Smart agriculture for smallholder farmers in Rushinga District, Zimbabwe: a business approach

Abstract

The global impact of climate change on smallholder farmers, emphasizing the role of climate-smart agriculture in addressing the challenges. In Zimbabwe, similar climate-related issues necessitated this study, which focuses specifically on smallholder farmers in Rushinga District. The research aimed to examine current agricultural practices in the region, identify necessary climate-smart techniques, assess the challenges farmers face in adopting smart agriculture technologies, and evaluate how local markets influence the adoption of these practices. The study is expected to benefit various stakeholders, including academics, small-scale farmers, government institutions, development agencies, and policymakers. It is limited in scope to Rushinga District, with the conceptual framework of the study depicting the cause-and-effect relationship between the independent variable (Smart agriculture) and the dependent variable, Smallholder farmer. A mixed research approach combines qualitative and quantitative analysis to deepen the understanding of farmers' needs. The study employed a case study design in Rushinga District, utilizing various data collection tools such as interviews, questionnaires, observations, and documentation analysis to ensure comprehensive data gathering. Validity and reliability were reinforced through triangulation, while ethical considerations safeguard informed consent. An examination of existing agricultural methods used by smallholder farmers in Rushinga District shows that their crop selection techniques accommodate local weather patterns by emphasizing maize for its yield potential and sorghum for its drought resistance The cultivation of cash crops such as sunflower and cotton presents market opportunities but requires additional inputs that these farmers often cannot access. The intricate equilibrium that smallholders sustain between achieving food security and generating income within semi-arid environments becomes evident through this pattern. Despite expanded outreach efforts which have moved engagement beyond simple awareness levels, systemic obstacles including insufficient subsidies and flawed communication channels, continue to result in low adoption rates by diminishing the perceived advantages of smart agricultural techniques. The adoption of smart agricultural techniques faces numerous obstacles which include the multifaceted issue of farmers lacking both smartphone access and reliable internet connectivity needed for digital farming tools. The combination of inadequate road networks unreliable power supplies and a lack of extension services creates additional barriers that severely limit farmers' capacity to adopt smart agricultural practices effectively. To boost agricultural productivity in Rushinga it becomes essential to tackle technological adoption barriers alongside socio-economic challenges by implementing targeted subsidies while building better infrastructure and developing enhanced training programs through inclusive policy frameworks. The absence of integrated support systems that address the specific conditions faced by smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas such as Rushinga District makes the advancement of climate-smart agriculture a distant objective essential for achieving sustainable rural livelihood. The study also found that the agricultural methods used by smallholder farmers in Rushinga District accommodate local weather patterns by emphasizing maize for its yield potential and sorghum for its drought resistance, whilst sunflower and cotton presented market opportunities.