Rural Communities In Zimbabwe Research Articles

Dynamics and socio-environmental impacts of mopane worm harvesting in rural communities in Zimbabwe: prospects for climate-smart approaches

Dynamics and socio-environmental impacts of mopane worm harvesting in rural communities in Zimbabwe: prospects for climate-smart approaches

Assessment of urine metabolite biomarkers for the detection of S. haematobium infection in pre-school aged children in a rural community in Zimbabwe

BackgroundEarly diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis is key to its control and elimination. The current gold standard microscopic examination techniques lack sensitivity in detecting light Schistosomiasis infections in pre-school aged children thus it is urgent to develop diagnostic tools that may be integrated into control programs. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of urine metabolite biomarkers using a chemical reagent strip in the detection of S. haematobium infection in pre-school aged children. MethodsA case-control study was conducted involving 82 pre-school aged children that were age and sex matched. Urine samples were collected for 3 consecutive days and were evaluated using urine filtration gold techniques as the gold standard method. The samples were simultaneously measured for metabolite biomarkers specifically haematuria, proteins, ketones, nitrites, glucose, bilirubin and urobilinogen using chemical reagent strips. Pearson correlation test was used to measure the relationship between S. haematobium infection and the urine metabolite biomarkers. ResultsThe diagnostic performance of urine biomarkers were correlated with the microscopic examination urine filtration technique. Haematuria (r = 0.592, p = 0.0001) and proteinuria (r = 0.448, p = 0.0001) were correlated to S. haematobium infection. Negative correlations with p > 0.05 were recorded for ketones and urobilinogen. Highest sensitivity was 65.9 % (CI, 49.4 - 79.9) for haematuria whilst protein (albumin) biomarker had a lower specificity value of 43.9 % (28.5 – 60.3). Inversely, highest sensitivity was 87.8 % (73.8 – 95.9) for proteinuria whilst haematuria had a lower sensitivity value of 82.9 % (67.9 – 92.8). The positive predictive values ranged from 57.7 % (41.6 – 72.2) to 79.4 % (65.5 - 88.7) whereas negative predictive values ranged from 70.8 % (60.8 – 79.2) to 52.0 % (48.7 – 55.3). With respect to diagnostic efficiency, haematuria had a fair diagnostic performance with an area under the curve of 0.76 followed by proteinuria with proteinuria whilst the remaining metabolites fail discriminating ability with an area under the curve of <0.5. ConclusionAlthough haematuria and protein biomarkers in urine are moderately sensitive and specific, they are important morbidity indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis in pre-school aged that may be utilised during screening in schistosomiasis control programs. We recommend comprehensive analysis of biomarkers using metabolomics techniques to identify novel urine biomarkers.

Exploring the determinants of disaster and climate resilience building in Zimbabwe’s rural communities

With the burgeoning threats from natural hazards and extreme weather events driven by climate change in every section and sector of society, building resilience against disasters and risks posed by climate change has become an unescapable discourse. The study’s main thrust is to establish the determinants of resilience building in Zimbabwe’s rural communities. The study adopted the qualitative constructivist grounded theory approach in conjunction with participatory action research to gain insights from community members and traditional leaders. A total of forty-six participants from Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe participated in the study. The findings revealed that the availability of natural and human resources, collective efficacy, government and development agency support systems, indigenous knowledge systems, and livelihood diversification were crucial determinants of resilience building for rural communities in Zimbabwe. The identified determinants for resilience building signal that these determinants need to be harnessed to inform policy and practice interventions. Furthermore, the availability of the identified determinants implies that rural communities can minimise, and prevent losses, reduce exposure to natural hazards, disasters and climate change risks and manage the impacts of natural hazards whenever they emerge. The study recommends that these determinants be complemented by access to technology, resilient community infrastructures, robust social protection systems, and hazard risk assessment participatory processes by rural communities. In addition, effective emergency and health services, among other contingent measures essential to improve community resilience.

