Examining the Effects of Agricultural Productivity on Household Living Conditions: A Case Study on Small Scale Farms in Chongwe District

This study examined the effects of agricultural productivity on household living conditions among small-scale farmers in Chongwe District. Specifically, it assessed the effect of agricultural productivity on household income, examined its relationship with household food security, and analyzed its influence on access to basic social services such as education and health. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design complemented by a mixed-methods approach. A sample of 180 small-scale farming households was selected using purposive and stratified random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using frequencies, percentages and thematic analysis in MegaStat. The study found that agricultural productivity improved household income, with 40.0% reporting higher production and 35.0% indicating that increased production contributed to household income to a large extent. The findings further showed that improved household food security, with 40.0% reporting that 50–74% of household food requirements were met through own production, while 60.0% reported never experiencing food shortages. The study also found that agricultural productivity improved access to social services, with 40.0% reporting a positive overall effect and 25.0% a very positive effect. The study recommends strengthening agricultural extension services, improving access to affordable inputs and credit, expanding market and storage infrastructure, promoting crop diversification and climate smart agriculture, and integrate agricultural programmes with education and health initiatives. The study further recommends similar research in other districts using larger samples and diverse approaches.