National Journal of Advanced Research

Authors
Anolt LH. Moonga, Mirriam Sampa Moonga

Abstract
The study investigated the challenges subsistence farmers of Chikupi in Kafue district encountered in conservation farming. It was a simple survey case study design with the objectives to determine the subsistence farmers’ knowledge of conservation farming; establish the farmers’ source of conservation farming knowledge; and identify the challenges subsistence farmers of Chikupi encountered in conservation farming. Data were collected using structured interview schedules to farmers and interviews with agricultural and Conservation Farming field officers. The findings of the study revealed that most subsistence famers of Chikupi had good knowledge of conservation farming learnt from several organizations including government. The findings showed that the farmers had many challenges with conservation farming like labour intensity of the practice, high cost of labour involved, demand for precision in doing conservation farming, social – economic dynamics and traditional land tenure system. The study concluded that the subsistence farmers of Chikupi resettlement had knowledge of conservation farming but were inhibited from using it by poverty and the social economic dynamics of the community and the land tenure system. The study recommended that the government and other stake holders should address the impediments to enable the settlers use conservation farming practices for human and environmental sustainability.