Do community measures impact the effectiveness of a community led HIV testing intervention. Secondary analysis of an HIV self-testing intervention in rural communities in Zimbabwe

BackgroundThere is a growing body of evidence for the role that communities can have in producing beneficial health outcomes. There is also an increasing recognition of the effectiveness and success of community-led interventions to promote public health efforts. This study investigated whether and how community-level measures facilitate a community-led intervention to achieve improved HIV outcomes.MethodsThis is a secondary analysis of survey data from a cluster randomised trial in 40 rural communities in Zimbabwe. The survey was conducted four months after the intervention was initiated. Communities were randomised 1:1 to either paid distribution arm, where HIV self-test (HIVST) kits were distributed by a paid distributor, or community-led whereby members of the community were responsible for organising and conducting the distribution of HIVST kits. We used mixed effects logistic regression to assess the effect of social cohesion, problem solving, and HIV awareness on HIV testing and prevention.ResultsWe found no association between community measures and the three HIV outcomes (self-testing, new HIV diagnosis and linkage to VMMC or confirmatory testing). However, the interaction analyses highlighted that in high social cohesion communities, the odds of new HIV diagnosis was greater in the community-led arm than paid distribution arm (OR 2.06 95% CI 1.03–4.19).ConclusionWe found some evidence that community-led interventions reached more undiagnosed people living with HIV in places with high social cohesion. Additional research should seek to understand whether the effect of social cohesion is persistent across other community interventions and outcomes.Trial registrationPACTR201607001701788.

Policy Inconsistencies and Community Development

Since 1980, rural communities in Zimbabwe have historically suffered poverty and underdevelopment despite being endowed with rich natural resources. The government of Zimbabwe established community share ownership trusts (CSOTs) in 2011 under the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act (IEE Act) to accomplish the beneficiation of locals. Policies are important for they provide consistency and clarity. Under the Act, it was mandatory for companies operating to give back to the community. In 2017, the Second Republic indicated in the Financial Bill that indigenisation terms had been revised and companies would operate with or without CSOTs. This paper advances the argument that Zimplats Mhondoro Ngezi Chegutu Zvimba community share ownership trust (ZMNCZCSOT) has been playing a significant role in community development prior to changes in the IEE Act. After changes, intervention has been minimal, focusing mainly on previously initiated projects. Data was collected using primary and secondary sources; that is, through face to face interviews with key stakeholders and from documentary sources.

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the fishery sector in Zimbabwe: a case study of fish farmers in Binga district

Background: Goats are of economic importance to livelihoods of many rural communities in Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, very few farmers are into goat production. Therefore, this study was carried out in order to establish the factors that are affecting goat production in Mushowani, Zimbabwe. Methods: A household survey, using a structured questionnaire was administered in October 2022. The Spearman correlation coefficients were used to test the associations between number of goats against farm size, gender, age, marital status, education, household size, formal training, diseases, income and extension services. Results: Of the 52 respondents surveyed, 59.6% were males and more than half (51.9%) of the farmers attended secondary school, followed by tertiary education (36.6%). Most of the farmers (69.2%) had a herd size of less than 20. The main source of income in the area was the selling of crops. The majority (77%) of the farmers indicated that they planned to increase their goat herd. Goat production in Mushowani is constrained by diseases, feed, water, theft, heat stress, market, transport, veterinary services, insufficient funds, lack of extension services and lack of commercial breeds. Results showed that farm size, age of the farmer, education and extension visits were associated with herd size. Age, education and extension visits were significant at 5%, while farm size was significant at 1%. Conclusions: The results of this study are anticipated to give an insight to the government, policy makers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that focus on improving goat production in rural communities.

Institutional constraints affecting secondary school student performance: A case study of rural communities in Zimbabwe

The study analyses the institutional constraints affecting child performance in secondary schools within rural communities in Zimbabwe. A qualitative approach employing purposive sampling of participants was incorporated in the study. Eight focus group discussions (FDGs), 16 in-depth interviews and four key informant interviews were conducted in eight rural secondary schools located in Seke and Shamva districts. The general systems theory was embraced as the theoretical framework in this study. The principle of theoretical saturation was applied in both the focus group discussion sessions and interviews where they ran up until a clear pattern emerged and subsequent groups produced no new information. Data were analysed using thematic analysis techniques which systematically coded data to discover prevailing trends. The major highlight of the results is that rural learners have to grapple with a lot of challenges in trying to access education. Inadequate resources, long distances to school and demotivated teachers constitute the main highlights of the findings. The study established that there is a need to explore more issues affecting the realisation of equitable and inclusive education systems specifically for learners in rural communities. This article also posits that addressing institutional constraints that are affecting child performance in rural secondary schools is not cast in stone. Thus, this requires a holistic approach through engagement of all stakeholders involved in the drive towards quality education and leaving no one behind.

