Listening to Farmers: Participatory Assessment of Policy Reform in Zambia's Agriculture Sector (World Bank Technical Papers)

Since 1991 radical changes have taken place in the policy and institutional environment of agriculture in Zambia. This study examines the impact such changes have had on farmers. It highlights farmers' perceptions and priorities regarding constraints on production and quality of agricultural services by drawing on the findings of quantitative survey data, participatory surveys, and beneficiary assessments. The paper outlines the coping strategies that farmers have adopted, including changes in farming practices (such as reverting to subsistence crops and traditional cropping systems), more reliance on non-farm sources of income, and modified patterns of exchange and consumption. The book concludes with recommendations for improving the quality and equity of services received by small farmers from the public and private sectors.