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Review Article | Volume 2 Issue 2 (July-Dec, 2021) | Pages 1 - 5
An Analysis of Agricultural Native Sciences Among the Informal Farmers in Nyanga District, Zimbabwe
1
Faculty of Business and Management, Stafford University, Kampala, Uganda
Under a Creative Commons license
Open Access
Received
July 18, 2021
Revised
Aug. 27, 2021
Accepted
Sept. 19, 2021
Published
Sept. 20, 2021
Abstract

The lack of food production by agricultural informal farmers has spiked hunger and poverty among families. Hence the subject of this study is how agricultural native sciences (ANS) influence agricultural informal farmers’ development in Nyanga district, Zimbabwe. This approach is a measure that increases food for the communities. The informal farmers are the targeted sample using both primary and secondary processes of data collection. From the study, ANS capabilities sustain the expansion of informal farmers in Nyanga terrestrial. In adding, indigenous farming principles corroborated a methodological approach to informal farmers' long-term growth in pursuit of food security. The findings presented a new view on how native sciences minimize hunger and poverty, and it determined the extent to which its native science policy influences the growth of informal farmers'. Furthermore, it’s suggested that informal farmers and ANS research to in developing agriculture. An indigenous science-based farming concept, in general, should not be overlooked because scientific knowledge is associated with informal farmers' development discourses.

Keywords
INTRODUCTION

Agricultural native sciences sustains the expansion of informal agriculture around the world [1,2]. However, this approach promote food security among families and it's a strategy that preserves natural farming autonomy and is passed down from one age band [3,4]. Its goal is to transform informal agriculture and has been the economy's mainstay since the late Stone Age. The strategic fit enhances the development of informal farmers and it preserves enough food and nutriment at household level [5,6]. The native science-based farming approach aims at empowering farmers to generate food surplus as proven by FAO [4] that in Russia, China, Vietnam, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, and El Salvador. Village leaders, chiefs, the Ministry of informal farmers, and several bilateral institutions support native science-based farming concepts among Informal farmers in Zimbabwe. Since every country's pride is founded on its heritage and on most informal farmers in Zimbabwe which are embedded in traditional ideas, values, and culture in their farming activities? Therefore, native sciences represent valuable traditional farming experiences which, according to Croppenstedt et al. [7], improves food security for the indigenous people. The approach in informal farming activities represents wellness norms based on mythology, cultural values, beliefs, and traditions accumulated throughout time. However, compared to modern farming practices, Zimbabwe's post-independence stance on native science farming techniques has not been widely exhausted [7]. As a result, the native science farming principles that have to exist and risen in Nyanga district among informal farmers in this study.

 

According to Rohloff [8], one of the most significant flaws is their weak application by informal farmers as they now favor contemporary farming practices; nonetheless, the adoption of native sciences is an effective strategy for informal farmers so that they reduce poverty and hunger gaps in impoverished agricultural communities [1,5,9,]. In the case of Zimbabwe, native science techniques are being ignored in farming systems. As such, if the informal farmers happens to rely on native sciences practices leads to their transformation and increase in high food output [2]. As a result, this is critical to the research since some aspects of native science principles are compatible with agrarian informal farmers' performance and have evolved over the centuries [6]. The farmers are aware of various and cultural production methods and places more emphasis on risk avoidance through integrating inherited farming sciences to ensure they attain household food security [4,8]. Therefore, this approach is a critical towards agricultural informal farmers' sustainability. This novelty approach has been historically an easy and reliable farming method that generates high yields from indigenous crops which possess high nutrients [1]. As a result, according to [10], the utilization of native sciences plays a critical role in attempting to affect the agrarian sector's long-term sustainability.        

 

As a result, the purpose of this research is to:

 

  • Determine the interrelationship between native science farming principles and the growth of informal farmers.

  • Determine whether native science-based farming concepts are appropriate in solving perennial food insecurities.

 

The study's premise is that there is an interrelationship between native science farming ideas and the growth of informal farmers as a measure to provide food security.

