Abstract:
The paper sought to investigate the challenges and prospects for effective
institutionalization of conservation farming as a food security measure amidst the gross
incidence of drought and failure of traditional subsistence agriculture in Zimbabwean rural areas.
The study endeavored to achieve this through exploring the contestations among various
stakeholders in their efforts to educate the rural folk about the viability of cons ervation farming
as an option for curbing the proliferation of droughts and improve livelihoods of the rural
communities. Of the many findings elicited by the research, it was established that, the
perceptual, technocratic and political contestations among various actors in conservation farming
should be addressed and rationalized for the fruition of the efforts to create sustainable
agricultural framework and rural livelihoods. The research thrived through Norman Long’s Actor
Oriented Approach in which the various power dynamics between agents due to different
positions, knowledge and influence presented differential ‘lifeworlds’ for contestations. The
research methodologically proceeded within the qualitative framework in which case, in -depth
interviews with key informants and focus group discussions were used as data gathering tools.
