Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Mashonaland West Province (Zimbabwe)'

The objectives of this study were to identify the extension needs of land reform beneficiaries (A1 and A2 farmers) for sustainable land reform, by describing and analyzing the current extension corporation and activities in newly resettled areas. The study was carried out in three districts, namely Kadoma, Chegutu and Zvimba , situated in Mashonaland West province of Zimbabwe. The target population samples for the study comprised of A1 and A2 farmers (N=690) and the extension personnel in the three districts (N=68). The study revealed that there is a distinct difference between A1 and A2 farmers regarding their socio-economic status, education level, farm size, land tenure status, and governance structure. 58.0% of A1 farmers farm on farm sizes that vary between 0.5 – 50ha, while 76.3% of A2 farmers received farm sizes between 51 - 200ha. A1 farmers mainly have obtained only primary level education, while 57.3% of A2 farmers obtained post matric education. In general the A1 farmer households are bigger with 16.2% of the households bigger than 10 members compared to A2 farmers where 31% of the households are smaller than three household members. A1 farmers use permits as tenure instruments which allows them to farm and communally share grazing areas and water sources. A2 farmers use offer letters and 99-year lease which allows them to exclusively use resources on their farms. The tenure instruments that apply to A1 farmers have limitations as farmers cannot use them to borrow operational capital since the land is considered state land. In general A1 farmers are less satisfied than A2 farmers with the current land reform program implemented by the government. According to farmers (A1 and A2) the major constraints preventing them to farm optimally are: frequent droughts, inadequate financial credit, poor availability of production inputs, poor extension services, poor farming knowledge and no farming equipment. Farmers perceived the following stumbling blocks in order of priority to the current land reform program: inadequate credit facilities, unstable political situation, corruption and inefficient extension services. 48.0% of extension officers in the three districts (Chegutu, Kadoma, Zvimba) are between the age of 18-30 years, 64.2% of the extension officers have obtained only a certificate in agriculture, which is causing problems in the role they play as technical advisors to farmers. 86.6% of the extension officers have never attended in-service training to attend to their skills development. The average ratio of extension officer to farmer is 1:250-300, which is internationally acceptable for efficient extension delivery. T&V and FSRE extension approaches are the popular approaches extension staff use, although they are in general not satisfied with these extension approaches being used, due to the little financial support government provides to execute these approaches. There is also very little monitoring of application of the various extension approaches by the department, and there is a lack of commitment on the part of the government. 72.0% extension officers indicated that they have at least weekly contact with farmers, mainly through group meetings. Extension officers perceived their technical as well as extension knowledge to be adequate for efficient extension delivery. The major constraints being faced by extension officers in the three districts are: lack of operational budgets, lack of production inputs for farmers, lack of commitment on the part of the farmers and government, low level of farmers' knowledge about farming practices and climate change. Extension officers perceived the following stumbling blocks in priority order to the current land reform program: corruption, lack of planning, lack of coordination among stakeholder and political interference. A negotiated transition for a land reform program is highly recommended. Proper selection of the land reform beneficiaries and human capital development is a critical component of a sustainable extension system. There is a need of greater participation of private role players in providing of inputs. For this to happen government should allow a free market system. A gradual transformation of extension to self finance system is needed. A levy can be imposed on A2 farmers who are in a stronger economic position, so as to finance some of the operations of extension. Due to difference in socio-economic status between A1 and A2 farmers, a tailor made extension support system needs to be implemented, taking into consideration these differences. There is a need for programmed extension with expected and measurable outputs, which offers options and problem solving strategies, facilitate decision-making and technology adaptation, and a need of attracting more private players in the agricultural extension arena. Also there is a need to employ more female extension officers, so as to improve participation of female farmers and offer in-service training for extension officers is much needed.
