Byron Zamasiya | University of Zimbabwe (original) (raw)
Papers by Byron Zamasiya
African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, 2021
Climate adaptation planning requires new ways of thinking and approaching the analysis of risks. ... more Climate adaptation planning requires new ways of thinking and approaching the analysis of risks. Such thinking needs to be systemic in nature and practice/action-oriented while respecting the complexity of the physical and social sciences. Through this chapter on climate tipping points in Botswana, it is proposed that a generic and practice-oriented analysis framework be applied with a mathematical foundation including modeling methods based on complex science. The objective is to promote a framework that privileges a worldview to avoid biased and partial explanations of risks. An Institutional-Socio-Earth-Economical-Technical systems (ISEET) approach is based on a systems science philosophy for risk governance analysis, with particular emphasis on tipping points and emergence which are some of the key elements that can support sound adaptation planning. Through the lens of the biodiversity sector in Botswana, the complex interrelationships of ISEET principles are explained. They pr...
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION AND DEVELOPMENT, 2017
The study sought to establish factors that contribute towards food security among elderly headed ... more The study sought to establish factors that contribute towards food security among elderly headed households and then seek ways of enhancing them. The study was conducted in Mudzi District in Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe. Data was collected from wards 11, 12 and 16. The study used cross sectional household data collected using a structured questionnaire. Two measures of food security are used; namely household food insecurity access score and household dietary diversity score. The results showed that food insecurity access score was statistically higher for elderly headed household when compared to those headed by younger people. The study revealed that social capital, remittances, and off farm income generating projects can increase the elderly headed household’s likelihood of being food secure. The study also showed that public assistance is not making a positive contribution towards food security of elderly headed household. This paper argues that it is important for gove...
Journal of environmental management, Jan 29, 2017
This paper examines factors influencing behavioural change among smallholder farmers towards adap... more This paper examines factors influencing behavioural change among smallholder farmers towards adaptation to climate change in transitional climatic zones of Africa, specifically, Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly-selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The study used an ordered logit model to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers' behavioural intention towards adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that the gender of the household head, access to extension services on crop and livestock production, access to climate information, membership to social groups and experiencing a drought have a positive influence on farmers' attitude towards adaptation to climate change and variability. The study concluded that although the majority of smallholder farmers perceive that the climate is changing, they continue to habour nega...
Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics
This article examines the determinants of soybean market participation by smallholder farmers in ... more This article examines the determinants of soybean market participation by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe, with a view to identifying key policy entry points for increasing farmer incomes. Market linkages have been identified as key to the successful integration of grain legumes into the smallholder farming systems of southern Africa. Data for this article is derived from a baseline household survey in Guruve district of Zimbabwe. Using a sample of 187 smallholder farmers, we employed the Heckman’s Probit model with sample selection to firstly, identify the factors affecting a farmer’s decision to participate in soybean markets and secondly, evaluate the factors that affect the intensity of a farmer’s participation. Study findings show that the use of inoculants and improved soybean seed varieties are significantly correlated with participating in soybean markets. Results also show that ownership of radios has a positive effect on the household’s decision to participate in the soybe...
African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, 2020
Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-... more Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-fed agricultural production for food and income. Smallholder farmers in these countries are using multiple adaptation practices to manage the effects of climate change. This chapter examines household and community-level factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change in the Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study used a multilevel modeling approach to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change is conditioned by access to extension services, access to remittances, family labor, household education (household level factors), and linking capital (...
1 This article demonstrates how Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) impacts ... more 1 This article demonstrates how Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) impacts on collective marketing among smallholder farmers of southern Africa through increased crop productivity, yields and income. We use a quasi-experimental design to compare outcomes under IAR4D and under two other states namely conventional approach and non-intervention. The study relies on primary data collected from 665 households during baseline and end line survey. Results from the study show that IAR4D had a positive and significant impact on improving collective marketing in intervention sites as compared to the control sites. In conclusion, the paper demonstrates empirically that collective marketing can help smallholder farmers to reduce barriers to entry into lucrative agricultural markets through IAR4D by lowering transaction costs of accessing input and produce markets. This finding is particularly very important given that middlemen and small traders face huge transaction costs...
