Livelihood diversification and household food access among smallholder farmers in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe: An assessment of strategy effectiveness and institutional response

Persistent food insecurity despite two decades of livelihood diversification in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, raises whether current strategies and institutional support are actually effective – a question unexamined until now. This study assessed food access, diversification’s effectiveness, and institutional response through 180 household surveys, 36 interviews, and six focus groups (n = 222), using regression and thematic analysis. Diversification significantly improved food access (β = 0.34, R2 = 0.41), yet dominant interventions left market, finance, and climate risks unaddressed, implying support is misdirected, not merely underfunded. Findings recommend market-linked programming and multi-actor coordination. The study contributes a Graduated Climate-Resilient Livelihoods model designed to end, not cushion, recurrent food insecurity.