Farmers' experiences of climate variability in Ward 30, Mazowe District: implications for social work and sustainable agriculture interventions

Small-scale farmers in Ward 30, Mazowe District, Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe, face growing climate variability that compounds already fragile livelihoods. This study explored how farmers in Ward 30 experience climate variability and identified the social work and sustainable agriculture interventions needed to support household resilience. The study contributes new evidence on how livelihood erosion, institutional corruption, and the complete absence of psychosocial support interact within a single smallholder community, a combination not yet examined in Zimbabwe's climate adaptation literature. A qualitative case study design guided the study. Eight primary participants from small-scale farming households were recruited through convenience sampling, and four key informants were selected purposively. Data were generated through in-depth interviews conducted in Shona and translated into English, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Guided by the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, findings reveal that farmers in Ward 30 experience climate variability through reduced crop yields, financial difficulties, psychological distress, unpredictable rainfall, food insecurity, and livestock and crop pest and disease challenges. Corruption in input distribution and farmers' near-complete unawareness of psychosocial support services were also documented. The study recommends social work interventions, including psychosocial support, advocacy, and referral services, alongside sustainable agriculture interventions to strengthen adaptive capacity in Ward 30.