Abstract:
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 seeks to end hunger and guarantee food and
nutrition security worldwide by 2030. Smallholder irrigation development remains a key strategy to
achieve SDG 2. This study assesses how smallholder irrigation contributes to household food security
in Mberengwa district, Zimbabwe. Primary data were gathered from a randomly chosen sample of
444 farmers (344 irrigators and 100 non-irrigators) using a structured questionnaire. Microsoft Excel
and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27 software packages were used to analyse the
data. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, t-test, and binary logistic regression were performed. The
t-test results show significant differences in mean between irrigators and non-irrigators for household
size, the dependency ratio, farming experience, farm income, food expenditure share, and livestock
owned (p < 0.05). Irrigators had significantly higher area planted, yield, and quantity sold for maize
during the summer than non-irrigators (p < 0.05). Food Consumption Score results show that 97%
of irrigators and 45% of non-irrigators were food secure. Binary logistic regression results reveal a
significant association between food security and household size, irrigation access, and farm income
(p < 0.05). In conclusion, access to smallholder irrigation increases household food security. The
government and its development partners should prioritise investments in smallholder irrigation
development, expansion, and rehabilitation.