Dissertation (MSc Agric)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
gm2014
Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
unrestricted

This study explores women’s access to land under the customary tenure system. It examines how the changes in land tenure, access and rights to land as a consequence of HIV/AIDS are affecting agricultural productivity, food security and poverty, with a specific focus on women who have lost their husbands to HIV/AIDS in Zvimba. Zvimba is a village community located in Zvimba District in the Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe. The study also discusses policy responses designed to cushion the impact of HIV/AIDS on local communities especially women living with HIV/AIDS. The study highlights the vulnerability of widows to land rights violations, mainly inflicted by relatives but sometimes by the wider community. The main form of abuse encountered included the use of abusive language, threats of evictions and at times, beatings. The legal route for seeking redress was rarely used. Fear of witchcraft, low educational levels and fear of causing conflict between children and their paternal relatives also led widows to abandon the fight for their rights. The study further reveals that widows are heavily exposed to dispossession of their land rights. HIV/AIDS has increased the vulnerability of widows and other women to threats and dispossession of their land and other property rights. Dispossession of arable fields was observed in the four wards. The dispossessions and threats to livelihoods were directly related to the HIV positive status of the widows. The findings from this study illustrate the predominant role that male members of the household or family have over land. Thus, culture and traditional practices still affect women in other cases, disadvantaging them in favour of men, as in inheritance of land and property in the household.

The implementation of Zimbabwe’s Fast Track Land Reform Program (FTLRP) in 2000 generated polarised debates across academia and in the media. Some commentators dismissed the FTLRP as a politically motivated ‘land grab’, which ruined a vibrant agrarian structure and contributed to food shortages. Landless peasants, who were the major beneficiaries of the land reform, were dismissed as inefficient and lacking the skills to work the land productively. However, empirical data gathered across Zimbabwe indicate that the outcomes of Zimbabwe’s FTLRP are diverse and require a nuanced analysis. This thesis explores the outcomes of land reform in terms of its impact on the livelihoods of peasant households who were resettled under the FTLRP. The thesis utilises empirical data to argue that, despite its shortcomings, the FTLRP has allowed peasant households to access land and other natural resources which were previously enclosed under a dualistic land tenure structure which had persisted after Zimbabwe’s independence from colonial rule in 1980. Data gathered in Mhondoro Ngezi District indicate that in the aftermath of land reform, resettled farmers now have access to better quality land and opportunities for employment at mines and through gold panning which have generally enhanced livelihoods. The thesis also argues that the benefits of land reform are broad and go beyond the utility of land as a means of production. Fast track land reform allowed people to recover ancestral lands lost during colonial era forced removals; it also allowed people to be reunited with ancestral graves and other symbols of spiritual significance. Overall, this has helped to address the diverse aspects of land which had remained largely unresolved due to the failure of Zimbabwe’s market driven land reforms of the early 1980s. The thesis is based on a case study of 185 households who were allocated land under the A1 Scheme (villagised model) in the Mhondoro Ngezi District in Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA (DVS) [
Early in this millennium, Zimbabwe faced economic collapses which led to a decline of formal sector employment and an increase in urban agriculture. Urban agriculture provides income and a food supply to poor, middle and higher income households. Studies throughout the world have shown that women predominate, providing the most labour and management inputs for urban agriculture. As a result, they can earn income, improve household diets, perform household duties and have increased control over decision-making within the household. One of the urban agricultural activities which has played an important role in the livelihoods of women and their households in urban areas, is backyard poultry farming. With backyard poultry farming the women can obtain income and food produce from this activity which helps them take care of themselves as well as their families in the harsh economy of Zimbabwe.