 

Agrarian Informal farmers as a Pragmatic Indicator

According to a comprehensive literature review, informal farmers in the agriculture sector are at the heart of achieving household food security in Zimbabwe [11,12]. The majorities of agricultural informal farmers is family-owned and usually prefer farming a variety of native crops. The informal farmers depend on community and far-flung consumers which make up their markets. However, informal farmers in Nyanga face challenges which include economic, climatic changes, shortages of funding, inputs such as fertilizers and chemicals and relying on native sciences is the beneficial approach which drastically boosts their farming activities [13]. In this regard, informal farmers have a high rate of extinction, with the majority of them failing to survive through the success stage. Therefore, thanks to native sciences their utilization of which have made them survive storms. According to the FinScope Survey [14], the informal farmer sector accounts for 60% of gross domestic product of the nation. As a result, employing ANS has become increasingly important in recent years and the availability of high-potential agricultural land and market opportunities in Nyanga have presented existent chances for this sector. The high levels of native science engender informal farmers' productivity, thereby improving better nutrition, hence leveraging livelihoods to alleviate poverty and hunger [3]. However, there is a dearth in support of agricultural native sciences policy among the informal agricultural in this area [6]. Although agriculture provides inputs to the Zimbabwean industry, this sector needs better knowledge in native farming sciences so that they increase productivity to meet their supply and demand curves. However, a slew of obstacles such as a lack of cultural beliefs and managerial capabilities are inhibiting informal farmers' growth [12,15]. In Nyanga, informal farmers have a minor impact on output, resulting in lower turnover, which stifles their growth [4]. Land is not easily available in Nyanga, and most leases are prohibitively expensive. The regulatory structure is insufficient to meet the sector's evolving needs. The goal, as previously stated, is to determine the impact of agricultural native sciences on the growth of agriculture among informal farmers.

 

Informal Farming Concepts Based on Native Sciences 

Native sciences-based farming concepts are a tool that must   be    applied    among    informal     farmers    farming methods [9,16].

 

Figure 1: Agricultural Native Sciences

 

 The application of native sciences revolutionary protects indigenous crops from extinction through upholding cultural, issues and beliefs among the informal farming communities. It reflects that informal farmers farming activities based on culture, spiritual beliefs, and agricultural techniques are tied and inseparable from traditional techniques. However, according to literature, agricultural native sciences is traced back to the early agriculture which is based on principles of native science farming as elucidated in Figure 1 below. Therefore the integration of these principles influence new dimension to the growth of informal farmers and agricultural transformation.

 

Therefore, adopting native science concepts has unquestionably proven to be the focus of attention for i the informal sector to look beyond their existence [2]. The ANS's goal is to boost informal farmer production [1]. Regrettably, informal farmers in Nyanga have not fully realized the possibilities of this method. The ANS analysis and action include more traditional and indigenous interventions in addition to the modern interventions required for informal farmer innovation to occur as a measure to ensure food autonomy [7]. However, native sciences based farming concepts to continue to enrich the development of agriculture at the community level [6,16,17]. The following are native science farming concepts that are being used to develop agriculture:

 

  • Growing indigenous crops 

  • Crop rotation

  • Food and seed preservation

  • Thanksgiving ceremonies to ancestors (Mukwerera)

  • Beer and food parties for cheap labour (Nhimbe) 

  • Inter-cropping.

  • Poly-culture

  • Biodiversity

  • Water harvesting 

 

As a result, native sciences-based farming concepts are crucial in promoting the development of family farming  activities. In practice, this technique allows informal farmers to incorporate high-tech native science concepts into their farming to reduce bad yields and achieve expansionary growth [4].

 

Figure 2: The Conceptual Framework

Source: Researcher’s Development

 


 

