Civic Society’s Intervention on Peasantry Agriculture in Rural Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study investigated the contribution of SAT’s agricultural intervention in ward 21 of Bikita in an attempt to improve food security to this drought-prone area. The research was largely premised on qualitative methodology and unstructured interviews, focus group discussions, and onsite observation were employed as techniques for data gathering. Using these methodological techniques, it was revealed that conservation farming brought by SAT was not smoothly appreciated by the intended beneficiaries. Regardless of the fact that the majority of the farmers were given free farming inputs, they failed to fully embrace all the instructions like minimizing soil tillage, and reliance on compost manure only to mention but a few. The farmers resisted total participation because the techniques were labor-intensive and sometimes contradicted their orthodox or indigenous farming techniques. This has resulted in the emergence of an antagonistic relationship between SAT officials and the local farmers on the best method of farming which may improve food security. Also, the research revealed that too much reliance on compost manure has created environmental challenges with fears of its depletion since the area was already overpopulated. This led to the emergence of conflicts between the participants, non-participants, owners and non-owners of domestic animals because the forage was under threat. All these events were analyzed using Darendorf’s (1959)’s Conflict theory which explains the potential of conflict outbreak between two or more groups interacting. This can be best explained with the conflicts which existed between the locals on the environment and also between SAT and the locals on the way forward about farming. It was concluded that there was a need for an encompassing approach where all stakeholders should sit down together and consider the favorable conditions to make the program acceptable, successful, and sustainable.