An Analysis of the contibution of tobacco contract farming to household income and welfare among smallholder tobacco contract farmers in ward 20 Macheke Mashonaland east province, Zimbabwe

Author
Matare, Lysendah R
Title
An Analysis of the contibution of tobacco contract farming to household income and welfare among smallholder tobacco contract farmers in ward 20 Macheke Mashonaland east province, Zimbabwe
Abstract
This study looks at how household income and welfare are affected by tobacco contract farming in Macheke, Zimbabwe. The study, which used a mixed-methods approach, finds that cultivation of tobacco accounts for 61.94% of household income, which is a considerable contribution. Due to this level of reliance, farmers are vulnerable to things like market volatility, debt cycles, and high input costs. It also highlights important issues such gender inequality, unclear pricing, and restricted access to support services. These issues are worsened by climate-related concerns, which result in lower yields and unstable income. The study suggests structural changes to improve climate-resilient processes, fair resource distribution, and contract transparency. The study advances knowledge of the complex interactions that exist in Zimbabwe's agricultural industry between contract farming, household welfare, and environmental sustainability.
Date
June 2025
Publisher
BUSE
Keywords
Tobacco contract farming
Household income
Welfare impact
Smallholder farmers
Supervisor
Dr. N. Mafuse
Item sets
Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Media
Matare - AEEE.pdf

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