The status of women's land rights in Zimbabwe is the result of various legal interventions and historical, social, economic, demographic and climatic processes within and outside the country. The interventions produced diverse tenure types, cultural practices and resistance that mediate the way in which the processes impact on the specific...

The United Nations remains engaged and continues to support national efforts as the Southern Africa region grapples with the impact of the unprecedented drought caused by the El Niño phenomenon. In response to the declaration of state of disaster by the Government of Zimbabwe on 3 February 2016 and the...

Regional Office for Africa quarterly newsletter covering the months of October to December, 2015

Governments promote the use of cooperatives to enhance development of smallholder farmers. However, challenges are inevitable and this study investigated factors responsible for the collapse of agricultural cooperatives in Manicaland province of Zimbabwe, and developed propositions for use on a larger scale. Five cooperatives drawn from Mutasa and Chimanimani districts...

One of the fundamental resources that is essential for the development and sustenance of people in Africa is land. Land is very important because it forms the basis of agricultural production in the sub-region. This chapter will trace the role and impact of land amongst the different ethnic groups that...

This paper examines the determinants of abandonment of conservation agriculture (CA) techniques among smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. The analysis uses four rounds of a balanced panel from a survey aimed at monitoring CA adoption among farmers who participated in CA promotion projects. Findings indicate that a large share of farmers...

This chapter discusses land issues in southern Africa in general, and in Zimbabwe in particular. At independence most African states with settler white farmers inherited a skewed land distribution in favour of the white commercial farmers. Countries like Namibia and South Africa, among others, embarked on some land redistribution programmes...

Dominic Machingura is an urban farmer in Harare, Zimbabwe. He is determined to prove the potential of urban agriculture to produce organic food and generate an income.

Launched in 2006, a conservation farming project has transformed hundreds of farmers’ lives in Zimbabwe’s Nkayi District. Once food-aid beneficiaries, these farmers now produce enough maize to cover family needs, with some producing an excess for sale. Farmers produce their own maize seed each year, which are made available to...

The countries of East and Southern Africa have made major commitments to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment, and they are starting to pay off. A number of countries have achieved substantial progress towards gender parity in primary school enrolment. Nearly all countries have adopted quota systems requiring women’s participation...

This edition of Nature & Faune journal will be a special Issue to mark the International Year of Soils. It is planned to be issued during the Conference of the African Soil Society taking place in Ouagadougou - Burkina Faso from 2nd to 10th December 2015. The special edition of...

Bouwas Mawara and his wife Nyengeterai, small scale farmers in the semi-arid Zvishavane district of Zimbabwe, are renowned for their innovation in water harvesting for crop and animal production, and for setting up local structures and systems to spread innovations amongst fellow farmers. Today at least 160 farming families in...

El Niño is a periodic climate phenomenon defined by anomalously warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean which affect local weather worldwide and generally leads to increased drought risk at global level. In 2015, since July a strong El Niño is being observed with increasing...

The European Union (EU), FAO and the Government of Zimbabwe launched a major programme to assist smallholder farmers boost productivity and engage in commercial agriculture through integrated farming approaches. The 4-year US$19 million programme is managed by FAO and focuses on smallholder irrigation and livestock production support activities. As part...

In Bubi District, Hauke irrigation scheme was completed in 2012. The community engaged WV to build on the work originally initiated by the European Commission and the Government of Zimbabwe, to complete the irrigation of the land and the building of canals. In the most recent cycle (July-December, 2012),150 workers...

This One-Pager describes key findings of a four-year research project, From Protection to Production (PtoP), which analysed the impact of social cash transfer programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. The qualitative studies specifically explored impacts on household economic decision-making, the local economy and social networks. They also examined how the design and...

Agriculture plays an important role in Zimbabwe where 70 percent of the population is dependent on farming for their livelihood, yet post-harvest losses remain a major challenge to many smallholder farmers countrywide. About 30 percent of the harvested grain is lost due to lack of appropriate storage facilities, a situation...

This research report is the first piece of research being conducted in Zimbabwe by the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). It follows on from initial engagements with Zimbabwean civil society organisations (CSOs) regarding seed policy and is a preliminary scan for orientation and the identification of possible areas for further...

Seed can be an important entry point for promoting productivity, nutrition and resilience among smallholder farmers. While investments have primarily focused on strengthening the formal sector, this article documents the degree to which the informal sector remains the core for seed acquisition, especially in Africa. Conclusions drawn from a uniquely...

Thomas Machokoto surveys his farmland – three hectares of bare soil neatly dug with ditches, pits and furrows in preparation for the rains. Together with other members of a small group of local farmers, he has been digging these contour bunds and infiltration pits to capture and store rainwater. The...