Medical Pluralism and Cultural Practices Associated with Umbilical Cord-Care in Rural Communities in Zimbabwe

This study explores how Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in rural Zimbabwe care for babies’ umbilical cords, examining cultural practices associated with umbilical cord care. This study relies on a qualitative interpretive approach, guided by symbolic interactionist theory, involving 16 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The respondents were de jure (trained) and de facto (untrained) TBAs in Mawadza village in Mutasa District in Manicaland, Zimbabwe. The data from the KIIs were analysed using the framework analysis method. Umbilical cord care is embedded in cultural practices and symbolic meanings. There are various local substances, such as cooking oil, petroleum jelly, local herbs, mothers’ breast milk and vaginal discharge as well as pet (cat and chicken) dung, used for cord care. Many of the substances are harmful and associated with a high risk of child morbidity and mortality in the study area. Only a few TBAs revealed that they used bio-medically recommended substances. The finding suggests that the risks associated with harmful umbilical cord care methods are high in the study communities. This points to the need to strengthen concerted initiatives to improve universal access to modern postnatal healthcare to reduce neonatal mortality..

Effectiveness of Pfumvudza as a resilient strategy against drought impacts in rural communities of Zimbabwe.

Pfumvudza is a Zimbabwean vernacular language term literally referring to the blooming of new leaves during the spring season signalling the beginning of a new farming season. It used to refer, to the conservation agriculture concept, a crop production intensification approach under which farmers ensure the efficient use of resources on a small area of land in order to optimise its management. The research assessed the effectiveness of Pfumvudza as a resilient strategy against climate change induced drought impacts in rural communities Zimbabwe, case of Munyarari ward 20. The descriptive case study was used triangulating data collection methods. The sample size was 96 households who practised Pfumvudza (20% of the target population) and all the 18 households (100%) which did not practise Pfumvudza. These were randomly sampled from five conveniently selected villages in the ward. Four key informants were purposively selected. Data was analysed using SPSS and content analysis. Climate change induced drought impacts greatly affected communal farmers who depended on rain fed agriculture. This led to food insecurity which attracted donor aid year after year. Pfumvudza improved yields and reduced donor aid in the area. Mann-Whitney test results indicated that there was a difference between yields of crops before and after Pfumvudza scheme. Mann-Whitney test results also revealed that there was a significance difference between those who practiced Pfumvudza and those who did not. It was concluded that Pfumvudza increased resilience against climate change induced drought impacts and improved yields in rural communities of Zimbabwe where it was implemented. The research recommends farmers to fully embrace the Pfumvudza strategy so as to realize high yields and improve food security.

Factors affecting the adoption of modern fish farming technologies in Gokwe South District, Zimbabwe

Background: Fish are a source of cheap protein to many rural communities in Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, very few fish farmers are not willing to adopt modern fish farming technologies in order to boost fish production. The study was carried out in order to establish the factors that are affecting fish farmers in adopting the modern fish farming technologies in Gokwe South District, Zimbabwe. Methods: A household survey using a structured questionnaire was administered in February 2022. Results: Sixty-four respondents participated in the survey and the majority (73%) were males. Most (47%) of the fish farmers were above 46 years. The common source of fish farming information was through non-governmental organizations (NGO) (40%) and through government departments (27%). The challenges affecting fish farmers in the area included financial constraints (40%), absence of markets (26%), lack of fishing equipment in local shops (13%) and the absence of fishing inputs and equipment in local shops (13%). Water shortage was the major (27%) factor affecting the adoption of modern technologies and this was followed by financial constraints (20%), political interference (20%), traditional and cultural beliefs (13%) and lack of knowledge (7%). Conclusions: Modern fish farming technologies need to be fully embraced to raise both food and nutrition security particularly in rural communities. This can be achieved by the involvement of the government, traditional leaders, NGO and other stake holders in the provision of funds, training, monitoring and implementing of fishery projects in the area.

