and undeveloped lands has become a significant source of the food security and indirectly sources of household cash income generation or savings. Advent of economic reforms has exacerbated urban agriculture. This is because of the removal of subsidies on food commodities and retrenchments in the formal employment sectors. These have in turn contributed to falling real incomes and reduced food security status of urban households. Urban cultivation had become an important strategy through which families cope with the impact of the economic structure adjustment programme. Though a widespread practice, urban agriculture is not planned for or supported by other planners and managers as a legitimate form of urban land use. Urban agriculture comes into direct conflict with planning provisions for urban space. This study examines the socio-economics of urban crop on municipal lands, cultivators’ views and perceptions on the use of urban space for agricultural activities and related issues in Harare, Zimbabwe. Urban agriculture is used for subsistence maize production. It improves food grain availability, thus increasing household food security and real incomes available for other household requirements as contributes to savings on food expenditure. This is the incentive for cultivation on undeveloped urban land spaces. The study gives empirical insight on the uses of urban space for agricultural activities from the cultivators' perspectives. The findings of the study also show that there is a serious problem of lack of concern for the environment on the part of the cultivators. The majority of the cultivators were aware of but ignored the steam bank regulations. There was general lack of knowledge about the environmental effects of cultivation on the urban environment. Given the importance of urban agriculture to the cultivators and the concern on the environmental impacts, there is need to design extension programmes through which the cultivators would be provided with advice on proper land use husbandry

PLANNING AND EVALUATING AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN ZIMBABWE: A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Agricultural research has enormous potential for improving Sub-Saharan African countries' agricultural performance, thereby, stimulating agricultural growth and development. For this potential to be realized, clear policy action is required to accelerate the generation and adoption of new technologies. This calls for, in the first place, evaluation of past research efforts to expose weaknesses that need to be redressed. Secondly, if agricultural research is to contribute positively to agricultural development, research resources have to be allocated efficiently among competing research program alternatives. This requires an informed decision-making tool. This study examined the evolution and performance of agricultural research in Zimbabwe up to 1980. A preliminary qualitative assessment showed that agricultural research contributed significantly to the agricultural development of the country. Crop and livestock research programs initiated in the early 1920's resulted in an increase in crop area and yield as well as livestock productivity. Indigenous improved crop varieties and livestock species adapted to the agro-physical environment have been developed. Research outcome was more spectacular in the large scale commercial farming sector because, prior to 1980, investments in research and extension were biased towards this sector. An evaluation and planning framework proposed in the study is aimed at developing a research resource allocation decision tool that evaluated agricultural research periodically with the results used as a basis for resource allocation and research management

Urban Agriculture, Food Security and the Environment: Socio-economics, Land Use Conflicts and Cultivators’ Views

Crop production on open municipal and undeveloped lands has become a significant source of the food security and indirectly sources of household cash income generation or savings. Advent of economic reforms has exacerbated urban agriculture. This is because of the removal of subsidies on food commodities and retrenchments in the formal employment sectors. These have in turn contributed to falling real incomes and reduced food security status of urban households. Urban cultivation had become an important strategy through which families cope with the impact of the economic structure adjustment programme. Though a widespread practice, urban agriculture is not planned for or supported by other planners and managers as a legitimate form of urban land use. Urban agriculture comes into direct conflict with planning provisions for urban space. This study examines the socio-economics of urban crop on municipal lands, cultivators’ views and perceptions on the use of urban space for agricultural activities and related issues in Harare, Zimbabwe. Urban agriculture is used for subsistence maize production. It improves food grain availability, thus increasing household food security and real incomes available for other household requirements as contributes to savings on food expenditure. This is the incentive for cultivation on undeveloped urban land spaces. The study gives empirical insight on the uses of urban space for agricultural activities from the cultivators' perspectives. The findings of the study also show that there is a serious problem of lack of concern for the environment on the part of the cultivators. The majority of the cultivators were aware of but ignored the steam bank regulations. There was general lack of knowledge about the environmental effects of cultivation on the urban environment. Given the importance of urban agriculture to the cultivators and the concern on the environmental impacts, there is need to design extension programmes through which the cultivators would be provided with advice on proper land use husbandry

PLANNING AND EVALUATING AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN ZIMBABWE: A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Agricultural research has enormous potential for improving Sub-Saharan African countries' agricultural performance, thereby, stimulating agricultural growth and development. For this potential to be realized, clear policy action is required to accelerate the generation and adoption of new technologies. This calls for, in the first place, evaluation of past research efforts to expose weaknesses that need to be redressed. Secondly, if agricultural research is to contribute positively to agricultural development, research resources have to be allocated efficiently among competing research program alternatives. This requires an informed decision-making tool. This study examined the evolution and performance of agricultural research in Zimbabwe up to 1980. A preliminary qualitative assessment showed that agricultural research contributed significantly to the agricultural development of the country. Crop and livestock research programs initiated in the early 1920's resulted in an increase in crop area and yield as well as livestock productivity. Indigenous improved crop varieties and livestock species adapted to the agro-physical environment have been developed. Research outcome was more spectacular in the large scale commercial farming sector because, prior to 1980, investments in research and extension were biased towards this sector. An evaluation and planning framework proposed in the study is aimed at developing a research resource allocation decision tool that evaluated agricultural research periodically with the results used as a basis for resource allocation and research management.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,