Cultivating Resilience: Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovations and sustainable land use in Chimanimani district of Manicaland Zimbabwe

Abstract

Climate-smart agriculture has emerged as an innovation, offering an alternative viewpoint on sustainable farming and community development, agroecology, biodiversity and conservation in the face of increasing macroclimate change risks and shocks. This research evaluates the transformative impact of the Community Food Nutrition Security and Health Promotion Programme (CFNSHPP) using a comprehensive methodology informed by a solid theoretical foundation, to attain the research results. The research utilised a convergent parallel mixed methods approach, incorporating focus Group Discussions (FGDs), qualitative Key Informant Interviews (KII), and survey. The principles of agroecology and the sustainable livelihoods framework served as the underpinning theoretical framework for the study. The researchers sampled at least 40 farmers in Chimanimani, 10 KIIs and stakeholders to document the perspectives and real-life experiences, creating a clear picture of their journey toward climate justice, resilience and copying strategies. The research revealed that, there has been a significant shift, with smallholder farmers implementing a range of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) techniques, approaches and methods like integrated crop-livestock eco systems, biodiversity, conservation agricultural ecosystems, and agroforestry. It revealed that smallholder farmers experienced increased crop yields and soil health, new revenue streams and increased household food security, as innovative and tangible results. The study highlights the role played by social capital and community-based institutions in boosting farming communities' resilience and copying strategies. The study identified the need for robust monitoring and assessment protocols, capacity building in Climate smart agriculture, social cohesion approaches and restricted access to agricultural inputs as hampering the attainment of food security by the farmers. The research revealed that policymakers and development professionals need a roadmap that highlights the importance of growing CSA programs, fortifying supply chains, and promoting community-driven strategies. This study provides optimism by asking stakeholders across Sub-Saharan Africa to adopt climate-smart agriculture as a strategy for attaining climate justice, food security, and sustainable development. The Caritas Mutare model is a prime example of how resilience and modernization driven by the community can change lives in the face of changing weather patterns.