The Effectiveness of government policies in reducing environmental impact in agricultural supply chains: a case of Mashonaland Central in Zimbabwe

Author

Nyagumbo, Justin

Title

The Effectiveness of government policies in reducing environmental impact in agricultural supply chains: a case of Mashonaland Central in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study investigated the effectiveness of government policies in mitigating the environmental impacts of agricultural supply chains in Mashonaland Central, Zimbabwe, where agricultural significance is challenged by post-harvest losses and environmental degradation, hindering the adoption of sustainable agroecological practices. The research aimed to evaluate policy implementation, identify challenges and gaps, assess stakeholder roles, and propose evidence-based recommendations for enhanced sustainability. Data was obtained through self-administered questionnaires and semi-structured interviews in Mashonaland Central. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (chi-squared tests) via SPSS (version 20.0), while qualitative data were analyzed thematically using NVivo. The findings revealed a significant lack of policy awareness among farmers and a divided perception of policy effectiveness, hampered by limited access to sustainable inputs, funding shortages, weak enforcement, and low stakeholder awareness. While NGOs and local communities were seen as important, overall stakeholder collaboration was moderately effective. The study concluded that current policies have limited effectiveness due to implementation deficits and a disconnect with grassroots realities. Recommendations include a more proactive role for NGOs and farmers' unions in localizing policy action, prioritizing awareness campaigns in local languages, advocating for farmer-centered innovations, facilitating access to eco-friendly inputs and incentives, building strong community platforms for collaboration, and conducting deeper research to inform policy reforms and stronger monitoring mechanisms.

Date

June 2025

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Agricultural supply chains

Agroecological practices

Environmental sustainability

Government policy implementation

Post-harvest losses

Supervisor

Dr Chari