Commercialization and its determinants among smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. A case of Shamva District, Mashonaland Central Province

Empirical evidence supports the attainment of economic growth through commercialization of agricultural production. However, there are still high levels of subsistence farming in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine commercialization levels of smallholder farmers and the factors affecting their decisions to commercialize, with a view to identifying strategies for advancing commercialization. The study was carried out in Shamva District of Zimbabwe and a randomly selected sample of 281 farmers was used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Tobit regression model. The commercialization level was captured by the household commercialization index which was calculated as the ratio of value of marketed output to the value of crops produced. The following variables positively influenced commercialization: gender of household head, access to draft power, access to extension, access to markets, access to finance and number of crops. Age of household head, number of cattle, off-farm income and communal land holding were negatively associated with commercialization levels. Smallholder farmers should be motivated to grow more cash generating crops so as to increase their income. Subsistence farmers, if given adequate financial and extension support, are likely to commercialize.