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- Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) as a credible alternative to tackle food insecurity under the changing climate is gaining wide acceptance. However, many developing countries have realized that concepts that have been recommended as solutions to existing problems are not suitable in their contexts. This paper synthesizes a subset of literature on CSA in the context of small-scale agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa as it relates to the need for CSA, factors influencing CSA adoption, and the challenges involved in understanding and scaling up CSA. Findings from the literature reveal that age, farm size, the nature of farming, and access to extension services influence CSA adoption. Many investments in climate adaptation projects have found little success because of the sole focus on the technology-oriented approach whereby innovations are transferred to farmers whose understanding of the local farming circumstances are limited. Climate-smart agriculture faces the additional challenge of a questionable conceptual understanding among policymakers as well as financing bottlenecks. This paper argues that the prospects of CSA in small-scale agriculture rest on a thorough socio-economic analysis that recognizes the heterogeneity of the small farmer environment and the identification and harnessing of the capacities of farming households for its adoption and implementation.
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- With climate change complicating South African households’ ability in attaining food security, climate-smart agriculture has been a significant recommendation for small-scale farming households. This paper examined the contribution of CSA adaptation to household food security in King Cetshwayo District Municipality’s small-scale farming system. Also, the paper investigated the relative popularities of specific CSA practices and the factors that determined ‘ ‘household’s choices among them. It involved comparing two local municipalities—Mthojaneni and uMhlathuze; selected based on their agricultural potentials. Data collection was done, using structured questionnaires, from 327 small-scale farmers sampled through a multi-stage technique. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, composite score index, the binary logistic and multinomial logistic regression models. Findings reveal that adaptation of CSA practices has a significant and positive influence on household food security. Further analysis shows that gender significantly and positively influenced household food security in Mthonjaneni but had no significant influence in uMhlathuze. Household food security was significantly and positively influenced by farm income, income from non-farm sources, farming experience and household participation in Mthonjaneni and uMhlathuze. By contrast, household size and dependency ratio significantly but negatively influenced household food security in Mthonjaneni and uMhlathuze. This paper argues that small-scale farmers should incorporate CSA practices as much as possible to maximize their benefits and improve their productivity and chances of being food secure.
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