 This strategy is useful in sustaining the growth of informal farmers' [10,]. Native science policies are extremely important, despite the modern informal farmers farming initiatives emerging in most states [12]. Outside of Zimbabwe, native sciences-based farming concepts have dominated informal farmer success stories. Many African countries are concentrating on strengthening informal farmer innovation, mainstreaming native science farming principles remain a priority, The tendency in overlooking native science farming principles based on the aggregation of groups of people with opportunities that boost production in certain places [18,19]. Native science-based farming has sparked agriculture recovery. Outside of Zimbabwe, some native science paradigm has transformed farming systems in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and, most notably, Latin America, where laws recognize native farming as a strategy that influences food autonomy. Native science concepts were recognized in China where this kind of farming has gone beyond just food farming but medicinal farming to come up with healing herbs for the community [19]. Zimbabwean informal farmer, in their opinion, generates employment and contributes to the country's economy. As a result, little work has been done on lobbying for use of native science metaphors and reflections in in agriculture, to help Zimbabweans overcome hunger and poverty. Over the previous century, native science-based farming concepts dynamics have meant different things to different people. Its focus has been on assisting local farming communities break the cycle of poverty [3,20]. However, informal farmers in Zimbabwe compete in using universal management techniques, yet the native science-based farming concept is relevant from this perspective. From this standpoint, the evolution of native science-based farming concepts augments the widely accepted theory of universal farming methods [18].

 

The cluster theory analysis in the Nyanga district is the theoretical framework that underpins the research. Thus, the native sciences-based farming concepts are notable, owing to a lack of coherence and redistributive policies to promote informal farmers' growth [7]. As a result, the fundamental goal of the native sciences-based farming concept is to resolve the perennial imbalances in the battle against poverty and hunger to improve nutrition and economic emancipation among the people [18]. These initiatives demonstrate how this research has repeatedly called for research on informal farmer of native sciences-based farming concepts to help informal farmers thrive [12]. For instance the Pfumvudza Policy (2018) has significant concerns which call for high scaling use by informal farmers as a tool to achieve household food security in Zimbabwe. In Nyanga district, the approach aid in reducing poverty pockets. As a result, the necessity to promote native sciences-based farming concepts has never been more pressing in the development of agrarian informal farmers.

 

The use of native science principles provides a micro-view of informal farmers' growth and enhances agricultural development. A holistic and integrated understanding of all factors that make up the use of native science is at the heart of this new paradigm. This concept on the growth of informal farmers raises living standards [20]. To give employment and revenue distribution opportunities across the informal farmer divide, Zimbabwe is wary of the benefits of indigenous farming techniques in boosting agriculture. Through several programs, the government is heavily encouraging native science-based farming concepts among informal farmers to promote lives and food security [17,18]. Furthermore, informal farmers require improved access to land tenure to support the concept of native science practices [7,8].

 

Techniques

A survey on 70 agrarian informal farmers was done and had a substantial impact on the study [21]. This approach took into account several factors, including the research objective, the group to be investigated, the study variables, the nature and type of data to be collected,. The group to be investigated and the study variables, kind and type of data collected and data analysis, were all taken into account. The approach reviewed relevant information on native sciences with a focus on informal farmers in Nyanga district. The study's units of analysis were native science-based farming concepts and agrarian informal farmers. An explanatory statistics was used to examine the influence of native science principles on the growth of informal farmers as the sample unit [22,23].

 

Discussion and Findings

In general, the study was dominated by respondents, indicating that the survey was trustworthy. This study was backed by Croppenstedt et al. [7], who found that the application of native sciences in the farming sector is a vital component that enhances household food security [17]. The  native  science  farming  principles  influence  on informal farmers were investigated and have distinct traditions and beliefs with proportional representation at cluster level in Nyanga. This analytical provides insights into how native sciences such as religions and cultures are used by informal farmers.

 

Table 1: Tobit Model employed h observations of 1-70 respondents, to examine the analysis of native science on food security

Parameters  

Coefficient

Std. Error

Z

p-value

 

ANS Support

0.236095

0.0970145

2.4336

0.01495

**

Use of ANS 

0.810649

0.10891

7.4433

<0.00001

***

Log-likelihood

-477.4900

Akaike criterion

 962.9799

Schwarz criterion

 977.0337

Hannan-Quinn

 968.6374

A variable that is dependent: Native Science Impact on Food Security, Standard errors based on Hessian, Sigma = 1.65935 (0.0745069), Left-censored observations: 0, Right-censored observations: 0, Test for normality of residual - Null hypothesis: error is normally distributed, Test statistic: Chi-square (2) = 247.511, with p-value = 1.79341e-054

 

Table 2: Impact of Native Science Policy on Informal Farmer Activities

To what extent do you think the ANS policy and awareness programs influence the growth of informal farmers in the agricultural sector?

