Socio-cultural issues affecting women horticulturalists in Macheke resettlement scheme, Mudzi and Mutoko Districts

Abstract

Horticulture is a viable and economically important activity for women in the rural areas of Zimbabwe. Attempts by government or funding agencies to develop it further as an income generating activity for rural women need, however, to take into account some key socio-cultural factors which are exemplified in the results of surveys in Macheke resettlement scheme and Mudzi and Mutoko districts. These showed:- Married women have no land allocated for their own use, the land having become “family property” controlled by the men who decide which crops to grow. Even when the women farmers are de-facto heads of households and responsible for the actual crop production it is usual for the men to take charge of the marketing and of the money obtained from this. Women farmers who are de-jure heads of households and do their own marketing appear to make more effective use of the income from horticulture in terms of acquisition of cows, goats and scotch-carts, and payment of school fees. The extended family system, often said to provide support and a supply of labour to rural farmers does not seem to do this. The households usually consist mainly of dependent children who leave the rural areas when they are old enough to work