The land reform that has unfolded in Zimbabwe since 1980 used different models and had diverse consequences. Since the implementation of the fast tract land reform programme in 2000, Zimbabwe experienced heavy reduction in yield and output at farm level that led to a 70% shortfall in production to meet annual food requirements (Richardson, 2005). The economic crisis in Zimbabwe has been characterized by worsening food insecurity especially in the rural areas where harvests continue to be poor. In the beef sector, Zimbabwe has failed to meet its export quota to the EU. The shortfall in production to meet annual food requirements shows a very grim situation but do not tell us about the performance of resettled farmers who now occupy much of the productive land. The broad objective of the study was to determine and compare the production efficiency of resettled farmers in Zimbabwe across land reform models. In addition, the study determined land use intensity. The study was conducted in the Mashonaland Central Province of Zimbabwe mainly because a wide variety of field crops were grown by resettled farmers. The respondents were stratified into three groups. These were: beneficiaries of land reform before 2000 (resettle scheme), fast track A1 model and fast track A2 model. The three models differ on how they were implemented and supported and this might result in different efficiencies of the models. A total of 245 copies structured questionnaire were administered on the resettled farmers from June to September 2010. Descriptive statistics was applied to the basic characteristics of the sampled households. The effect of model of land reform, gender of the household head, marital status, age of the household head, education, household size, religion, dependence ratio, whether the farmer was fulltime or part-time in farming, experience of the farmers in farming at that environment, total land size owned by the farmers and soil type on revenue per hectare and land use rate were determined using the GLM procedure of SAS (2003). Significance differences between least-square group means were compared using the PDIFF test of SAS (2003). The relationship between Revenue and land utilization was examined using the Pearson‟s correlations analysis. Dependance between response variables that had an effect on either revenue per hectare or land utilization with all the other response variables was tested using the Chi-square test for dependance. To find the effect of arable land used and herd size on revenue per hectare and land use the RSREG Procedure of SAS (2003) was used. Input oriented DEA model under the assumption of constant return to scale was used to estimate efficiency in this study. To identify factors that influence efficiency, a Tobit model censored at zero was selected. The mean land use rate varied significantly (p<0.05) with the land reform model with A2 having highest land use rate of 67%. The A1 and old resettlement households had land use rates of 53% and 46%, respectively. Sex, marital status, age of the household head, education and household size significantly affected land use (P<0.05). Revenue per hectare was not affected by any the factors that were inputted in the model. Results from the DEA approach showed that A2 farmers (large land owners) had an average technical efficiency score of 0.839, while the lowest ranking model (A1) had an average score of 0.618. Small land holders (A1 and the old resettled farmers) are on average less cost-efficient than large land owners, with a score of 0.29 for the former compared with 0.45 for the latter. From the factors that were entered in the Tobit model, age of household head, excellent production knowledge and farmer status affected technical efficiency whereas allocative efficiency was only affected by good production knowledge, farm size, arable land owned and area under cultivation. Factors which affected economic efficiency of the resettled farmers are secondary education, household size, farm size, cultivated area and arable land owned. None of the included socio-economic variables has significant effects on the allocative and economic efficiency of the resettled farmers. Thus, the allocative and economic inefficiencies of the farmers might be accounted for by other natural and environmental factors which were not captured in the model.

Wetlands are stocks of natural resources limited in supply, in the middle of unlimited human wants with multiple uses to society, presenting an economic problem in as far as their rational and sustainable use is concerned. To that end, conflicting recommendations have been forwarded regarding wetland cultivation as a possible land use across the globe and from within the same regions. On one extreme, wetland cultivation has been linked to degradation of wetlands with pure wetland conservation as the prescribed viable and sustainable land use option to society. Closer to reality, partial wetland conversion to crop land has been found compatible with wetland bio-diversity; implying that partial wetland cultivation is the prescribed wetland use option viable and sustainable to societies, a dictum mainly claimed by rural communities. With that conflicting background and based on the “Safe Minimum Standard” approach, a ban on wetland cultivation was maintained in several early environmental policies in Zimbabwe as a basis for legislative protection of wetlands, a position that is still legally binding in current statutes. Contrary to that, rural communities have responded by invading wetlands as a coping strategy in pursuit of the claimed values of wetland cultivation, further conflicting with standing policies. This scenario has managed to “lock” and is currently locking the claimed 1,28 million hectares of wetlands in Zimbabwe in a “legal-operational impasse”, at a cost to the entire nation since no meaningful investment is possible in wetlands when there is a legal conflict.

A cardinal development goal of the Zimbabwean government is agricultural mechanization through the acquisition and use of tractors by arable crop farmers in communal and resettlement state land. This research project therefore aimed at investigating the impact of mechanization on agricultural productivity focusing on farmers in Bindura district of Zimbabwe who benefitted under the ongoing farm mechanization program. The existing land policy and the issue of technical efficiency in agricultural productivity are assumed to be the drivers of the program. It is likely that these key issues will constitute an important consideration in determining the sustainability of the mechanization policy. A multistage sampling technique was used to randomly select 90 farmers in the study area. The Cobb Douglas approach and Logistic regression were used to analyze data obtained from the respondents. Results revealed that tractor use was positively influenced by household size, access to extension services and crop output equivalent. Education, land area cultivated, stoniness negatively influenced the probability of adoption of mechanized farming. Furthermore, the technical efficiency estimate of adopter and nonadopters of mechanized farming showed no difference in their level of technical efficiency in agricultural productivity that was 64 percent on average. The level of observed inefficiency was increased by slope, stoniness and household size while age reduced technical inefficiency. It is recommended that government should consolidate the present gains arising from extension services. Also, environmental factors such as slope (topography) and stoniness, which constituted major disincentives in communal areas, could be overcome if government and farmers can identify and open up new areas of farmland for occupation by farmers.

