Rural development and food security/ insecurity in drought prone rural Zimbabwe, a community perspective.
Rural development and food security/ insecurity in drought prone rural Zimbabwe, a community perspective.
1. Rationale
The major motivation for this study is a personal observation made around rural areas in Zimbabwe which experience perennial shocks of drought and food insecurity. The major challenge for these communities in developing countries is accessing basic food stuffs. It seems that most of the communities are trapped in a cycle of poverty or food insecurity of which they are failing to break. Food is a critical component for survival of which shortage affects the accessibility of other basic minimum survival requirements.
In southern and eastern parts of Zimbabwe rural livelihoods are primarily based on agriculture which does not produce much because of various factors like natural and economic factors. In these communities food insecurity is prevalent with food aid organisations maintaining a permanent presence in these areas. In a country with little or no state social safety nets to talk about, it becomes imperative for this study to explore, analyse evaluate and come up with recommendations for these rural communities from their perspective as social actors.
Approaches to rural development in Zimbabwe seem to take a “one size fits all approach” whereby community differences in a natural, human, economic and social capital are not factored in when rural development policies are being designed. This study seeks to contribute to the broader theoretical issue of development specifically the impact of rural development initiatives on community food security in developing countries.
2. Literature Review
In sub-Saharan Africa in terms of development approaches/policies there has been a bias towards urban areas (Mlambo 1997). The major reason for the bias is based on the modernistic thinking of the 20th century which prescribed that for developing countries to achieve development there is need for them to follow the path taken by developed
1. Rationale
The major motivation for this study is a personal observation made around rural areas in Zimbabwe which experience perennial shocks of drought and food insecurity. The major challenge for these communities in developing countries is accessing basic food stuffs. It seems that most of the communities are trapped in a cycle of poverty or food insecurity of which they are failing to break. Food is a critical component for survival of which shortage affects the accessibility of other basic minimum survival requirements.
In southern and eastern parts of Zimbabwe rural livelihoods are primarily based on agriculture which does not produce much because of various factors like natural and economic factors. In these communities food insecurity is prevalent with food aid organisations maintaining a permanent presence in these areas. In a country with little or no state social safety nets to talk about, it becomes imperative for this study to explore, analyse evaluate and come up with recommendations for these rural communities from their perspective as social actors.
Approaches to rural development in Zimbabwe seem to take a “one size fits all approach” whereby community differences in a natural, human, economic and social capital are not factored in when rural development policies are being designed. This study seeks to contribute to the broader theoretical issue of development specifically the impact of rural development initiatives on community food security in developing countries.
2. Literature Review
In sub-Saharan Africa in terms of development approaches/policies there has been a bias towards urban areas (Mlambo 1997). The major reason for the bias is based on the modernistic thinking of the 20th century which prescribed that for developing countries to achieve development there is need for them to follow the path taken by developed
References: Bernstein, A. 2009. Land reform in South Africa: A 21st perspective. The Centre for Development and Enterprise. Research report 14. Havnevik, K., D. Bryceson, et al. 2007. "African agriculture and the World Bank: development or impoverishment?". Nordiska: Afrika institutet, Long, N. 1977. An introduction to the sociology of rural development. London: Tavistock publications Mlambo, A. S. 1997. The Economic Structural Adjustment Programme. Harare: University of Zimbabwe Publications.