Sustaining Rural Livelihoods Through Donor Funded Agricultural Inputs Scheme In Zimbabwe: The Case Of Goromonzi District.

ABSTRACT: This paper assesses the donor funded agricultural input supply scheme to ensure food security in Goromonzi District, Zimbabwe. The aim is to assess the sustainability of donor funded agricultural input supply scheme. Since 2008 local NGOs unrolled agricultural input supply schemes, giving vulnerable households free packs of maize seed and fertilizers. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in the study, questionnaires were administered to a sample of sixty respondents, key informants were interviewed and documentary information was collected. The study found high prevalence of diseases, ill health and high rate of school drop outs as poverty indicators in Caledonia. Land is either state or communally owned which hampers development of long term agricultural projects, following the expansion of the city of Harare and Ruwa. The scheme has improved availability of fertilizers, maize seeds and improved crop productivity to disadvantaged households. However, it covered few residents and only supported maize production which has poor market price. Smallholder farmers still lack access to vital livelihoods assets such as large piece of land and draught power. Thus, the donor community should aim at reducing vulnerability and empower rural communities through facilitating access to livelihood assets, not just providing a short-term relief to poverty challenges