The study is premised on the assumptions that the under-representation of women in leadership in academia is aggravated by weak implementation of gender policies. In light of this, the aim of the current study was to assess the nature and extent of the implementation of gender policy frameworks as a way of engendering gender parity in leadership in academia. The study was informed by the socialist-feminist theory and John Rawls’ and David Millers’ theory of social justice. The theories were chosen on the basis of their socialist-scientific approach to gender issues and also because of their resonance with the situation in Zimbabwe’s tertiary institutions. The theories were analysed within the context of Agenda 2063. The relevance of the agenda’s vision for this study is its recognition of gender equality, particularly in leadership in academia, as a critical cog for Africa’s development agenda. The researcher opted to use the qualitative approach which is embedded within the interpretivist research paradigm. The interpretivist approach makes use of qualitative methods of data collection, presentation and analysis. Data were generated from a sample of twenty four lecturers, two vice-chancellors, two pro-vice-chancellors and two registrars from two universities, a private church-run institution and a state university, mainly through interviews. Data were also generated through focus group discussions and document analysis. Data from documents were used to buttress data from the interviews and focus group discussions. The findings of this study showed that the male-management norm dominated in almost every strategic section of the structures of the two institutions. This was attributable to weak implementation of gender policies. The failure of the gender policies to bring a visible change to the institutional landscape in terms of gender equality was a result of an interplay of personal, cultural and organisational factors. Some of the factors that thwarted women’s career progression to leadership positions included, lack of inspiration from role models, lack of support from colleagues, lack of training in leadership, and the Zimbabwe Council of Higher Education’s (ZIMCHE) indiscriminate policy on recruitment of staff members. All the factors however, were encapsulated within the patriarchal stereotypical conception of a women as fit for domesticity. Within the same conception, men were considered to be imbued with the clout and traits consistent with leadership demands. Studies carried out elsewhere in Zimbabwe and outside the boarders of Zimbabwe have yielded similar results. This explains the continuing and relentless nature of gender inequality in academic institutions. In order to increase the participation of women in leadership positions, the study recommends the following: establishment of a monitoring and evaluation exercise designed to audit the effectiveness of the gender policies; establishment of a review of the university programmes with the aim of establishing or intensifying training programmes in academic leadership and management; establishment of a scholarship and research fund to encourage women to undertake higher degrees studies, and the intense application of affirmative action policies and gender mainstreaming in the universities.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research study has examined the impact of contract farming on enhancing efficiencies with the agricultural value chain for smallholder tobacco farmers in Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe. The major challenges facing smallholder farmers in Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular relate to financial constraints, technical expertise and market access. Contract farming as a transactions-cost-focussed-model is considered more effectively responsive to those challenges than the pure market approach which insufficiently addresses the impact of information asymmetries, bounded rationality, uncertainty, governance challenges and infrastructure challenges, among others. It allows for closely monitored smallholder financing by agribusiness entities which reduces or eliminates the probability of loan default. Contract farming is seen as an important mechanism in transforming the fragmented, subsistence agriculture in rural Africa into high commercialised and viable business undertakings. In this study, extensive reference is made to literature on agriculture financing; empirical research data on smallholder productivity and loan recoverability is drawn and analysed using the quantitative research methodology. The analysis sought to test for relationships among a set of variables and in the process examined the impact of contract farming. A comparative analysis of national data on the contract and auction system of tobacco marketing was done with emphasis on production and sales volumes, crop quality, price stability and market access. The results from the quantitative analysis of farmer-level and country-level data indicated a strong correlation between smallholder farmer production, productivity and loan recoverability and contract farming value chain intervention mechanisms.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS)
The establishment of the Dotito-Muchenje irrigation project was an endeavour initiated by the Government of Zimbabwe, to empower local people. It was done to improve the livelihoods of the people. However, despite the launch of the project, socio-economic challenges remain pressing issues. The inability to make decent livelihoods continues to affect rural farmers, resulting in the scheme being unable to be fully-functional. The problems thus undermine the capability of the project to address poverty and inequality, which was core to the project initiation. This research focuses on an outcome assessment of the irrigation project as it relates to the livelihoods of people in the Dotito rural communal area. