THE INSTITUTIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE IN GWEBI MANYAME INTENSIVE CONSERVATION AREA (GMICA)

MM (P&DM) thesisFarmers in GMICA continue to crop small plots using conservation agriculture whilst devoting most of their land to conventional farming practices. This qualitative study has determined that the institutions and institutional arrangements for conservation agriculture have resulted in a manual conservation farming model, based on planting basins, whose impact is higher yields at lower costs than conventional farming practices such that more farmers are adopting conservation farming. Conservation farming is informed and guided by an agricultural relief paradigm and a top down approach to the creation, sharing and utilization of conservation agriculture knowledge. The study has concluded that the institutions and institutional arrangements are limiting and constraining the growth of the area under conservation agriculture for the individual farmer. The study recommends that alternative approaches be developed that enable the creation of innovation networks and systems which incorporate participatory approaches for moving from conventional farming practices to conservation agriculture