Arable land underutilization among smallholder farmers in northeastern Zimbabwe: The impact of input subsidies and other key drivers

Sustainable utilization of arable land is vital for ensuring food security at the household level, yet a considerable portion of agricultural land remains underutilized in rural Zimbabwe. This study evaluates the impact of Zimbabwe's Pfumvudza climate-smart input subsidy program on arable land utilization and identifies key drivers behind the substantial neglect of dryland crop production. We use data from a representative sample of 408 respondents selected using a combination of multistage and random sampling and twelve focus group discussions. The propensity score matching approach was used to adjust for confounding factors. Our findings reveal significant arable land underutilization, particularly in A1 and the old resettlement areas. We find no significant impact of input subsidies on land use rates across the sample. However, the disaggregated analysis highlights substantial heterogeneity, with the current subsidy package positively impacting communal areas while negatively affecting old resettlement regions. Key findings also indicate that contract farming, access to irrigation, livestock ownership, family labor, frequency of extension access and farming experience are positive determinants of arable land utilization in northeastern Zimbabwe. While increasing input packages for larger landholders may provide short-term benefits, this strategy could prove unsustainable in the long run. This necessitates the development of innovative financing models tailored to the needs of farmers in these areas to improve access to agricultural inputs. The findings highlight the intricate interplay of factors that enhance land utilization, serving as a foundational step toward addressing the issue of arable land abandonment in Zimbabwe.