English

Climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, changes in the ecosystem and disasters play an important role in the development and economic advancement. In Zororo Village, Zimbabwe, environmental degradation, changes in the ecosystem and biodiversity have occurred rapidly during the last few decades. A literature review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions were the methodologies used for this research. All the participants agreed that environmental changes had occurred during the last few decades, however, they could not connect these to activities such as brick moulding. Brick moulding is a lucrative and economic backbone of many communities in rural Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries. It is a way of value adding to the clay deposits for economic development but the practice is associated with various environmental challenges linked to the various stages in the brick production process. The process impacts on the environment, ecosystem, biodiversity and human health. Vegetation, indigenous trees, edible insects, small animals and wild fruit trees have disappeared from the environment. Children and domestic animals drown in uncovered holes which also become breeding sites for mosquitoes and other vectors. This article discusses community contributions to the negative impacts of environmental degradation, changes in the ecosystems, biodiversity and human health, through the destruction of anthills in the process of brick moulding in rural Zimbabwe. &nbsp; Key words: Brick moulding, kiln, climate change, communities, disasters, anthills (mounds), health impact, sustainable livelihoods, vertical shaft brick kiln.

Exploring Adoption of Inclusive Home-Based Early Childhood Development and Learning in Marginalised Rural Communities in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe adopted a policy for compulsory enrolment of 3 to 5 year-olds in ECD 'A' and 'B' grades in primary schools. However, some eligible children are not attending these classes for reasons which include poverty, disability and lack of special education needs constituting marginalisation. The current study sought to evaluate community knowledge about inclusive home-based Early Childhood Development programmes, assess rural communities' attitudes towards the establishment of inclusive home-based ECD programmes and identify practices that can be used to sustain inclusive home-based ECD programmes in selected rural communities in Zaka and Bikita districts in Masvingo province. Data were collected from 60 purposively sampled participants comprising 30 parents of children without known disabilities, 12 caregivers, six (6) ECD teachers, and 12 parents of children living with disabilities. Data were analysed through thematic content analysis. Findings showed that parents support the establishment of inclusive home-based ECD centres to increase access and promote inclusion of children with disabilities and that parents have the will and capacity to implement and sustain the centres. However, it was also apparent that communities need capacity building on how to manage the centres. The research recommends the establishment of centres that are managed by parents and supervised by ECD experts in local primary schools in the marginalised areas. These centres need to be monitored and evaluated for standardisation. This model has the capacity to increase access to ECD opportunities for children in marginalised areas and needs to be prioritised.

IMPACT OF HUMANITARIAN AID ON FOOD SECURITY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN ZIMBABWE: THE CASE OF WARD 14 AND 15 OF BUHERA DISTRICT

The study was assessing the impact of humanitarian aid on food security in the rural communities in Zimbabwe. The Case of ward 14 and 15 of Buhera District. The study was conducted to assess how humanitarian aid contribute or address food access, availability and stability in Zimbabwe. Humanitarian aid is being used as a panacea to alleviate hunger to the food insecure communities. It examined whether the humanitarian aid given to the communities is being used for food security purposes or not. The research used a qualitative approach to explore the topic under study. Questionnaires, focus group discussion and interviews were used to gather data from the respondents. On sampling, purposive sampling method was used to obtain data from participants who were humanitarian aid beneficiaries, humanitarian aid workers and key informants from council. The major findings of the study revealed that the use of humanitarian aid in form of food alone to address food insecurity is just a pipedream. No humanitarian aid beneficiary confirms that he/she was food secure. Humanitarian aid is contributing to food access in the short term but in the long or medium term it is not. Though the use of humanitarian aid accompanied with developmental programs and resilient programs, the community and humanitarian aid workers admitted that it has potential in addressing food insecurity. The study also noted that there are challenges associated with using humanitarian aid to address food insecurity in rural communities. The challenges are emanating from the community's perceptions and some from the perceptions of the donors. To mention some of the challenges are dependency syndrome, corruption, social problems like conflicts, and no initiatives in the communities. Major recommendations are that humanitarian organizations should fund irrigation schemes to enhance food availability, they should be involved in capacity building, they should invest in research, monitoring and evaluating their projects so that they will bring the aid which is relevant to the place and time. They should come up with programs which are sustainable so that the humanitarian aid addresses food insecurity in rural communities.

Initiatives to boost resilience towards El Niño in Zimbabwe's rural communities.

Most Zimbabweans living in rural areas experience acute shortages of water for domestic and agricultural purposes. Household poverty amongst rural inhabitants is also increasing because of factors such as El Niño-induced droughts, overdependence on donor assistance and government’s failure to invest in sufficient water infrastructure. The purpose of this article is to interrogate the initiatives that have been taken to alleviate food insecurity in Zimbabwe’s rural communities. Under the spotlight are the strategies that rural communities and other stakeholders embraced to adapt to the effects of El Niño and to reduce food poverty. We used extensive literature review methodology and explorative qualitative design to investigate how rural communities and other stakeholders in Zimbabwe deal with the issues of food security in the context of persistent El Niño-induced droughts. The results show that rural communities in Zimbabwe continue to experience food security challenges that require collaboration between communities, government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to build resilience against El Niño-induced droughts. Modernising water supply systems and agricultural management systems can improve the efficiency and effectiveness in food production and distribution.