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used in the study. Twenty-four farmers, out of a possible ninety farmers, were selected to complete questionnaires. Radom sampling was used to identify and select participants. Data collection was done using interviews, questionnaires and observations. Analyses were done using descriptive statistics. Tables and graphs were presented based on the information gathered from the farmers. The research findings show that the Dotito-Muchenje irrigation scheme partly managed to empower the local people. Some of the indicators used include: employment creation, income generation, and changes to the socio-economic livelihoods of beneficiary farmers. However, lack of support and the prevailing economic situation are among the many challenges that make it difficult for the farmers to achieve their full potential in terms of improving their livelihoods. Another challenge relates to water availability. Irrigation pumps at the irrigation scheme use electricity to supply water needed by the farmers, thus there is inadequate water supply. This is because the electricity supply has long been cut-off due to the arrears accumulated by the farmers. It has rendered the irrigation partially functional, resulting in low productivity. The low crop yield makes it difficult to fully address the food security situation for the people. While others blame the situation on the land reform, based on evidence from development practitioners and farmers interviewed, the unsuccessfulness of the irrigation could be attributed to lack of project tracking (monitoring and evaluation) by government. It is in this context that intervention by the government, non-governmental organizations and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, is recommended to ensure the viability and sustainability of the irrigation scheme and facilitate its positive impact on rural livelihoods.

The study investigated the use of mobile phones in disseminating information on agriculture to the farming community of Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe, with a view to improving the coverage gap created by the available initiatives. Relevant literature on the available and successful mobile phones agricultural information dissemination platforms were extensively reviewed, taking into consideration the Mashonaland West Province farmers’ information needs. Formats, channels and sources currently being used to transmit agricultural information to farmers were investigated. Barriers to the use of mobile phones in transmitting agricultural information were as well investigated. Data was gathered on the farmers’ access to mobile phones and ownership of mobile phones. The survey research methodology was used for data collection because the research involved a large sample in a widespread geographical area. Quantitative research approach was used and questionnaires were used for data collection. The respondents for the study comprised farmers, network providers and other agricultural stakeholders in the province. A sample of 384 farmers, and 13 network providers and other stakeholders participated in the survey. Quantitative data was analysed using the the SPSS software while the little qualitative data which was available was analysed through content analysis. The findings of the study indicated that farmers in Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe were willing to get updates on agricultural information via cell phones. However, majority of the farmers could not afford the high mobile data tariffs being charged by network service providers, and the costs of subscription charged by the available agricultural information dissemination platforms. The study mainly recommended that the government should establish mobile phone agricultural information dissemination platforms that can be accessed by farmers for free or that which will charge affordable rates. The study adds to the existing knowledge on how mobile phones can be used in disseminating agricultural information to farmers.
Information Science
D. Inf. (Information Science)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Public Management (Peacebuilding), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016.
Conflicts in Zimbabwe have triggered communities to be divided along political party lines. Violence has been prevalent and this has intensified economic ruin and social polarity. In high density urban areas this violence continues to divide communities. The overall aim of this research study was to facilitate reconciliation in divided communities in Mashonaland province, Zimbabwe with the Alternative for Violence Project (AVP), an international non-profit organisation that provides experiential training to individuals and organisations in nonviolence and pre-emptive conflict resolution. The objectives of the study were to explore the underlying causes of violence in Zimbabwe, its consequences and impact since 2000, and also to explain the concepts of conflict transformation, forgiveness and reconciliation as used by AVP. In addition, the study explored AVP’s outcomes in different contexts and examined its potential as an instrument for reconciliation by implementing several AVP workshops in the divided communities. Hatcliffe, a high density area outside Harare, was used as a sample population for the study which drew from Lederach’s theory of conflict transformation and from Azar‘s model of protracted social conflicts. The researcher used a qualitative approach in the field research and interviewed both the victims and perpetrators of violence as well as elected leaders in the Hatcliffe community. The main findings of the study were that reconciliation efforts are best begun with an orientation towards peace-building for community residents and local ownership of all reconciliation processes. All community members directly or indirectly involved in a conflict situation are critical to reconciliation efforts and third parties must ensure that these people are empowered to make their own decisions. The study concluded that AVP is an effective tool which can be used to change people’s perspectives about conflict and that creating safe spaces where people can articulate their issues in a relaxed atmosphere can be deeply healing. Because the findings are not disconfirmed by prior theories and research based on similar efforts, but rather add to knowledge already gained, one can assume that there also is a degree of external validity to the study.
