Challenges and opportunities of farming in rural Zimbabwe

One of the biggest challenges of farming in rural Zimbabwe is the increasingly unpredictable weather. For generations most people in Mashonaland central have farmed their staple, corn, and have done generally well with it. Lately, however, rain patterns and temperature extremes have led to more crop failures at an unprecedented rate. Sticking with the staple, grown in non-irrigated lands with very little inputs (fertilizers and pesticides) is not a winning proposition, especially given the market price set by the government's Grain Marketing Board (GMB).

One of objectives of our study is to develop and demonstrate other farming practices that may help sustain rural farmers in Chiweshe and other areas in Mashonaland Central.