Feedbacks and Trade-Offs in the Use of Wetland Ecosystem Services by Local Communities in Rural Zimbabwe

Rural wetlands, especially in developing countries, have been exploited for different ecosystem services because they are considered safety nets for food production and are important for livelihood strategies and human wellbeing. However, there are gaps in knowledge of the ecosystem services provided by small, valley bottom wetlands, especially in dryland areas and how these services are used and managed by local communities. This study focuses on the ecosystem services of valley bottom wetlands in Zindi, the Honde Valley, in rural eastern Zimbabwe. Ethnographic observations of wetland users’ activities and individual interviews with local residents and village heads were undertaken in this study, focusing on how people make use of the different ecosystem services that are derived from these wetlands. Results show that the wetlands are mainly utilised for provisioning services, but that these are related to the availability and properties of supporting and regulatory services in the wetland environment. All of these services are also strongly mediated by the traditional cultural contexts and values held by local communities. The results show that the exploitation of some ecosystem services leads to negative impacts on the availability or properties of others, and this means that there are trade-offs in the uses and management by individuals and communities as a whole. These feedbacks and trade-offs are not well explored in most studies but are critical in considering community responses to changing wetland resources, in particular under climate change. This study recommends that policymakers should include small and often hitherto overlooked wetlands in their management plans, since they are critical for supporting rural livelihoods. It is also important that wetland management plans aim to improve the range and sustainability of ecosystem services available and avoid the need for unnecessary trade-offs in their use by local communities.

Contribution of Smallholder Tobacco Contract Farming to Economic and Human Development of Rural Communities in Zimbabwe: A Case of Igava Community, Marondera District

COVID-19 pandemic is impacting institutions around the world. Its scope and economic dimensions pinpoint that it poses a major threat to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The main objective of this research is to discuss how the coronavirus pandemic may influence the SDGs and affect their implementation. The methods used entail an analysis of literature, observations and an assessment of current world trends and applied UNDP method to Arab countries. Methodology/approach—The motivation behind this research is to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. To do so, as a first step, we conduct an initial factual analysis to identify the patterns of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the SDGs and has emphasized the interconnectedness of the SDGs. This target is achieved by conducting the methodology of the United Nations Development Program, with the aid of Pardee Center at the University of Denver by using the impact of three different scenarios of COVID-19 on the Sustainable Development Goals, while capturing the multidimensional impacts of the pandemic over the coming decades. The main finding of this research is showing how governments can make choices today that have the greatest potential to advance progress in the future, within planetary boundaries. This type of analysis can enable governments to turn COVID-19 from a short-term crisis into an opportunity to shift to sustainable development in the long term.

Unpacking Negative Externalities of Social Capital in the Sustainability of Smallholder Rural Irrigation Farming: The Case of Rozva Irrigation Scheme in Bikita District, Zimbabwe

The article examines the negative externalities of social capital in the sustainability of smallholder irrigation farming. Smallholder irrigation farming has become one of the main sources of rural livelihood in Zimbabwe given the deficiencies in rainfall triggered by climate change among other factors. The establishment of smallholder irrigation schemes, refurbishment of irrigation infrastructure, introduction of new technology and the subsidization of farm inputs are several initiatives taken by the government of Zimbabwe, Non-Governmental organisations and the private sector to improving agricultural productivity among smallholder irrigation schemes. Despite these efforts, smallholder irrigation farming has remained unsustainable. Resultantly, most rural communities in Zimbabwe continue to face hunger and poverty, two overarching sustainable development goals (SDGs 1 &amp; 2) one and two. This study examined the negative externalities of social capital on efforts to improve productivity and sustainability of Rozva smallholder irrigation scheme. The article argues that linking social capital, which includes partnerships between Rozva irrigation farmers and donor agencies, has created dependency syndrome that is inimical to the sustainability of the irrigation scheme. The article concludes some social connections detrimental to the sustainability of the scheme tend to create divisions among farmers. The article argues there is need for awareness on negative externalities of social capital and reduce these effects on the sustainability of the smallholder irrigation to realise social capital benefits among irrigation farming communities in Zimbabwe.

