The Role of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Improving Food Security in Rural Zimbabwe in Instances of Weather Information Deprivation

This paper examines the role of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) in enhancing household food security among rural farmer households in sub-Saharan Africa, who face increasing vulnerability to climate change-induced food insecurity. It also investigates whether CSAPs’ effectiveness depends on access to weather information. To address self-selection bias in CSAP adoption, we employ a recursive two-equation model using the conditional mixed process (CMP) procedure. This study finds that access to weather information positively influences households’ propensity to adopt CSAPs. Furthermore, adopting CSAPs and access to weather information individually improve food security outcomes. Notably, the impact of CSAP adoption on food security is more pronounced in households lacking access to weather information. Additionally, the intensity of CSAP adoption is found to enhance food security. Finally, although all 11 examined CSAPs have a largely positive impact on food security, plant density is identified as the most effective practice.