Peasant household economy in rural Zambia - the dilemma of small-scale farmers in transition

Abstract

Income and expenditure patterns were studied among households in the transition phase from traditional shifting cultivation towards permanent cash-crop based agriculture. Income from agriculture was not able to cover all costs of living, which had to be supplemented by several non-farm activities. Cash expenses on farming were found to be low. Income from maize was regressed on fertilizer-investment and hectarage cultivated. A simple model for prediction of the maize-income was established. The resulting values compared reasonably well with those observed.