Mdoda, Lelethu.Mudhara, Maxwell.Mnukwa, Minentle Lwando.2026-06-302026-06-3020252025https://hdl.handle.net/10413/24481Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Climate change poses significant threats to agricultural systems globally, with smallholder farmers in developing regions particularly vulnerable due to limited adaptive capacity and resource constraints. This study assessed the perceptions, adoption decisions, and effects of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices (CSAPs) on smallholder maize farmers' livelihoods in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, where climate change has resulted in substantial agricultural losses and threatens food security. This research explored how CSAPs enhance agricultural productivity, resilience, and food security among smallholder farmers, contributing to climate adaptation and mitigation. The study collected data through structured questionnaires from 378 smallholder maize farmers purposively chosen using a multi-stage sampling technique across Harry Gwala and Ugu District Municipalities. A quantitative approach incorporating descriptive statistics, Tobit regression models, double-hurdle models, stochastic production functions, gross margin analysis, and endogenous switching regression models were employed to analyse the determinants of CSAP adoption and their effects on economic and food security. The study examined four specific CSAPs: drought-tolerant maize varieties, rainwater harvesting, maize-legume intercropping, and crop diversification, investigating their adoption patterns and impacts on farmer livelihoods. Most smallholder farmers were aware of CSAPs and demonstrated moderate uptake, indicating growing acceptance of CSAPs. The most adopted CSAPs included drought-tolerant maize varieties and rainwater harvesting, suggesting their perceived benefits and relative ease of implementation. Key socioeconomic factors such as age, gender, education, household income, access to credit, extension services, and agricultural training significantly influenced the adoption and intensity of CSAP use. The findings suggest that tailored socioeconomic programmes targeting specific farmer groups can enhance CSAP adoption and agricultural resilience against climate impacts. The analysis further reveals that adopters comprised both male and female farmers, with varying risk tolerance and resource constraints. Marital status, employment status, land ownership, and involvement in agricultural groups also influenced perceptions and adoption of CSAPs. Despite positive perceptions of CSAPs by smallholder farmers, including their potential to improve productivity, food security, and farm income, barriers such as inadequate training, financial constraints, and limited institutional support impede broader adoption of CSAPs. The findings underscore the importance of policy interventions addressing these constraints to promote CSAP adoption. The results show complementarity between certain CSAPs and highlight significant economic benefits and technical efficiency improvements following adoption. Socioeconomic and institutional factors, including access to credit, extension services, and agricultural training, influenced CSAP adoption and economic outcomes significantly. The findings highlight the need for multi-dimensional interventions encouraging comprehensive CSAP adoption to enhance agricultural resilience and sustainability. The results reveal that CSAP adopters exhibit significantly higher food security and dietary diversity outcomes than non-adopters, indicating that CSAPs positively contribute to household welfare. Education, household income, institutional access, and social capital significantly influenced food security and adoption patterns. These findings support the postulation that adopting CSAPs can substantially enhance the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. However, challenges such as limited access to credit, inadequate agricultural training, and implementation costs remain significant barriers to maximising the potential benefits of CSAPs. The study recommends enhancing access to agricultural training, credit, and extension services, particularly for farmers facing resource constraints, to improve the adoption and effectiveness of CSAPs. Overall, this thesis provides critical insights into the factors influencing CSAP adoption and their role in enhancing economic performance and welfare outcomes for smallholder farmers. The findings emphasise the need for targeted, context-specific interventions to overcome adoption barriers and promote sustainable agricultural practices. By fostering collaboration between farmers, researchers, extension services, and policymakers, this research contributes to developing effective climate-smart strategies that address the unique challenges smallholder farmers face in climate-vulnerable regions.enCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/Climate-smart agriculture.Smallholder farmers.Technology adoption.Food security.Economic benefits.Thesis