Abstract:
Most of smallholders in Zimbabwe under the leasehold tenure system are
beneficiaries of the Fast-Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) of 2000. It is
generally argued that the leasehold tenure system has unprecedented impact on
agricultural production as farmers fail to secure bank loans using leased land
as collateral security. This article is premised on a study whose main objective
was to determine the impact of leasehold land tenure system on productivity sby
mallholder maize farmers. The study was carried out in Ward 1 of Chikomba
District in Mashonaland East Province. Descriptive research design and
primary data gathered from the randomly selected 87 farmers out of the 673
farmers, using a structured questionnaire, were used for this study. The data
gathered was comprehensively analysed using both correlation analysis and
regression analysis to achieve the study objectives. The results revealed that the
leasehold tenure system limits farmers‟ access to credit, meaning, therefore,
that the leasehold
impact on input
tenure has a negative
investment, maize
production and profitability by the smallholder farmers in Chikomba District.
The study concludes that the leasehold tenure system has a negative impact on
input investment, production of smallholder maize farmers as it discouraged
farmers‟ access to credit, a key factor that determines farmers‟ input
investment and production. The study recommends the Government of
Zimbabwe to change the tenure system on smallholder farmers to a more favourable system to improve smallholder farmer input investment, productivity
and profitability.
Description:
The purpose of the Review of Rural Resilience Praxis is
to provide a forum for disaster risk mitigation, adaptation,
and preparedness.
