Resilient rural women's livelihoods for poverty alleviation and economic empowerment in semi-arid regions of Zimbabwe.

Hilda Jaka,Elvin Shava

doi:10.4102/jamba.v10i1.524

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to examine the implementation of rural women’s livelihoods towards economic empowerment of women in Chivi District of Zimbabwe. A drought-ridden and semi-arid district because of climate change, Chivi District receives very low annual rainfall which impacts negatively on agriculture as the main rural women’s livelihood among others such as craftwork, pottery, gardening and poultry projects. Using a case study approach that triangulates interviews, focus groups and documents, the article found out that women faced numerous challenges. The findings of the study revealed that in their quest to reduce poverty and economically empower themselves, women encountered the lack of access to competitive markets, micro-insure rural women’s livelihoods, lack of access to credit facilities, lack of entrepreneurial education and training, effects of climate change, limited use of technology to stimulate rural women’s livelihoods. The article concludes that to achieve economic empowerment through resilient rural women’s livelihoods, access to competitive markets and entrepreneurial education supported by adequate funding is fundamental.

Highlights

Rural women around the world are instrumental in poverty reduction and sustainable development in communities and households through a myriad of livelihood strategies (Fonchingong 2005; Mutopo 2014)
In Chivi District, rural women’s livelihoods practised are mainly irrigation schemes and pottery. These economic empowerment initiatives are constrained by a lack of access to competitive markets
Chivi District does not provide ready markets, and distant markets are favourable these women do not have adequate transport to ferry their goods for selling

Summary

Introduction

Rural women around the world are instrumental in poverty reduction and sustainable development in communities and households through a myriad of livelihood strategies (Fonchingong 2005; Mutopo 2014). Women make important contributions to the rural economies through livelihoods, as farm labourers on their farms or as wage labourers on other people’s farms, producing for their own consumption or for selling or both (Fonchingong 2005; Mutopo 2014; Scoones 2009; Vercillo 2016) Their roles vary a great deal in different regions, they manage complex households and are involved in multiple livelihood strategies. FAO IFAD and ILO (2010) state that women’s roles include agricultural work such as livestock production, food processing and preparation, a collection of firewood and water for household use and home maintenance These activities are not included as ‘economically active employment’ in national accounts but are imperative to their household’s well-being (SOFA Team & Cheryl 2011). These livelihood activities require women to work for long hours, women’s efforts are negatively affected by socio-economic inequalities and marginalisation (Zaidi & Munir 2014)

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Results

Conclusion