Revisiting Agricultural Policy Reforms and Rural Livelihoods in Zimbabwe: A Replication Study

Agricultural policy reforms have been implemented in Zimbabwe to enhance food security and economic development. However, their impact on rural livelihoods remains a subject of debate. The study employs a mixed-method approach combining quantitative analysis with qualitative interviews. Data is sourced from the Zimbabwe National Livelihoods Assessment (ZILS) survey conducted in . Findings indicate that while there were improvements in agricultural productivity, these benefits did not uniformly translate into higher incomes for smallholder farmers, suggesting uneven distribution of reforms' gains. The replication study reaffirms the need for targeted interventions to ensure equitable benefits from agricultural policy reforms among rural populations. Policy makers should prioritise support mechanisms such as extension services and market linkages to enhance the effectiveness of agricultural policies in benefiting smallholder farmers. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.