A key policy instrument in the cocoa transformation agenda is to provide subsidized inputs for fa... more A key policy instrument in the cocoa transformation agenda is to provide subsidized inputs for farmers to replace old grooves to increase cocoa production in Nigeria. The study examined the role of cocoa marketing cooperatives in enhancing the incomes of its member patrons in Osun State under the cocoa renaissance policy. Multi stage sampling method was used to select 100 respondents from four cocoa produce marketing unions in the State. Data obtained were analysed with descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis and the multiple regression technique. The study revealed that the average age of the respondents was 64.4 years and only 16% of the cocoa farms were developed after the commencement of the renaissance policy. The farmers operated an average of 5.4 ha farm sizes while inputs supplied respondents through cooperative societies were much cheaper compared to what obtained in the open market. The gross margin to enterprise was N387, 639 while the net income was N345, 282. The regression analyses revealed that while family size, age, level of education, farm size and cooperative experience were significant determinants of output, family size, farm size, cooperative experience and amount of cocoa marketed through cooperative societies were significant determinants of income realized in the cocoa enterprises. The study concluded that greater efforts should be put in place to attract younger and educated farmers to achieve policy objectives.
Climate change is expected to have adverse impacts on smallholder farmers whose livelihoods depen... more Climate change is expected to have adverse impacts on smallholder farmers whose livelihoods depend on rain-fed agriculture. In fact, climate change is expected to continue to pose a serious threat to agriculture in southern Africa as annual rainfall amounts are expected to decline and temperatures are expected to increase. Studies show that the impacts will depend on the extent of smallholder farmers' adaptation in response to climate change and variability. However, despite numerous extension efforts and repeated past maize crop failures, smallholder farmers in southern Africa continue to show preference to maize over other drought resistant crops. The low rate of adoption of drought resistant crops in response to the changing climate has been blamed on the linear non-participatory manner in which agricultural research and development efforts are organised. The present study seeks to establish whether reorganising research and development in an integrated manner known as Integ...
Community Indabas: " An approach for improving relations between wildlife management aut... more Community Indabas: " An approach for improving relations between wildlife management authorities and neighbouring communities " Authored by: Simukai Nyasha and Byron Zamasiya Executive Summary: For many years, there has been a rise in cases of confiscation of household assets by park management authorities as punishment for persons engaging in illegal activities within national parks. Such acts have worsened the relationship between national parks officials and adjacent communities since most of the people rely on the national parks for their livelihoods. It has been difficult for community members to establish ways of addressing their grievances with park management officials. This Policy Brief advocates Indabas between the communities and wildlife management authorities as a tool to improve the relationship between National Parks officials and communities living adjacent to such protected areas in Zimbabwe using Gonarezhou National Park as an example. It has been observed that there is need for park management authorities to develop platforms that enable exchange of ideas as this improves community understanding of the roles played by such regulators of wildlife resources.
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Journal of Agricultural & Food Information, 2017
The effects of climate change are largely felt by smallholder farmers in southernAfricawhorely on... more The effects of climate change are largely felt by smallholder farmers in southernAfricawhorely on rain-fed agricultural production. This study used data from a cross-sectional household to investigate the factors that influence a household’s adaptive capacity. Results show that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between receiving information on crop production (p<.01), access to earlywarning information (p<.01 and adaptive capacity. Without adaptation, it is impossible for smallholder farmers to enhance food security. The study recommends that there is need to improve farmers’ knowledge of climate change adaptation technologies and access to earlywarning information.
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Springer Nature, 2020
Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-... more Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-fed agricultural production for food and income. Smallholder farmers in these countries are using multiple adaptation practices to manage the effects of climate change. This chapter examines household and community-level factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change in the Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study used a multilevel modeling approach to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change is conditioned by access to extension services, access to remittances, family labor, household education (household level factors), and linking capital (community-level factor). This
chapter therefore concludes that smallholder farmers that have higher levels of adaptation to climate change are those that are well linked to external organizations and have access to agricultural extension services. The chapter recommends that adaptation to climate change can be enhanced by improving access to agricultural extension services and promoting linkages with external organizations that provide information on agricultural adaptation practices.
