ENHANCING CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND FOOD SECURITY IN MUDZI RURAL DISTRICT THROUGH INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

2024-12-12T10:42:22+00:00

Agriculture constitutes the cornerstone of Zimbabwe's rural economy, providing sustenance and driving economic activities for most rural populations. However, despite its significance, rural agriculture has increasingly faced multifaceted challenges, including climate change and the failure to implement context-specific improvement strategies, leading to noticeable decline. This decline has caused widespread food insecurity, prompting a surge in donor-assisted food aid programs across rural Zimbabwe since 2016, mostly affecting rural communities that are heavily reliant on agricultural commodities for food, income, employment, and market access. Nevertheless, despite the apparent collapse of rural agriculture, prospects for sustenance and resilience remain alive. This paper argues that tailored approaches such as integrating Watershed Management and Conservation Agriculture can revitalize rural agriculture and bolster food security. By integrating Watershed Management and Conservation agriculture strategies, rural communities can reclaim agriculture as a vital component of their economy and mitigate the pervasive food insecurity that has been pervasive for years. This paper explored integrating Watershed Management practices into Conservation Agriculture to enhance adaptability, productivity, resilience and food security in rural communities; while providing a strategic response to climate change shocks, especially responding to climate change rainfall disruptions, seasonal changes, crop and livestock diseases and low crop productivity. This article stems from a PhD study, “Towards rural household food security through investment in productive assets (PA): A case of Mudzi Rural District in Zimbabwe”, in which the study employed a qualitative methodology, comprising five focus group discussions involving fifty-two community members, field observations, eighteen key informant interviews, thirty-five majorly qualitative questionnaires, literature review, and a case study of Mudzi district. This paper reveals that the two approaches are mutually compatible and integrating them can synergistically assist to transform rural agriculture, bolstering food security and climate resilience in Zimbabwe.

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF WORKPLACE MOTIVATION IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

2025-01-02T06:08:11+00:00

This study examines the impact of stress management on employee performance, with workplace motivation as a mediating variable, in manufacturing industries in North Central Nigeria. The specific objectives are to assess the direct relationship between stress management (independent variable) and employee performance (dependent variable), evaluate the mediating role of workplace motivation, and explore the factors influencing stress management and its effectiveness. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, the study provides a theoretical basis for understanding how workplace motivation interacts with stress management to influence performance. A descriptive research design will be employed, using a quantitative methodology. Data was collected through structured questionnaires distributed to employees in selected manufacturing firms across North Central Nigeria. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique will be applied for data analysis to test direct and indirect relationships among variables. Results reveal that workload management WL (coefficient = 3.5013, SE = 0.0269, z = 130.35, p < 0.001) and work-life balance WB (coefficient = 8.2682, SE = 0.1146, z = 72.15, p < 0.001) significantly enhance Workers’ motivation WM, while support systems SS (coefficient = 0.0395, SE = 1.1592, z = 0.03, p = 0.973) shows no meaningful impact. WM mediates the relationship between WL, WB, and EP, significantly predicting EP (coefficient = 0.9116, SE = 0.2762, z = 3.30, p = 0.001). Indirect effects confirm workload management (coefficient = 3.5038, z = 535.86, p < 0.001) and work-life balance (coefficient = 3.4185, z = 134.15, p < 0.001) as pivotal contributors to Workers’ motivation, which in turn influences employee performance. However, support systems lacks significant direct or indirect effects, suggesting limited relevance in the current model. Workload management and work-life balance are key drivers of workers’ motivation, a critical mediator for improving employee performance. Support systems require reevaluation to enhance their organizational impact. It is recommended among others that business organizations should optimize workload distribution, foster work-life balance, and focus on enhancing workers’ motivation through recognition programs and career growth opportunities.

The journal of contemporary issues in business and government

ENHANCING CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND FOOD SECURITY IN MUDZI RURAL DISTRICT THROUGH INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF WORKPLACE MOTIVATION IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA