Key attributes of agricultural innovations in semi-arid smallholder farming systems in south-west Zimbabwe

Unpacking the narrative of agricultural innovations as the sine qua non of sustainable rural livelihoods in Southern Africa

“…According to this view, farmers take a holistic approach focusing on livelihood needs rather than mere adoption of innovations (Matthews, 2017;Sturdy 2008). Farmers have been known to accept innovations technologies for other strategic reasons, which have little to do with the innovation itself (Mutsvangwa et al 2018).…”

“…While agricultural development contributes to rural livelihoods, there is enough evidence to show that rural livelihoods are more complex (see below). Secondly, the approaches have not found a way of dealing with soft power in the promotion of agricultural innovations (Mutsvangwa-Sammie et al, 2018). Thirdly, while recognizing the complexities that relate to agricultural innovations, in practice, innovation systems are taken as a blueprint instead of providing a set of principles and best practises (Mockshell and Birner, 2020).…”

“…Donors are known to fund projects that narrow to their interests. In the quest for success, sometimes donors shun poor households and target resource endowed households, which can guarantee high adoption rates (Shiffer, 2007;Mutsvangwa et al, 2018). By so doing altruistic development goalposts are changed in favour of project success.…”

Understanding the Dynamic of Rice Farming Systems in Southern Mozambique to Improve Production and Benefits to Smallholders

“…Even in the context of lower staple cereal production, there is a widespread agreement that the agriculture sector will remain pivotal for the development of the sub-Saharan region [9], employing many rural people; up to 80% are smallholder farmers who produce most of their regional food [11,12]. Rural smallholder farms grow a wide variety of food grains, root crops, cash crops, and livestock that support diverse food and livelihood systems in different agricultural zones, and traditionally produce modest surpluses for local or distant trade [13].…”