Difference in Soil Fertility Agricultural Training, Local Livestock Feed Use and Weather Information Access: A Comparative Study of Small-Scale Farmers in Mozambique and Zambia

This study employs a mixed-method approach, including surveys with 498 smallholder farmers as respondents (186 in Mozambique and 312 in Zambia) and focus group discussions, to compare sustainable soil management and livestock feed management practices. This study shows critical gaps in agricultural extension, significant differences were found, with a higher proportion of Zambian farmers receiving training on soil fertility management (42.2% versus 3.2% in Mozambique, p < 0.001) and using locally produced feeds (78.5% versus 1.6%, p < 0.001). Whereas access to weather information was higher in Mozambique (50.5%) than in Zambia (22.8%). The findings show critical gaps in agricultural extension in Mozambique and Zambia in areas under cowpea, oilseed crops, and vegetables (t = 8.375, p < 0.001; t = 4.138, p < 0.001; and t = 3.104, p < 0.002, respectively). We recommend targeted investment in farmer training programs, including feed formulation and context-specific weather information dissemination to enhance climate resilience and food security.