Smallholder Maize Production And Sales In Zimbabwe: Some Distributional Aspects

Abstract

The most significant change in Zimbabwe' s agricultural sector over the past six years is the increasing importance of smallholder farmers in the production and marketed surplus of maize, the country's major food crop. Over the period 1980-1986, smallholder maize production more then tripled. By 1986, these farmers accounted for over one half the country's total maize production. A large proportion of the production gains were delivered to the Grain Marketing Board. As a result, smallholder contribution to marketed surplus grew from 8% in 1979 to some 43% of total deliveries by 1986.