Abstract:
Zimbabwe’s semi-arid regions are characterized by high incidence of poverty, low rural incomes, low
agricultural productivity, and food insecurity. These all lead to difficulties in sustaining rural
livelihoods. Relatively little is known about the impacts of agricultural technologies on agricultural
productivity and food security in the drier pockets of land located within the wetter regions of the
country. This study explored the relationships between agricultural technology use (water harvesting,
conservation agriculture, fertilizer/ manure application, and irrigation) and agricultural productivity and
food security among households in Ward 15 of Makonde District in Mashonaland West Province. The
methodology employed involved questionnaire interviews of 55 households selected using the
stratified random sampling technique. Data analysis involved the use of the Statistical Package for the
Social Sciences (SPSS). Hypothesis testing was done using the independent samples t-test and oneway
between groups analysis of variance. Use of conservation agriculture resulted in significantly
higher maize yields among smallholders. The t-test to measure the impact of using irrigation
technology on crop yields indicated that there was a significant difference between mean yields of
those practicing irrigation (Mean = 2.70 ton; SD = 2.30) and those not practicing it (Mean = 0.76 ton; SD
= 1.19); t = 3.35 at the 0.2% level of significance. Therefore, development resources in semi-arid areas
like Makonde District should be channeled towards agricultural technologies such as irrigation and
conservation agriculture.
