Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1700 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2855 (Online) Vol.11, No.22, 2020 67 Analysis of Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers’ Participation in Non-Farm Employment Activities and Their Impact on Households’ Food Security: The Case of Mbire District, Mashonaland Central Province of Zimbabwe Misheck Tussle Mundowa * Clever Mumbengegwi Department of Economics, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe Abstract This study investigates the factors influencing smallholder farmer’s decision to participate in non -farm employment activities and its impact on rural households’ food security status in the Mbire District of Zimbabwe. The analysis uses a treatment evaluation model and the associated propensity score matching (PSM) technique, which permits the comparison between the food security status of smallholder farmers who participate in non- farm employment activities and those who do not. Estimation of propensity scores enable us to identify the factors influencing smallholder farmers’ decision to diversify into non-farm employment activities. The results indicate that a number of demographic (gender and education of household head), infrastructural (internet access and distance to the main road) and farm level characteristics (land size, livestock herd owned and productive assets) have qualitative and quantitatively different impacts on rural households’ participation in non-farm employment activities. Further, the empirical analysis confirms that diversifying into non -farm employment activities improves rural households’ food security status. The results imply that non-farm employment activities can be a way out of food insecurity in Mbire district. The study therefore recommends the government and NGOs to induce the rural households to diversify into non-farm activities as they improve their food security status since the climatic conditions in the district are not well suitable for agricultural practices. Keywords: Non-farm employment; Propensity Score Matching (PSM); rural household food security; Mbire district of Zimbabwe DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-22-06 Publication date: November 30 th 2020 1. Introduction One of the major public policy challenges facing Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) is feeding its growing population and alleviating food insecurity, especially among rural farm households (Owusu et al., 2011). Participating in non- farm employment activities 1 is one of the most widespread coping strategies used to combat food insecurity by food-deficit rural farm households. The factors influencing the choice to participate and the implications of this participation on food security are not altogether known. Some strands of literature suggest that non-farm employment activities improve rural households’ incomes and food security (Mishra and Rahman, 2018; Seng, 2015; Shehu and Sidique, 2013), while others suggest that it has no or even negative effects (Pfeiffer et al., 2009; Kinuthia et al., 2018). Knowledge of these factors would help inform policy makers to identify those rural households most vulnerable to food insecurity and to design more accurately targeted policy interventions. The study seeks to evaluate the impact of participation in non-farm employment activities on food security 2 . Mbire district is located in the low-lying mid-Zambezi valley forming part of agro-ecological regions 4 3 and 5 4 , which makes it unsuitable for food crop production due to its high temperatures and low and unpredictable rainfall patterns (Fritz et al., 2003). As a result, Mbire is one of the four out of sixty rural districts of Zimbabwe experiencing high levels of food insecurity; with between 39 and 42 per cent of households being food insecure (Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC), 2018). Despite the poor climatic conditions, which does not support crop production, the government of Zimbabwe, like other governments in developing countries, is trying to combat food insecurity in the district through agricultural input provision, which is bringing no impact on households’ food security. The study therefore assesses if participation in non -farm employment activities could be a coping strategy to food insecurity in the semi-arid parts of Zimbabwe and other developing countries as they do not afford to install irrigation facilities. Most studies in the food security literature used more subjective food security measures that only captures 1. Any gainful employment sought by the family labourer off the household farm, which include fishing, trading, construction, transport, agro-processing and gold panning (Tran et al., 2015). 2. Exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (World Food Summit, 1996). 3 . Receiving 450 – 600 mm rainfall per year. Subject to frequent seasonal droughts. 4 . Receiving normally less than 500 mm rainfall per year, very erratic and unreliable. Northern Lowveld may have more rain but topography and soils are poorer.