Maureen Malesu, Pavel Syrovátka, Veronika Wittmann,
"Smallholder Maize Farming in Zambia: A Systematic Review of Challenges and Opportunities"
, in African Scholarly Science Communications Trust, in African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, Vol. 4, Nummer 12, ajfand, 12-2024
Original Titel:
Smallholder Maize Farming in Zambia: A Systematic Review of Challenges and Opportunities
Sprache des Titels:
Englisch
Original Kurzfassung:
»Smallholder Maize Farming in Zambia: A Systematic Review of Challenges and Opportunities« Corresponding author Maureen Malesu, Co-Authors Pavel Syrovátka and Veronika Wittmann. In: African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND), Volume 4, Number 12, December 2024, pp. 1-19, DOI: https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.137.24740
Agriculture remains one of the key priority sectors in most developing countries. The agricultural sector serves as a cornerstone of the developing countries? economies, providing livelihoods for a significant portion of the population, and playing a crucial role in ensuring food security and poverty alleviation. In Zambia, as in many developing countries, the agricultural sector is dominated by small holder farmers. The small holder farmers are predominantly engaged in production of maize which is the staple food. Small holder maize farmers play a significant role in Zambia ?s economy through ensuring food security, creation of employment opportunities, and contributing to rural development. Despite their significance, small holder maize farmers are faced with a myriad of challenges that may hinder their potential for growth and sustainability. Due to the significant role played by smallholder maize farmers in Zambia, this paper delves into the array of challenges and opportunities they encounter within the Zambian agricultural domain. Drawing from secondary sources, including academic literature, government reports, and Non-Government Organizations publications, this study employs thematic analysis using NVIVO software to analyse the data. The paper identifies several key challenges such as limited access to finance, limited market access, climate change impacts, and poor infrastructure. The paper also explores the opportunities available to smallholder maize farmers such as supportive government policies, developing international markets opportunities, and existing abundance of natural resources. By understanding the challenges and opportunities faced by smallholder maize farmers, policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders can develop strategies and interventions to enhance the resilience and productivity of smallholder maize farming in Zambia. The findings of this study underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and policy reforms to address the challenges faced by smallholder maize farmers in Zambia. The paper contributes to the existing literature on smallholder farming and provides valuable insights for sustainable agricultural development in Zambia and similar contexts.
Sprache der Kurzfassung:
Englisch
Journal:
African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
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