Factors Influencing Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices Adoption and Crop Productivity among Smallholder Farmers in Nyimba District, Zambia

Abstract

Abstract Background The environmental, economic, and social implications of climate change are anticipated to have a significant impact on smallholder farmers, whose way of life is heavily reliant on the environment. This study evaluates factors influencing the adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices and crop productivity among smallholder farmers in Nyimba District, Zambia. Data was collected from 194 smallholder farmers' households from June to July 2022 in twelve villages placed in four agricultural camps of Nyimba District. Four focus group discussions were also conducted to supplement data collected from the household interviews. A logistic regression model was used in this study to assess the determinants of crop production and the adoption of climate-smart agriculture in response to changes in climate and climate variations. Propensity score matching was also performed to assess the impacts of climate-smart agriculture adoption among adopters and non-adopter farming households' crop yields in the study area. Results Results from the study logit regression model indicate that the smallholder farmer’s level of education, household size, fertilizer usage, age of household head, gender, farming experience, livestock ownership, annual income, farm size, marital status of household head, and access to climate information, all affect smallholder farmers’ household’s climate-smart agriculture practices adoption and crop productivity. The study propensity scores matching analysis found that crop yield for smallholder farmers’ climate-smart agricultural practices adopters was 20.20% higher than for non-adopters. The analysis also found that implementing climate-smart agriculture practices in the study area increases maize yield for smallholder farmers adopters by 21.50% higher than non-adopters. Conclusion This study provides direction for policymakers to strengthen farmers' adaptation strategies to climate change and guide policies through the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. However, these practices and efforts are capable of lessening the adverse effects of changes in climate and improving agriculture production.