Indigenous practices of ecosystem management in a changing climate: Prospects for ecosystem-based adaptation

Based on data on experienced ecosystem services of selected rural communities in Zimbabwe, this research adopts the millennium ecosystem assessment (MEA) and nature’s contribution to people (NCP) frameworks to understand the role of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in managing ecosystems and its potential in enhancing climate change responses. The study was motivated by the limited understanding about how indigenous communities are using ecosystems to adapt to climate change. A qualitative research paradigm involving focus group interactions with purposively selected respondents informed the case study. Results show that indigenous practices have significant conservation potential. The motivation behind ecosystem management stems from recognition of diverse ecosystem services, which exist as: provisioning; regulatory and supporting; and spiritual and informative benefits. The participants attribute the perpetuation of these diverse benefits to keeping strong ties with their ancestors, a system that requires them to maintain their traditional ecosystem conservation practices, which has fairly withstood exogenous pressures of colonial and post-colonial legacies in Zimbabwe. Many of these practices exist as local ways of adapting to climate change through ecosystem-based practices. Indigenous communities have a collective obligation to protect ecosystems, which are inhabited by the spirits, whom they believe have powers to influence the local climate system. These observations reverberate the critical role of indigenous communities in ecosystem management and shed more insights to the design of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) interventions in communities endowed with rich indigenous forests and biodiversity.

Participatory art for navigating political capabilities and aspirations among rural youth in Zimbabwe

While exploring the everyday experiences of Tonga youth, this paper draws on a participatory graffiti-on-board project in Binga, a rural community in Zimbabwe. Focus is placed on what shapes and drives youth aspirations in precarious contexts marked by unemployment and poverty. Using graffiti to create participatory and artistic engagements, the research aims to stretch the limited boundaries of social and political space available to the youth for discussing issues that concern their development pathways and livelihoods. The article presents everyday narratives that impact on Tonga youths’ aspirations, endeavouring to create a space where they can visualise their prospective futures. Additionally, exhibition spaces are seen as sites for the construction of a collective voice and political capabilities for the youth. We argue that aspirations among disadvantaged youth evidence the broader geopolitical conflict that exists in marginalised communities in Southern Africa. A lack of spaces to construct political voice among the youth curtails their capabilities and agency to choose from existing development opportunities in an uncertain future. We discuss the potential role of participatory art in relation to this in providing spaces for political voice, unsettling established power dynamics and developing a collective, unified voice that might influence governance processes in fragile contexts.

Phytochemical characterization and in vitro antibacterial activity of Xeroderris stuhlmannii (Taub.) Mendonca & E.P. Sousa bark extracts

Herbal medicine use is common in rural communities of Zimbabwe since generic drugs are expensive and not readily available. In this work, we carried out phytochemical screening of secondary metabolites and used GC MS and tandem mass spectroscopy (LC MS/MS) to characterize Xeroderris stuhlmannii (Taub.) Mendonca & E.P. Sousa bark extracts. The activity of bark extracts on six bacterial strains were tested in vitro using the disc diffusion method. Qualitative screening of secondary metabolites confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids and polyphenols in the crude bark extracts. Methanol extracted more secondary metabolites compared to other solvents. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) values for the crude extracts on six bacterial strains ranged from 0.23–0.80 mg/mL. Antibacterial tests showed higher potency for crude bark extracts on E. Coli (MIC, 0.232 mg/mL) and lower potency on coliform (MIC, 0.798 mg/mL). LC-MS/MS analysis of various fractions confirmed the presence of twenty-eight phytochemicals whereas, twelve phytochemicals were identified using GC-MS. Both techniques confirmed the presence of ursolic acid, roburic acid, reticuline, rotenone and p-coumaric acid glucoside in hexane and methanol extracts. Our findings demonstrate that Xeroderris stuhlmannii (Taub.) Mendonca & E.P. Sousa contain many phytochemical compounds that have antibacterial activity. Some of these compounds in the bark extract possess antioxidant, antiviral, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, Xeroderris stuhlmannii (Taub.) Mendonca & E.P. Sousa barks can act as a useful herbal supplement for treatment of a number of diseases in rural communities. Future work will involve isolation of bioactive phytochemicals and their full characterization using LC MS/MS as well as testing their antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer properties and toxicity.