Assessment of the Adoption of Conservation Farming Techniques on Small Scale Farmers in Chibombo District, Central Province Zambia

Conservation farming, a system that is still being widely recognized for its substancial benefits comprises of a set of agricultural practices that have long been promoted as a climate smart agriculture approach designed to protect, enhance, and sustain soil productivity while ensuring reliable crop yields. Different from conservation farming system is conventional systems that rely on repeated and intensive plowing, CF emphasizes on minimal soil disturbance, maintenance of soil cover through crop residues or cover crops, and the systematic rotation of different crops. Overall, conservation farming promotes an approach that works in harmony with natural soil processes. These practices help improve soil structure, enhance moisture retention, reduce erosion, and contribute to long-term agricultural sustainability. Despite these significant benefits and efforts by government agencies and non-governmental organizations to promote CF, adoption rates among rural farming communities remain uneven. This study therefore, seeks to assess the extent to which small-scale farmers are adopting conservation farming techniques. The study specifically aims determine the prevalence of conservation farming among small-scale farmers, identify the factors associated with CF adoption, establish the most commonly practiced CF techniques; and the challenges farmers encounter in implementing these methods. A cross-sectional survey design is employed, targeting smallholder households across Chibombo District. Data collection methods include structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and direct field observations. Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques are applied, with logistic regression planned to analyze the determinants of adoption. Adoption is modelled as a binary dependent variable, enabling estimation of the likelihood of adopting CF based on predictors such as farm size, education level, access to extension services, availability of inputs, and years of farming experience. The study highlights the awareness of conservation farming is relatively high however, the actual adoption rate is moderate. Practices such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, and residue retention are the most frequently implemented techniques. It further analyze that access to resources, technical training, and extension support emerges as key determinants of adoption.