D

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Management Sciences(Peace-building), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015.
This study examines gender based violence in a mining community and uses the case study of Trojan Nickel Mine in Mashonaland Central Province of Zimbabwe. Studies have shown that Mashonaland Central has the highest incidence rate of gender based violence in Zimbabwe. Mining communities are more susceptible to incidences of gender based violence because of their cultural heterogeneity which engender and generate conflict. The research examines gender based violence within the confines of several theories and conceptual frameworks such as social-learning theory, sex-role theory and ecological framework. It reveals that no factor can be singled out as the cause of gender based violence, but argues that patriarchy whose norms are embedded through culture contributes the most in constructing attitudes and perceptions which legitimize gender based violence. The study also identifies religious practices and the environment as playing key roles in encouraging gender based violence. The study in the end constructs an intervention model based on the ‘catch them young theory’ where young boys were trained on non-violent strategies of reducing gender based violence. This is against the background that men play an influential role in communities as decision makers and policy makers. This intervention targeted changing the behavior and attitude of boys over women and girls.

This thesis is articles-based submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. It consists of articles that were submitted and published, and others that were submitted and awaiting comments. This thesis makes a contribution to the ongoing debate on the most appropriate method of measuring poverty for interventionist purposes in rural areas. It is infonned by the Zimbabwe experience that income-based measures may not always adequately target those most in need of social support. A new approach is posited that focuses on the nonincome component of poverty. The aim is to assist 'technocrats' to better target the poor in need of a social safety net in crisis situations. The search is for a 'credible' measure that will be acceptable to various interest groups including the poor. Thus the proposed measure derived by means of a consensual approach meets this objective. The literature review describes and discusses the weaknesses of conventional poverty measures, divided into two broad categories of those pre- and post-dating Sen's introduction of the capability concept. The thesis then uses these to explore the conventional approaches (the dominant income measures) and flag their operational deficiencies, and then postulates an asset threshold model, the minimally adequate asset level (MAAL), based on the consensual approach. It also postulates the Poverty Diagnostic Model (PDM) which helps to describe and analyse factors that impact poverty at the individual level and helps in unpacking the linkages between the detenninants of poverty given its multi-dimensionality and how these are conditioned by both internal and external factors. Additionally to the contributions, this thesis posits drawing asset-poverty lines as well as combined asset and income poverty lines as a new contribution to yield asset-based Foster-Greer- Thorbecke (FGT) index, asset-income FGT index, networth FGT index and asset-gini coefficient. It also provides new tools with differentiating capacity to identify those who are either asset poor or income poor or both; as well as those who are 'networth poor', understood as asset-income threshold less debt. It advocates scaling of assets to enable capturing of the asset-holding of the poorest of the poor to fonn intensity scales on which an asset threshold is based. A further contribution of this thesis is the introduction of the notion of enclavity within a family around husband/wife relationships as a new fonn of resilience/collectivity due to deepening poverty. There is evidence to suggest that ethics and networks breakdown as a result of poverty. The final contribution of this thesis is the definition of a poverty line on the basis of an asset threshold using the consensual approach as postulated by Mack and Lansley (1985): thus this thesis posits an asset-by-asset point index.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

PhD (African Studies)
Department of African Studies
