Vol.2 , Number 1 , 2022
http://ir.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/550
2024-03-29T07:16:54ZYoung Couple’s Perceptions on the Influence of Inter-Cultural Marriages: Insights from Mucheke, Masvingo Urban
http://ir.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/560
Young Couple’s Perceptions on the Influence of Inter-Cultural Marriages: Insights from Mucheke, Masvingo Urban
Mataruse, Innocent; Chidindi, Evelyn; Sebata, Gift
This qualitative study sought to explore young couples’ perceptions on the influence of intercultural marriages in an Afrocentric context. Using interpretive phenomenology methodology and purposive sampling strategy, six spouses were interrogated. In-depth interviews were administered. Data were analyzed using a qualitative thematic approach. The results showed that the union of couples from diverse cultural backgrounds was a precursor to marital conflict. Three themes were uncovered from the data: (a) Reconstruction ofshared meaning in a relationship based on common grounds, similar goals, commitment, and compromise. (b) Creation of the spirit of tolerance. (c) Holy Bible is the manual of marriage. It was recommended that marriage experts must design and deliver critical training programs that highlight insight to young couples bound in intercultural marriages. Furthermore, young adults need to have a deeper understanding of cross-cultural dynamics before they commit themselves.
2022-06-01T00:00:00ZWomen's Mechanisms of Access to Fast Track Land in Zimbabwe and their Implications on Land Rights.
http://ir.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/559
Women's Mechanisms of Access to Fast Track Land in Zimbabwe and their Implications on Land Rights.
Mutanda, Gideon, Walter
This paper presents reviewed literature on women’s mechanisms of land access and subsequent land rights during Fast Track Land Resettlement Programme (FTLRP) in Zimbabwe. While Zimbabwe launched three successive land reforms including FTLRP with one of the objectives being to address historical land imbalances, women’s land rights inthe present-day context are still secondary.Constitutional provisions of gender equality and balancewithout the provision of a gender responsive policy framework that utilises the ‘difference approach’and lack of equal representation in FTLRP’s land governance institutions did not address different women’s land woes. Findings from this study further shows that women’s mechanisms of land access and land rights were fluid and varied between categories (married and unmarried) and within the same category (young and elderly widows; women in polygamous and monogamous marriages) of women. Since there are pointers that the FTLRP is still with us, this study recommends that future land policies should adopt the ‘difference approach’ when dealing with women’s land issues. Furthermore, the land policy should imbed clauses that promote not only gender balance in land allocation but also in implementing structures if future land reforms are to respond to different circumstances of different categories of women.
2022-06-01T00:00:00ZWomen’s Access to Natural Resources in the Context of Climate Change in Ndanga Communal Area, Zaka District, Zimbabwe.
http://ir.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/558
Women’s Access to Natural Resources in the Context of Climate Change in Ndanga Communal Area, Zaka District, Zimbabwe.
Mutanda, Gideon Walter
From time immemorial, access to resources by women has been a challenge due to cultural beliefs and the patriarchal nature of the society. In recent years, international conventions and national laws to promote gender equality were promulgated. While great strides have been made to achieve gender equality, climate change is reversing the gains made so far, forcing societies to ‘march forward to the past’ as men have re-invigorated their ‘old ways’ that disadvantage women access to resources. Using data collection methods inspired by the case study research design, this paper discusses how climate change induced natural resource scarcity had influenced mechanisms used by women to access depleting natural resources that underpin their livelihood systems. The study focused on women in Ndanga communal area, Zaka district. A central theme on which this paper is anchored argues thatclimate change reduced women’s ‘control of access’ of natural resource.As resource decline, women lose control over resources to the men and local institutions and because women are resource constrained they are forced to employ illegal and riskier mechanisms (such as theft and negotiation to offer sexual favours to ‘maintainaccess’ to natural resource.Resource-constrained womenalso expend physical and financial resource to ‘gain and maintain access to natural resources, making them more vulnerable to climate change as they use the few resources they have. In view of this, it is argued in the paper that to reduce women’s vulnerability, authorities in Zimbabwe should design programmes that directly resourcewomen and not households as control will end up with the husband or male relatives. Functional markets and cooperatives should be established so that local women don’t interact with middle women/men from towns but sell their products directly in towns where prices are high, hence acquire resources that make them independent to men and to adapt to climate change.
2022-06-01T00:00:00ZTypical Zimbabwean small-scale pig production systems: A case study of Nyabane, Bulilima District, Matabeleland South Province.
http://ir.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/557
Typical Zimbabwean small-scale pig production systems: A case study of Nyabane, Bulilima District, Matabeleland South Province.
Chigede, Ngavaite
Pig production is one of the most important socio-economic activities among farmers in marginal areas who are trying to improve their limited living conditions. Due to a multitude of impediments, including poorer breeds and financial constraints among small-scale pig farmers, national pig slaughters declined by 5% in the year 2020. The Nyabane area in Bulilima district was used as a case study to evaluate the causes of poor pig production in smallholder systems. Snowball sampling technique in a mixed methods research design was employed. A questionnaire was used to collect data from pig producers, as well as observations and conversations with extension staff. Thematic approach for qualitative data and Microsoft Excel for summarizing quantitative findings were used as data analysis techniques. The extensive production system was being used among Nyabane smallholder pig farmers. Eighty percent of farmers knew when to breed their swine since they observed their pigs’ heat cues. However, the average litter size was small, at only four piglets per sow every furrowing, compared to the commercial average of ten piglets per sow per furrowing. An average return to breeding time of 60 days after weaning indicated low sow productivity. Pigs were malnourished due to the fact that they were only fed low quality kitchen waste once a day. This explains the observed low body condition score of less than two against a recommended score of 3 for breeding sows. Based on the findings, the researcher suggests that the Pig Industry Board and other agriculture training institutions avails sufficient skills training to smallholder pig producers around the country with the goal of improving and refreshing on pig management aspects. Moreover, financial aid should also be made available to help those who have financial difficulties.
2022-06-01T00:00:00Z