Paper title: Authors: Project Title:

Agrarian land reforms in Zimbabwe: are women beneficiaries or mere agents? Chingarande Sunungurai; Mugabe Prisca; Kujinga Krasposy and Magaisa Esteri

Impacts of land reform migrations on forest resources management in Model A1 resettlement areas of Chimanimani district in Zimbabwe IDRC Grant Number: 105120-001 Research Institution: Institute of Environmental Studies (IES), University of Zimbabwe (UZ) Research Country Zimbabwe STUDY CONTEXT Since independence in 1980, the government of Zimbabwe has taken steps to ensure that the formerly disadvantaged black majority population, constituting about 99 percent of the country's 11 million people (CSO, 2002), has access to productive resources such as land and water. The government of Zimbabwe initiated the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in 2000 as a result of unsuccessful initial postindependence land resettlement programmes and in response to the social and political pressures for faster implementation of land reforms. This land reform programme was dubbed fast track because it was implemented almost spontaneously over a very short period of time and entailed the rapid movement and resettlement of thousands of black people on land formerly owned by large-scale white commercial farmers. The A1 model of the FTLRP was designed to decongest communal lands, relieve land pressure in over-populated areas, extend and improve the base for productive agriculture in the peasant farming sector. Post-independence land reform in Zimbabwe has tended to focus on addressing racial imbalances without due attention to other social issues such as gender imbalances. There is disparity in the access to resettlement land between men and women. The proportion of female A1 land recipients in the study province, Manicaland is 18% (Presidential Land Review Committee, 2003). This unequal access could accentuate poverty among the vulnerable gender groupings such as widows and child headed households in situations where they need to supplement their income from agricultural production. These gender disparities defeat the overall FTLRP objectives of improving the livelihoods of migrants. This study attempted to investigate and explore some of these disparities. The twoyear project sought to assess the linkages between migration, rural poverty and forest resource management in Chimanimani district in Zimbabwe. This paper specifically addresses the hypothesis that access to land and forest resources is gendered and poverty related among land reform migrants in Zimbabwe. Research questions What are the push and pull factors to the three study sites; How was land acquired and what are the gender implications on access to land and land rights?, How has land redistribution addressed gender and unequal access to land among land reform migrants in Chimanimani?; How does the unequal access to land affect decision making on land utilization? What systems of tenure operate in the research sites and what are the gender implications for poverty reduction; In what ways does the gendered unequal access to land affect forest resources by the gender groupings? Research approach 1

The study was carried out in Chimanimani district in Manicaland province of eastern Zimbabwe in three sites namely: Nyabamba, a FTLRP A1 model area; Shinja, a post-independence old resettlement area and Chayamiti, a traditional communal area. The three study sites thus represent land settlement models in Zimbabwe before and after independence. Nyabamba was the main focus area of the study and it represented FTLRP migration. Data used in this chapter were collected using household survey questionnaires and a range of participatory tools. First, a survey questionnaire was administered to a total of 200 households: 110 (55% of the sample) from Nyabamba A1 resettlement area, 30 (15%) from Chayamiti and 60 (30%) from Shinja. Thematic information sought by the questionnaire was household structures; the migration process; commencement of agricultural activities; land ownership and gender; utilization of forest resources and, governance of forest resources. A range of participatory tools in focus group discussions were used. Gender was a cross-cutting issue throughout the study as the researchers sought to understand the migration process, land acquisition, forest resources use and management from a gender point of view. The focus group discussion addressed issues pertaining to migration decision-making, the land allocation process, migration push and pull factors, timelines, livelihood strategies, utilization and governance of forest resources, and issues of gender and land ownership. KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS Gender, access to land and land tenure The major reason for migration to Nyabamba was the need for better farming land. People were pushed from their areas of origin by poor soils which had become less productive. Seventy-eight percent of Nyabamba migrants came from communal areas and the main push factor (83%) was the need for better farming land. As a result, farm produce is the most important source of income for about three quarters of farmers in Nyabamba compared to 60% each for the communal area and old resettlement area. In communal areas, the headman was responsible for land allocation whereas partitioning of land at household level was done by the household head mainly to sons. The study has established that in all types of settlements (communal, old resettlement and FTLRP) the son preference in relation to subdivisions and inheritance is still dominant even among women. In Nyabamba A1 resettlement area although women played an active role in acquiring and clearing land through the land invasion process that preceded the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP), their names appeared on offer letters as sole land recipients in less than 15% of the cases. Men were the sole recipients of offer letters in the majority of cases. Joint offer letters for men and women were issued in only 7% of the cases. Offer letters are prerequisite to the granting of land permits to the land holders by the government. Despite womens effort to acquire land in their own right, processes of land registration have reduced the numbers of women that were active in the process and the agency thereof. Due to this scenario, most women in Nyabamba are thus unlikely to own the land that was acquired through the FTLRP. This unfortunate scenario defeats the intention of the FTLRP which was to redress gender imbalances by taking women on board as a special group. This has further implications on poverty reduction. Below is a case of a woman got sidelined under the FTLRP during the land formalization and registration process.

