Policy and Institutional Dimensions in Climate-Smart Agriculture Adoption: Case of Rural Communities in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Southern Africa is among the most vulnerable regions to climate change, and in Zimbabwe it is manifested in droughts and varying rainfall patterns. Several climate-smart agriculture (CSA) projects have been promoted in rural communities in order to reduce the negative impacts. This paper reviews the role of policies and institutions in Goromonzi, Murehwa, Mutoko, and Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe districts in enabling adoption of CSA by farmers and ensuring that they reap benefits. It looks at institutions and organizations that have been involved and policies that have been put in place to support CSA adoption and explores how they can improve and ensure higher adoption rates. Results of the analysis revealed that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has developed a clear strategy document of action plans needed within the field of agriculture. Key challenges to effective climate change policy implementation in the sector of agriculture nonetheless include the limited finances to reach out to large population, overreliance on funding from the international community, and limited involvement of stakeholders at policy formulation, yet implementation is expected from a wide range of actors along commodity value chains. The study recommends financing of CSA initiatives to be diverse including use of national budgets and active engagement of development organizations in policy formulation and out-scaling any successful, scientifically tested technologies among communities.