African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, 2021
Climate adaptation planning requires new ways of thinking and approaching the analysis of risks. ... more Climate adaptation planning requires new ways of thinking and approaching the analysis of risks. Such thinking needs to be systemic in nature and practice/action-oriented while respecting the complexity of the physical and social sciences. Through this chapter on climate tipping points in Botswana, it is proposed that a generic and practice-oriented analysis framework be applied with a mathematical foundation including modeling methods based on complex science. The objective is to promote a framework that privileges a worldview to avoid biased and partial explanations of risks. An Institutional-Socio-Earth-Economical-Technical systems (ISEET) approach is based on a systems science philosophy for risk governance analysis, with particular emphasis on tipping points and emergence which are some of the key elements that can support sound adaptation planning. Through the lens of the biodiversity sector in Botswana, the complex interrelationships of ISEET principles are explained. They pr...
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION AND DEVELOPMENT, 2017
The study sought to establish factors that contribute towards food security among elderly headed ... more The study sought to establish factors that contribute towards food security among elderly headed households and then seek ways of enhancing them. The study was conducted in Mudzi District in Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe. Data was collected from wards 11, 12 and 16. The study used cross sectional household data collected using a structured questionnaire. Two measures of food security are used; namely household food insecurity access score and household dietary diversity score. The results showed that food insecurity access score was statistically higher for elderly headed household when compared to those headed by younger people. The study revealed that social capital, remittances, and off farm income generating projects can increase the elderly headed household’s likelihood of being food secure. The study also showed that public assistance is not making a positive contribution towards food security of elderly headed household. This paper argues that it is important for gove...
Journal of environmental management, Jan 29, 2017
This paper examines factors influencing behavioural change among smallholder farmers towards adap... more This paper examines factors influencing behavioural change among smallholder farmers towards adaptation to climate change in transitional climatic zones of Africa, specifically, Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly-selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The study used an ordered logit model to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers' behavioural intention towards adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that the gender of the household head, access to extension services on crop and livestock production, access to climate information, membership to social groups and experiencing a drought have a positive influence on farmers' attitude towards adaptation to climate change and variability. The study concluded that although the majority of smallholder farmers perceive that the climate is changing, they continue to habour nega...
Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics
This article examines the determinants of soybean market participation by smallholder farmers in ... more This article examines the determinants of soybean market participation by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe, with a view to identifying key policy entry points for increasing farmer incomes. Market linkages have been identified as key to the successful integration of grain legumes into the smallholder farming systems of southern Africa. Data for this article is derived from a baseline household survey in Guruve district of Zimbabwe. Using a sample of 187 smallholder farmers, we employed the Heckman’s Probit model with sample selection to firstly, identify the factors affecting a farmer’s decision to participate in soybean markets and secondly, evaluate the factors that affect the intensity of a farmer’s participation. Study findings show that the use of inoculants and improved soybean seed varieties are significantly correlated with participating in soybean markets. Results also show that ownership of radios has a positive effect on the household’s decision to participate in the soybe...
African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, 2020
Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-... more Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-fed agricultural production for food and income. Smallholder farmers in these countries are using multiple adaptation practices to manage the effects of climate change. This chapter examines household and community-level factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change in the Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study used a multilevel modeling approach to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change is conditioned by access to extension services, access to remittances, family labor, household education (household level factors), and linking capital (...
1 This article demonstrates how Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) impacts ... more 1 This article demonstrates how Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) impacts on collective marketing among smallholder farmers of southern Africa through increased crop productivity, yields and income. We use a quasi-experimental design to compare outcomes under IAR4D and under two other states namely conventional approach and non-intervention. The study relies on primary data collected from 665 households during baseline and end line survey. Results from the study show that IAR4D had a positive and significant impact on improving collective marketing in intervention sites as compared to the control sites. In conclusion, the paper demonstrates empirically that collective marketing can help smallholder farmers to reduce barriers to entry into lucrative agricultural markets through IAR4D by lowering transaction costs of accessing input and produce markets. This finding is particularly very important given that middlemen and small traders face huge transaction costs...
