Conservation farming as a strategy to enhance food security in ward 17, Mutoko district

Abstract

Conservation farming is a strategy that has been adopted by the global world in a bid to enhance food security. This study was aimed at assessing the sustainability of conservation farming as a strategy to enhance food security in Nyahunure (Ward 17) community, Mutoko District. The main objectives of the study were to assess the major contributions made by conservation farming to increase food security, to examine the challenges being faced in implementing conservation farming and to identify the level of food security of Ward 17. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to gather information. Data was collected using household questionnaires, interview guides and focused group discussions. The target population was farmers practicing conservation farming technology and a sample of thirty households was selected using simple random sampling technique from two hundred households. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 and Microsoft excel. The data was presented in form of tables, pie charts and bar graphs. The research findings were that the adoption levels of the technology is still low and this emanates from labour intensiveness, weak targeting criteria by implementers and lack of adequate knowledge on the conservation farming technology. The study concludes that conservation farming is offering a platform for ward 17 to improve on their food security evidenced by improved number of meals taken per day, assets owned by households, surplus produced and yield improvements.