Work

Towards a holistic framework: Exploring the relationship between seed security and food security dynamics among smallholder farmers in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Context Agriculture is the primary livelihood for households in rural Southern Africa, with crop production a crucial source of food and income. Although government and development partners provide seed and crop inputs to enhance crop production and food security, the causal link between seed security and food security is not always evident. Objectives This study aims to investigate the relationship between seed security and food security among smallholder farming households in Chimanimani, eastern Zimbabwe. Specifically, it seeks to examine how different seed systems contribute to varying seed security outcomes, explore the influence of household characteristics on both seed and food security, and identify the broader socio-economic, environmental, and policy-related factors shaping these outcomes. Ultimately, the study intends to develop a framework that strengthens understanding of the relationship between seed security and food security, thereby providing insights to support the resilience and livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Methods Data were collected via a household survey of 227 participants, in-depth interviews with key respondents, and focus groups. Using a systems lens and quadrant typology, the study analysed seed and food security across diverse agro-ecologies, seed systems, and socio-environmental factors, leading to a framework illustrating their interrelationships. Results and conclusions Results reveal a complex, non-linear relationship between seed and food security, shaped by socio-economic, political, and climatic factors. Our findings question assumptions that seed security always ensures food security or that seed insecurity always causes food insecurity. Significance The study highlights challenges of using seed distribution and subsidies to address seed security, and urges context-specific interventions that address systemic constraints and reflect farmers' realities.

Source: Agricultural Systems

DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104492

Authors: Bulisani Lloyd Ncube, Rachel Paula Wynberg, Shawn Joseph McGuire

Institutions: University of Cape Town, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Language: English

Topic: Agricultural Innovations and Practices

Subfield: General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, No poverty

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,000