Exploring Challenges and Opportunities Embedded in Small-scale Farming in Zimbabwe
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5163657 |
|---|---|
| Authors | M Kang’ethe (0000-0001-9150-0235, University of Fort Hare, corresponding author), S M Kang’ethe (University of Fort Hare), Joseph Serima (Masters of Development Studies, Student, University of Fort Hare, Private bag X1314, ALICE. 5700, South Africa, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 177-185 |
| Publication date | 2014-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Human Ecology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0970-9274 • E-ISSN: 2456-6608 |
| Publisher | Kamla Raj Enterprises (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09709274.2014.11906718 |
| OpenAlex | W2189398219 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 8 |
Incontrovertibly, small-scale farming in Zimbabwe has increased its importance especially since the wave of the land reforms set off in the early 1980's but gaining sterling momentum after the 2008 land reform period. This is because it is a source of food, income and provide the government with revenue. The purpose of this paper is, through a review of literature methodology, to debate and discuss opportunities available for small-scale farmers and the challenges the sector faces. Findings indicate that the distribution and segmentations of land offered and facilitated ownership of the land to the poor majority; facilitated more indigenization of the economy and more grassroots local participation in agricultural productivity; and mass population's contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Also, the small-scale farming's sustenance has been made possible by processes such as land contracting; and government assistance with the requisite infrastructure such as tractors and farm inputs. Unfortunately, productivity in this sector has rather been stagnating due to an array of the following factors: weaker government policies, weaker political structures and interferences, politically motivated agricultural reforms, low human capacities to bolster farming especially cash crops for exports; and contracting the land and marketing challenges of the produce. The paper recommends or advocates for training of the small-scale farmers, government to offer them meaningful subsidies and a better political environment to facilitate production and marketing
Agricultural economics · Agriculture · Business · Cash crop · Economic growth · Economics · Geography · Grassroots · Market economy · Political science · Politics · Population · Productivity · Revenue · Subsidy · Sustenance · African studies and sociopolitical issues · Land Rights and Reforms · Urban and Rural Development Challenges · Finance
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,18 |
| Citation span | 2015 - 2020 (6) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |