ZIM-SHEP　Project News vol. 25 (June 2024) "Baseline Survey in Matabeleland North and South in April and May 2024"

The ZIM-SHEP Team conducted Baseline surveys in 6 targeted irrigation schemes in Matabeleland North and South provinces in April and May 2024 respectively. The purpose of the baseline survey was to make farmers realize their current situation according to production practices, marketing, gender inclusion and income gained from horticulture production. Approximately 500 farmers participated in the exercise.
ZIM-SHEP's Participatory Baseline Survey is a unique exercise conducted differently from the traditional surveys where extension staff administer the questionnaire to farmers by interviewing and filling out the form. In SHEP, the exercise gave farmers an opportunity to understand, gain awareness and learn about their agricultural production situation and the importance of farming as business. Whilst extension staff took note of the training needs for future farmer trainings.
The procedure of activities started with a preparatory meeting with provincial, district and ward-based extension officers facilitated by the ZIM SHEP head office team. The purpose of the meeting was to sensitize and refresh these facilitators on the importance of the baseline survey, key points to note in the questionnaire, and how to explain the importance of farm record keeping to farmers.
Firstly, farmers are separated into groups of 10 or more farmers and asked to complete a questionnaire. Each group was facilitated by provincial officers, district officers and ward officers with HQ team backstopping. Following the administration of the questionnaires, farmers were asked to reflect and discuss the new findings gained through participating in the survey. The questionnaires were then collected by the local Agriculture Extension Officer, cleaned the data before entering and uploading on the server.
Interviewed farmers said the exercise was eye-opening and educative. Some of the farmers feedback from farmers are as follows: “We were carrying out activities without considering the purpose of those activities.”. Another commented, “I learnt that family labor and compost should also be calculated as a cost.”, “I had been keeping records of our farming activities, but I had never calculated profits and losses. I learnt that we need to use the records in a useful way for our farming.”.
The next activity planned is the Participatory Market Survey to be conducted at each irrigation scheme by representative farmers funded by the project.