Prioritizing Critical Success Factors for Smallholder Maize Farmers in Zambia: A Pathway to Sustainable Food Security and Rural Development

ABSTRACT The agricultural sector is pivotal to the economies of most developing countries. In Zambia, the agricultural sector is dominated by smallholder maize farmers who play a key role in ensuring food security, employment, and rural development. Despite receiving a significant share of the agricultural budget, smallholder maize farmers continue to experience low levels of productivity. This necessitates a focused evaluation of the critical success factors (CSFs) that can support and elevate smallholder maize farming outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the CSFs of smallholder maize farming in Zambia using the Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (Fuzzy AHP). An expert survey was conducted to collect data on the relative importance of each CSF, allowing for a systematic prioritization of the factors influencing smallholder maize farming. The results indicate that knowledge (0.2617), adoption of technology (0.1779), and financial resources (0.1365) have the most significant impact on the success of smallholder maize farming in Zambia. Additionally, the study identified knowledge application (0.1715), conservation agriculture practices (0.0936), knowledge acquisition (0.0901), irrigation (0.0843), and access to loan facilities (0.0793) as the most influential sub‐factors. The study offers valuable insights for policymakers and agricultural practitioners, enabling them to focus on the most impactful areas to enhance the performance and sustainability of smallholder maize farming. Prioritizing the CSFs has the potential to drive progress in Zambia's smallholder maize sector, boosting productivity, enhancing food security, and fostering sustainable rural livelihoods, thereby contributing to the broader sustainable development goals such as eradicating poverty, achieving zero hunger, and climate resilience.