 INTRODUCTION
Horticulture
has potential to provide significant income and nutritional benefits, and
can be practiced on relatively small areas of land. It thus becomes an
important option for small scale producers in African countries like
Zimbabwe, where more than 80% of the population resides in the rural
areas, and is engaged in small scale farming. There are significant
opportunities for horticultural crop production for both the domestic and
more recently, the expert market, but many constraints that need to be
addressed. The Smallholder Horticulture Program was formed in 1991 to link
the Zimbabwean institutions, local agencies dealing directly with
smallholders, and Cornell University in a unique collaborative effort to
foster small scale horticulture.
THE INSTITUTIONS
IN ZIMBABWE
- University of Zimbabwe: Crop Science Dept., Agric. Economics and Extension
- Ministry of Agriculture:
Dept. Research and Specialist Services (Research)
Extension (Agritex)
- Parastatal Agency: Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (ARDA)
- Non-governmental organizations
- Smallholder groups
AT CORNELL
An interdisciplinary group linking faculty and graduate students in departments of Horticulture, Agric. Economics, Plant Protection, Agric. Engineering.
ACTIVITIES
1. Developing training materials and courses for extension officers and farmers:
- Postharvest handling
- Pest and disease identification and control
- Marketing
2. Surveys of production and marketing practices
- Mashonaland East Survey: 615 households
- Marketing surveys in Harare, Mutare and Bulawayo
3. Workshops
- Water management
- Smallholder horticulture
- Socio-economic aspects of smallholder horticulture
4. Graduate student training
- 2 PhD's (Cornell)
- 6 MSc's (5 Cornell, 1 UZ)
- 1 Mphil (UZ)
5. Undergraduate instruction in horticulture and agricultural economics
6. Research projects in smallholder horticulture
7. Sabbatical and contact leaves
FUNDING SOURCES
Core funding from CIIFAD of about $US 100,000 per year, with additional funds for graduate student training from the Rockefeller Foundation and Cornell University.
CONTRAINTS
- Developing a true partnership when funds originate with one of the partners
- Sustaining interagency collaboration in Wimbabwe without CIIFAD's finances and personnel
- Making the needs of smallholder farmers the priorities for government agencies.
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