COPING WITH POVERTY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF THIRD WORLD AFRICA: THE CASE OF MUKONOWESHURO COOPERATIVE GARDENING IN GUTU, ZIMBABWE

Abstract

Since the colonial era, Africa has remained a victim of circumstances such that it has been affected by a range of problems that make its population suffer in many ways. One of the problems that continue haunting Africa, particularly most of its third world countries is poverty. Zimbabwe is one of those countries that have been deeply affected by crippling poverty levels. The problem of hunger has been exacerbated by the volatile political atmosphere, tremendous socio-economic upheavals and erratic rainfalls that Zimbabwe has experienced especially since the turn of the new millennium. Such experiences have made millions suffering acute poverty, and many others abandoning the country to other countries in the region and beyond. This study is concerned with the former group- those who have remained in the country even in the face of all the aforementioned adversities and try to mitigate suffering through different innovative strategies. The paper examines how people in the rural areas are coping with poverty, and it adopts Mukonoweshuro communal area of Gutu, southern Zimbabwe as a case study. Following observations and research with the Mukonoweshuro people, this paper argues that joined hands through cooperatives can do a great deal to help in alleviating or even eradicating poverty if properly executed. The paper gives as one of its recommendations that the government of Zimbabwe and donor agencies should assist rural communities with both knowledge/skills and financial resources necessary to alleviate poverty and bolster sustainable utilization of the resources at the rural peoples’ disposal.