Climate-smart crop production can support household food and nutrition security in urban communities in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Introduction: Global environmental change, including climate change, has adversely affected urban smallholder farmers in producing adequate and nutritious food to meet household needs in developing countries. Adopting climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices can contribute to mitigating this challenge. Methods: A study was carried out to evaluate current climate-smart crop production practices by urban farmers in Chitungwiza District, Zimbabwe, and their effects on household diets. Mixed methods research using a convergent parallel design was carried out where focus group discussions were carried out with four groups of farmers of diverse composition; and 107 households were randomly selected and interviewed in 2022. Farmers were grouped as climate-smart (CS) and non-climate-smart (non-CS) based on cropping sequences, soil fertility management practices, seed selection, soil water management, and tillage practices using a matrix. Results: Results showed that only 23% of the farmers were classified as climate-smart. The adoption of climate-smart practices was influenced by the socio-economic status of the farmers i.e., age-influenced type of seed grown (p<0.05); employment status influenced tillage method used (p=0.04) as well as water management practices (p=0.04), and education level influenced the cropping system (monocropping versus diversified; p=0.03). There were no significant differences in maize yield of CS and non-CS farmers, with CS farmers having an average maize yield of 2.10t/ha vs. 2.27 t/ha, respectively, in the 2020/2021 season. Climate-smart crop production had a positive influence on household diets with CS households having a significantly higher Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) than that of non-CS farmers (3.3 vs. 2.9; p=0.02). Discussion: We concluded that the adoption of climate smart agronomic practices in urban agriculture positively impacts food and nutritional outcomes for urban communities thus contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 of reducing hunger and poverty by year 2030.