A key policy instrument in the cocoa transformation agenda is to provide subsidized inputs for fa... more A key policy instrument in the cocoa transformation agenda is to provide subsidized inputs for farmers to replace old grooves to increase cocoa production in Nigeria. The study examined the role of cocoa marketing cooperatives in enhancing the incomes of its member patrons in Osun State under the cocoa renaissance policy. Multi stage sampling method was used to select 100 respondents from four cocoa produce marketing unions in the State. Data obtained were analysed with descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis and the multiple regression technique. The study revealed that the average age of the respondents was 64.4 years and only 16% of the cocoa farms were developed after the commencement of the renaissance policy. The farmers operated an average of 5.4 ha farm sizes while inputs supplied respondents through cooperative societies were much cheaper compared to what obtained in the open market. The gross margin to enterprise was N387, 639 while the net income was N345, 282. The regression analyses revealed that while family size, age, level of education, farm size and cooperative experience were significant determinants of output, family size, farm size, cooperative experience and amount of cocoa marketed through cooperative societies were significant determinants of income realized in the cocoa enterprises. The study concluded that greater efforts should be put in place to attract younger and educated farmers to achieve policy objectives.
Climate change is expected to have adverse impacts on smallholder farmers whose livelihoods depen... more Climate change is expected to have adverse impacts on smallholder farmers whose livelihoods depend on rain-fed agriculture. In fact, climate change is expected to continue to pose a serious threat to agriculture in southern Africa as annual rainfall amounts are expected to decline and temperatures are expected to increase. Studies show that the impacts will depend on the extent of smallholder farmers' adaptation in response to climate change and variability. However, despite numerous extension efforts and repeated past maize crop failures, smallholder farmers in southern Africa continue to show preference to maize over other drought resistant crops. The low rate of adoption of drought resistant crops in response to the changing climate has been blamed on the linear non-participatory manner in which agricultural research and development efforts are organised. The present study seeks to establish whether reorganising research and development in an integrated manner known as Integ...
Community Indabas: " An approach for improving relations between wildlife management aut... more Community Indabas: " An approach for improving relations between wildlife management authorities and neighbouring communities " Authored by: Simukai Nyasha and Byron Zamasiya Executive Summary: For many years, there has been a rise in cases of confiscation of household assets by park management authorities as punishment for persons engaging in illegal activities within national parks. Such acts have worsened the relationship between national parks officials and adjacent communities since most of the people rely on the national parks for their livelihoods. It has been difficult for community members to establish ways of addressing their grievances with park management officials. This Policy Brief advocates Indabas between the communities and wildlife management authorities as a tool to improve the relationship between National Parks officials and communities living adjacent to such protected areas in Zimbabwe using Gonarezhou National Park as an example. It has been observed that there is need for park management authorities to develop platforms that enable exchange of ideas as this improves community understanding of the roles played by such regulators of wildlife resources.
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Journal of Agricultural & Food Information, 2017
The effects of climate change are largely felt by smallholder farmers in southernAfricawhorely on... more The effects of climate change are largely felt by smallholder farmers in southernAfricawhorely on rain-fed agricultural production. This study used data from a cross-sectional household to investigate the factors that influence a household’s adaptive capacity. Results show that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between receiving information on crop production (p<.01), access to earlywarning information (p<.01 and adaptive capacity. Without adaptation, it is impossible for smallholder farmers to enhance food security. The study recommends that there is need to improve farmers’ knowledge of climate change adaptation technologies and access to earlywarning information.
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Development Southern Africa, 2014
Springer Nature, 2020
Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-... more Climate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-fed agricultural production for food and income. Smallholder farmers in these countries are using multiple adaptation practices to manage the effects of climate change. This chapter examines household and community-level factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change in the Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study used a multilevel modeling approach to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change is conditioned by access to extension services, access to remittances, family labor, household education (household level factors), and linking capital (community-level factor). This
chapter therefore concludes that smallholder farmers that have higher levels of adaptation to climate change are those that are well linked to external organizations and have access to agricultural extension services. The chapter recommends that adaptation to climate change can be enhanced by improving access to agricultural extension services and promoting linkages with external organizations that provide information on agricultural adaptation practices.