Traditional health practice is an important and often underestimated part of health care. Since time immemorial traditional health ensured and covered all major areas of health promotion, which included preventative, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and surgical practices. In low- and middle-income countries where the number of practitioners of modern medicine may not be enough to meet the health care needs of the country, traditional health promotion is central. Given that in many societies the practices are done in secret, it therefore makes it difficult for people in general to access proper service from traditional health practitioners. This study explored the role of traditional health practitioners in promoting health in a rural community. The study adopted a qualitative approach which was descriptive, explorative and interpretative, targeting the registered traditional health practitioners in villages of Ward X of the Pfura Rural District Council. A non-probability purposive and snowball sampling method was used to identify twenty-two (22) male and female participants. The participants were registered diviners, herbalists and traditional birth attendants. The data which was collected through in-depth interviews, field notes, audio recordings and observation were thematically analyzed using Tesch’s method of data analysis and presented in categories, themes and subthemes. The study revealed that the traditional health practitioners in Pfura, are playing a vital role in offering primary health care for the people. Traditional health practitioners offer healing through their extensive knowledge of herbal and animal-based medicines and therapeutic actions such as rituals. The study established the use of herbs, traditional ceremonies, taboos, cultural norms as health promotive practices. Traditional healers in Pfura have demonstrated their efficacy and remained a powerful establishment in society through their easy access to the ancestral spirits, which has sustained the healing culture of Kore-kore people. Despite the central role being played by traditional health system in health promotion, impediments were found against the practice and its practitioners. Poor professional development, research and training of the Traditional Health Practitioners as well as the advanced age of practitioners is a setback in the practice as it contributed negatively to the sustainability of the traditional health practice. Guided by both study findings, key action areas of health promotion of the Ottawa Charter and the objectives of the World Health Organization, Traditional Medicine Strategy of 2014-2023 target, a framework/guide was developed and recommended an integrative and sustainable health promotion in a rural setting.
NRF

The study describes and evaluates how Grade 7 teachers in the Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe used the Step in New Primary Mathematics Grade 7 textbooks in their teaching, and the impact it had on mathematics teaching and learning. The purpose of the study was to investigate how the teachers used the mathematics textbooks and to suggest areas of improvement. These textbooks were distributed to all the primary schools in Zimbabwe in 2010, under the donor-driven Education Transition Fund. This curriculum initiative sought to address the severe textbook shortage and to improve the performance of the learners. The study examined the ways the teachers interacted with and mediated the textbooks in mathematics lessons, what material they used or did not use from the textbook, how they used it, and why they used it in the specific ways. In order to achieve this objective, an empirical study of a sample of grade 7 teachers in the province was undertaken. Social constructivism was the main theory that guided the study. Stratified purposeful sampling was employed to select three out of eight districts in the province, and to select eighteen schools from the three districts for participation in the study. Each district contributed the same number of questionnaire respondents (n=30) and interview respondents (n=2). A mixed methods design, which combined a questionnaire, a semi-structured interview and non-participant lesson observation, was adopted. The results indicated that the use of these textbooks raised the teachers’ and learners’ motivation, created some opportunities for teacher learning, and improved the learners’ performance in mathematics. However, the teachers’ low confidence levels in teaching some topics, the absence of regular staff development programmes, and also textual errors had a negative effect on how the textbooks were used. The teachers did not cover all the textbook content, neither did they demonstrate or encourage the learners to use alternative strategies to solve the problems in the textbooks. A number of teachers showed resistance to the use of these textbooks. This study provided evidence that points to an urgent need for the improved quality of mathematics textbooks, as well as an improvement in the teachers’ competencies, namely by placing greater emphasis on the use of textbooks in pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes. Based on the results of the study, a framework for teachers’ effective resource utilization is proposed.