It was after we had unofficially resettled ourselves that the Chimanimani Rural District Council and the Land Committee officials came and assembled us to register us. There was a hat full of pieces of paper with peg numbers, so each household head was asked to pick one piece of paper and register their number as their permit. It was through this process that some women were sidelined as land was registered in the household name or the name of the household head. Another woman narrated her ordeal, I was very lucky because my husband was away and for one to be registered there was need for producing ones identity document, so since I did not have my husbands identity document I registered the land using my own identity document. A few months later, my husband came and saw the permit in my name. I was rebuked for the decision. My husband then went to the headman to facilitate the change from my name to his name and this was successfully done through the office of the district administrator. This is a clear case of systems that are patriarchal that continue to suppress efforts at womens empowerment. However, some women indicated that they liked it when the names of their husbands appear on offer letters because of the fear that their children would be disinherited by their relatives if the offer letters are in their names. In another case, a one woman pointed out how she became a proud owner of land despite the land being in the name of the husband. She revealed that they used to farm jointly with her husband but they used to argue when it came to decisions on use of the income from the produce. The couple then agreed to divide the fields equally between themselves. Therefore the husband specializes in growing maize and sugar cane whilst the wife grows sweet potatoes for sale. The woman actually boasted of the livestock she bought from her farm proceeds. As you can see these pigs, goats and chicken belong to me. I bought them using money I get from selling sweet potatoes. My husband does not own any of these, but if you ask him he says these are all mine I am the head of this household. This study has also established that lack of tenure does not mean disempowerment in decision making related to land and land use. Some women, make decisions because the household is female managed while the husband is a labor migrant. Gender and forest resources Because land was an important pull migration factor to Nyabamba, the clearing of forests that has occurred has mainly been for agricultural purposes. At the same time, forests are important for the livelihoods of the migrants. Since the small plot sizes cannot sustain livelihoods as compounded by a number of factors that affect productivity, forests become a supplement to livelihoods especially for women who collect firewood for sale. There seem to be clear categories of men and women derived benefits from the forests. Almost 70% of the respondents said firewood collection is done by women for household use. About one third of the Nyabamba respondents collect firewood daily due to the accessibility of the forests, whereby it was not necessary to hoard large amounts of the firewood. Women were also more involved than men in the

collection of some products such as mushrooms. Men were more involved in collecting wood for building purposes and also fuel wood for sale. With limited access and control over land, women have found forests a domain they can easily access and have control over. In Nyabamba, selling of firewood is mainly dominated by women disputing the reliance by women on mens income. There have been signs of changes in forest cover and biodiversity in Nyabamba in the 10 years of the FTLRP. Of gender significance are the changes in firewood availability. Women are now travelling farther distances to access fuel wood. Although this is not as drastic as in the communal areas, it signals the urgency of sustainable management of the forest resources. Traditional leadership namely the hierarchy of chieftainship, headman ship and village headship plays a pivotal role in forest management. The village head is the most important agency for natural resources management in Nyabamba. Traditional rules, norms, values and regulations in place for forest management are not effective because of poor enforcement. This has granted women an opportunity to access such resources with limited restrictions compared to land. PROJECT INTERVENTIONS In response to the communitys expressed desire for forestation, the project facilitated seedling production training for the community. This will help facilitate easy access to fuel wood by women. As a result of the study findings which show a heavy reliance on agriculture related livelihoods and the unequal access to land tenure by men and women the project has introduced alternative livelihoods in the form of bee keeping for both men and women as a way of empowering them. Both men and women were taught improved honey production with initial trainings on making bee hives. The project further led to the introduction of Environmental Management Committees (EMC) as required by the Environmental Management Act where they did not exist and the strengthening of such where they already existed in order to promote sustainable utilization of forests for sustainable livelihoods in such areas where women have limited land rights. The opportunity for gender equity in natural resources governance was seized by facilitation and encouragement of representation of men, women and youths in the EMC. POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The policy implication for land registration is that there should be efforts to coordinate the various land registration structures so that policy at a higher level is easily translated and implemented at a lower level. Furthermore, the involvement of women should be seen as key in these structures. 2. The heavy reliance on firewood for household cooking energy should be reduced by exploring and producing efficient or alternative sources of energy such as use of energy efficient stoves and production of wood briquettes in partnership with commercial timber companies in the area. This will help address both practical and strategic gender needs that will create time for both men and women to be involved in other productive tasks that would improve the position of women and further translate into access and control of key resources such as land. 3. There is need for broadening livelihood opportunities for both men and women in the study area in order to reduce pressure on the land and forest resources. GAPS FOR FURTHER INQUIRY There is need for an establishment of the relationship between the micro and the macro what especially with reference to implementation of policies where for example the policy for gender equitable access to 4

land exists at a macro level but implementation at the micro level is compromised. This therefore calls for strengthening the linkages between the micro and macro levels especially in relation to the registration of land. Furthermore, the study identified a number of gaps that require further study. Gender and governance of natural resources is one such gap. There is need for more research on the differential participation of men and women in the governance of natural resources. There is also need for a study to establish what Chimanimani provides in terms of its natural endowments and livelihoods, for example, water harvesting and use efficiency for sustainable livelihoods. RESEARCH TEAM MEMBERS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Zimbabwe: Dr Prisca Mugabe (project leader), Mr Krasposy Kujinga (Social scientist), Miss Esteri Magaisa (MPhil. student), Miss Charity Nyelele (MPhil student) Department of Sociology, UZ: Dr Sunungurai Chingarande (Gender expert) Chimanimani Rural District Council: Mr. Timothy Maringe (Chimanimani Rural District Council), Mr . Ernest Marange (Environment Management Agency), Mr. Watson Sibanda (Forestry Commission) Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE): Mrs Annie Madzara, Mrs Estella Toperesu, Mrs Alice Mugore, Mr Witness Kozanai