Designing Effective Social Protection for Food and Nutrition Security Among Farm Workers: Lessons from Masvingo, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Implementing effective social protection programmes can be a strategy to address food and nutrition insecurity and is important for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, the implementation of social protection systems to end hunger and malnutrition among farm workers remains unexplored. Farm workers are confronted with a horde of challenges that make them perpetually poor, and social protection instruments are often used as a better approach to cushion them from the related shocks and stresses. This article analyses the efficacy of social protection interventions in enhancing food and nutrition security among farm workers in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. A qualitative research design was adopted, and data were gathered using focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) from purposively sampled key participants from government, development partners, academia as well as the farm workers in Masvingo. The study found that farm workers in Masvingo are enduring the burden of hunger and malnutrition. Hence, social protection systems, if well designed and implemented, reinforced by strong legal and capacitated institutional frameworks, adequate budgetary support and good governance, has a potential to buffer this poor and vulnerable group against food and nutrition insecurity, address lifecycle vulnerability and achieve SDGs.