Commodity crops in biodiversity-rich production landscapes: Friends or foes? The example of cotton in the Mid Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe

A shift from cotton farming to livestock production in Zimbabwe's Mid Zambezi Valley, driven by declining cotton profitability, has led to significant land cover changes and wildlife population declines. Research combining panel survey data, land cover analysis, and secondary data revealed that open vegetation expanded from 10% to 20% between 2007 and 2020, coinciding with a drastic reduction in cotton farming (from 1.79 ± 2.05 ha per farm to 0.72 ± 0.90 ha) and a surge in livestock numbers. While wildlife populations have declined, this cannot be solely attributed to land cover changes; however, increasing human-wildlife conflicts pose a threat to long-term coexistence. The study suggests that commodity crops can present conservation opportunities if they support a 'living income' for local communities.

Baudron, F., Guerrini, L., Chimimba, E., Chimusimbe, E., & Giller, K. E. (2022). Commodity crops in biodiversity-rich production landscapes: Friends or foes? The example of cotton in the Mid Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. Biological Conservation, 267, 109496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109496