1

2

3

4

5

5

8

10

17

30

 

Table 3: Summary of the Model

Model

R

R Square

Adjusted R Square

Std. Error of the Estimate

1

0.439a

0.193

0.189

0.580

a. Predictors: (Constant), Native sciences based farming concepts by respondents

 

The utilization of native science on informal farmers was observed in this Tobit model, to establish whether it food security. Support programs for native sciences based farming concepts have a significant impact on food provision by informal farmers [6].

 

The Importance of Native Science Policies in Promoting Agricultural Informal farmers’ Growth

Majority of respondents agree that ANS policy boost food productivity and farming activities n agrarian projects and have a big influence on the growth of informal farmers. It may be deduced that ANS programs and informal farmers' perceptions are important and, as a result, determine the extent to which they can contribute to food security and agriculture development.

 

Testing Hypotheses

Informal farmers that apply native science farming methods have a favorable impact on household food security and their evolution.

According to ANOVA results, the adoption of native sciences-based farming concepts by informal farmers has a link to their growth and food security. ZimVac [17] agrees that using ANS increases production by informal farmers and is a way of encouraging the informal sector to improve food security [2,18]. The results demonstrate that native sciences have a good chance of sustaining livelihoods in the Nyanga District. The findings show that lack of native sciences is a major reason for food insecurity in most communities and the study show that Nyanga district informal farmers have been incorporating native science to alleviate hunger.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the survey, there is lack of ANS awareness, although there is a link between native sciences and informal farmers in the farming sector. The usage of ANS develops agriculture. This scholarly research bridged the gap in the literature by connecting native science with informal farmers, intending to improve food security, their growth, and usage of this approach on both sides of the border. As can be seen from the preceding, native science is the foundation of food security and informal farming development. To promote sustainable growth, other parts of Zimbabwe should adopt the Nyanga farming model. While Zimbabwe has measures to help informal farmers, lack of awareness of native sciences benefits impedes their application, resulting in lower yields. Though it is not well known and trusted to improve food security by modern farmers, as such native science approach provides opportunities for higher yields. Finally the government should collaborate closely with traditional leaders who are custodians of beliefs and culture to improve use of native science-based farming in communities since it increases food security for the people.

REFERENCES
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  2. Magni, G. Indigenous Knowledge and Implications for the Sustainable Development Agenda: Background Paper Prepared for the 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report. UNESCO, 2016.

  3. ILemona, A. “Alleviating Poverty through the Use of Entrepreneurship Skills Acquisition in Kogi State, Nigeria.” International Open Journal of Economics, vol. 1, no. 2, 2013, pp. 14–23.

  4. FAO. The State of Food and Agriculture Innovation in Family Farming. United Nations, Rome, 2014.

  5. Coulibaly, J.Y., et al. “Adoption of agroforestry and the impact on household food security among farmers in Malawi.” Agricultural Systems, vol. 155, 2017, pp. 52–69.

  6. Cooper, E., and Bird, K. “Inheritance: An African Indigenous Knowledge Perspective and Intergenerational Dimension of Poverty.” Development Policy Review, vol. 30, no. 5, 2012, pp. 527–541.

  7. Croppenstedt, A., et al. “African Indigenous Knowledge Farming Perceptions and Agriculture: Inefficiencies, Segregation, and Low Productivity Traps.” The World Bank Research Observer, vol. 28, no. 1, 2013, pp. 79–109.

  8. Rohloff, P. “Exploring Mechanisms of Food Security in Indigenous Agricultural Communities in Guatemala: A Mixed Methods Study.” BioMed Central Nutrition, vol. 2, 2016, pp. 1–11.

  9. Kaya, H.O., and Koitsiwe, M. “Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Natural Disaster Management in North West Province, South Africa.” Journal of Human Ecology, vol. 53, no. 2, 2016, pp. 101–105.

  10. Ifekwem, N., and Adedamola, O. “Survival Strategies and Sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State.” Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, Economics and Business, vol. 4, 2016, pp. 103–118.

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  20. Olaide, I.A., and Omolere, O.W. “Management of Native Sciences as a Catalyst towards Improved Information Accessibility to Local Communities: A Literature Review.” Chinese Librarianship: An International Electronic Journal, no. 35, 2013, pp. 87–98.

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