Redistributive land reform policy and women nutritional status in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Based on a nationally representative sample of 12,119 households surveyed in 2018, the study sought to analyse the impact of Zimbabwe's redistributive land reform policy on women's nutritional status. It focused on the minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) in rural smallholder farming households and tested the hypothesis that improving access to adequate and better-quality agricultural land enhances the diversity and increases the availability of food, which in turn ensures better nutritional outcomes for the household. Using Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) modelling, the study found that diets consumed by women in rural smallholder farming households in Zimbabwe lack adequate diversity (MDD-W = 0.35); with MDD-W being marginally higher for land reform beneficiaries (MDD-W = 0.38) compared to non-beneficiaries (MDD-W = 0.35). However, average treatment estimation suggested that the implementation of the FTLRP has not positively impacted MDD-W as anticipated. This implies that land reform beneficiaries did not exhibit any superior nutritional outcomes compared to non-beneficiaries. Female members of the household need to be empowered with relevant nutritional education on the importance of consuming nutrient-rich foods and diversified diets. It is not enough for public policy to just emphasise on poverty reduction and attainment of food security; it is imperative that appropriate agrarian reform policy strategies are put in place to enhance the delivery of critical support services such as agricultural extension, credit and social protection, which have proven to have significant impact on the nutritional status of women of reproductive age in land reform areas. The land reform beneficiaries should be encouraged to build strong social capital through engaging in social networking activities, which enhance sharing of nutrition-sensitive information.