Curriculum and Instructional Studies
D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Thesis (M. A. (Sociology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017
Climate change has become one of the most daunting challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. It has direct and profound effects on the environment, economy, health and safety. Since most developing countries have agro-based economies, they are more vulnerable to climate change impacts as compared to the developed world. The aim of this study was to explore Mutoko rural community members’ understanding of climate change and the indigenous measures they use to adapt to its impacts. The study was empirical and data were collected using in-depth interviews. The findings show that Mutoko community members have knowledge of changes in climatic conditions which manifest as increased temperature and erratic rainfall patterns. The impact of increased temperature and erratic rainfall were observed. Furthermore, community members mentioned the type of clouds, mountains and the direction from which the rains comes as indications of climate change. It has also been discovered that numerous cultural activities such as ‘mafuwe’ (rain making ceremony) have changed due to climate change. As a result various adaptation measures such as changing crop types are employed by community members to sustain their livelihood. The study concludes that even though community members in Mutoko are aware of climate change and its indicators, they still struggle to adapt regardless of them having a few adaptation strategies they have developed and use to lessen the negative impacts of changing climatic conditions on their livelihood. Key words: Climate change, Climate hazards, Indigenous practices, Knowledge, Mutoko community,

The overall performance of secondary schools in Zimbabwe has been of grave concern to all stakeholders in education. Several reasons for this downward trend have been proffered but perhaps without getting to the bottom of the problem. Poor student achievement at ordinary level (O-level) in most schools, including schools that seem to have adequate facilities and qualified teachers, is experienced every year. The purpose of the study was to examine and explore the instructional leadership roles of the secondary school principal towards quality school improvement in Zimbabwean schools with specific reference to Harare and Mashonaland East provinces. The research methodology that was employed was the qualitative design drawing from case and ethnographic studies to collect data from the participants. A total of ten secondary schools, their heads, and fifty teachers from the same selected schools took part in the study. While parents were not directly involved in the study, the few that l came across during visits to schools were asked for their views as seen appropriate. The research instruments that were used included qualitative document analysis, interviews and qualitative observations. Each of the ten secondary schools was visited at least eight times for the purposes of collecting and verifying data. While field notes were made during visits, an audio tape was used during interviews in order to capture what was said word for word. The results indicate that for effective instructional leadership that improve quality of schools, heads needed to exercise both instructional and managerial roles effectively. However, the findings of the study indicated that heads tended to concentrate on managerial roles and performed instructional roles indirectly although these have a direct focus on quality school improvement. School principals in the study spent a lot of their time outside the school attending meetings called for by District and Provincial Education officials and other activities that did not seem to directly impact on quality school improvement. Instructional leadership is about spending a lot of time with teachers and students in the school and in particular in classrooms, among other things. As a result, teachers in the study lacked motivation and greatly missed opportunities to be assisted by the ‘’head teacher’’ which would translate to teacher growth and development and ultimately, school improvement. Instructional leadership was relegated to heads of departments. Heads attributed their failure to perform instructional tasks to lack of appropriate interventions to improve their leadership roles, too many meetings and too much paper work which they felt needed to be reduced so that they could be able to focus on instructional leadership tasks.
Educational Leadership and Management
D. Ed. (Education Management)

Philosophical inquiry as a pedagogical approach develops higher order thinking and problem solving skills. Inquiry-based learning is an important approach for sustainable development, considering the fact that today’s societies has to deal with everyday challenges. Philosophical inquiry is a powerful educational approach that has cognitive, social and practical benefits. This study examined the challenges faced by the Nyadire Teachers’ College (NTC) student teachers in Mashonaland East Province in Zimbabwe in engaging pupils in philosophical inquiry and ways of overcoming them. The study employed the qualitative design because of its focus on participants’ perceptions and actions. The researcher viewed participants as reflective beings whose actions were influenced by their thoughts. The study sample comprised forty student teachers on campus who had just completed their Teaching Practice (TP), eight student teachers on TP and ten lecturers from various departments. The data were collected through individual interviews, focus group discussions, non-participant observation of lessons and document analysis. The evidence from literature indicates that philosophical discourse and pedagogy develop learners’ ability to be responsible and accountable for their actions. It has also indicated teachers’ inability to introduce children to thoughtful discussion as one of the barriers to the use of philosophical inquiry as a pedagogy. The findings of the study indicated that NTC student teachers lacked skills and dispositions to engage pupils in philosophical inquiry. This was attributed to lack of critical pedagogy in teacher education at NTC. The findings also indicated that there were challenges in practicing schools. The study established knowledge and competence gaps amongst NTC student teachers as one of the challenges. The study suggested that NTC teacher education should expose student teachers to theory and practice of critical pedagogy. It also suggested in-service education on mentoring for teachers in schools, as mentoring demands more skills and knowledge than mere teaching.
Educational Studies
D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)