Reducing Urban Poverty through Fuel Wood Business in Masvingo City, Zimbabwe: A Myth or Reality

Abstract

This paper argues a case for reducing urban poverty through fuel wood business in view of the plight of load shading in Zimbabwe. Although the use of firewood is not a welcomed source of power in urban areas, it emerged to be wide spreading fuel for domestic use. Electricity shortages have made Zimbabweans opting for firewood for heating, cooking and other domestic chores to cushion the times when electricity is off. Since the start of this sell of firewood, the viability of the enterprise in poverty reduction has not been tested. Firewood harvesting has caused untold environmental degradation in Masvingo urban and the surroundings. Although this affected the ecology, it has created sound opportunities for urban poor who are in transport business, hired to fetch firewood from the bush. The undeveloped commercial stands are being turned into firewood wholesales. This has created entrepreneurial activities for urbanites that had nothing to do. However, fuel wood trading would sustain urban livelihoods if it meets the strong sustainability criteria of enhancing all the five capitals. Livelihood sustenance is linked to the resilience or sensitivity of livelihood assets to change in socio-economic and political conditions rather than asset per se. For, some assets are more resilient or less sensitive than others. Therefore enhanced livelihood security should be assessed on the basis of the resilience of various livelihood assets and improvements therein.