Browsing by Author "Ndlovu, T."

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    Climate-Change Resilience and Women’s Participation in Food-Security Initiatives. A Review of Amalima-Loko Programmes in Nkayi, Zimbabwe
    (SAGE, 2025) Moyo, F.; Dube, Z.L.; Nkala, P.; Ncube, V.; Mathe, T.T.; Murai, T.; Ndlovu, T.; Mamba, F.S.; Ncube, M.; Ndlovu, S.; Ndlovu, N.
    Climate change poses significant threats to food security, particularly in rural Zimbabwe. Food security is of paramount concern in Zimbabwe, particularly among smallholder farmers and vulnerable populations such as female-headed households. Women play a crucial role in enhancing food security, yet their participation in food-security programmes is often limited due to gender inequality, inequity and other discriminatory norms, a practice that is common rural areas such as Nkayi district. The objective of the article was to examine the nexus between climate-change resilience and women’s participation in food-security initiatives. Three hundred and thirty-one Amalima Loko beneficiaries completed the questionnaires, in addition to six key informants and three focus group discussions. Gender dynamics and food security tend to have a strong interplay. The study sought to examine the impact of climate change on food security and suggests strategies to improve food security through increased food access. The project also magnifies the role of meaningful women’s participation in building climate-change resilience through inclusive local ownership on food security and resilience planning. The study used the Zimmerman and Boserup theories as the analytical lens to evaluate women’s participation. Access and control of resources is key. The findings highlight the importance of inclusive local ownership on food security and climate resilience planning using the Zimmerman theory to challenge traditional gender perspectives that hinder certain groups from realising their full potential in meeting personal and community needs. Furthermore, rural women play a critical role as guardians of household food security, where their full control, delegated and partnership typologies of participation demands their inclusion in all levels of decision-making and implementation processes. This results in the empowerment of women in food-security initiatives, thereby enhancing the community’s climate resilience outcomes. As a case under review, the Amalima Loko project has made great strides in empowering women, and arguable addressed some of the issues that hindered their participation.
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    Drought risk-reduction and gender dynamics in communal cattle farming in southern Zimbabwe
    (Elsevier, 2021-03-17) Ndlovu, T.; Mjimba, V.
    The severity and frequency of climate change-induced weather events pose a serious threat to livelihoods in rural Africa where crop production and animal husbandry are pivotal for survival. Discussions to manage the adverse impacts of such events, droughts in particular revolve around the co-employment of a mix of modern ‘scientific’ approaches on one hand, the use of indigenous knowledge systems on the other hand with calls to exploit the merits of each approach. Against this background, this qualitative research employed the community capitals framework to interrogate the influence of gender on drought risk reduction interventions in communal cattle farming areas in Zimbabwe. Limited to the Umzingwane District, the qualitative study gathered data using the structured and open-ended questionnaires as well as in-depth face-to-face interviews methods to discern gender dynamics in the decision-making space in drought risk reduction processes. The findings show a community deeply steeped in traditions characterized by entrenched patriarchy in which men dominate the decisions-making processes that determine the use of cattle to mitigate the impacts of drought. With cattle typically the main store of value and a plausible source of income where cropping fails due to a drought, this means that unless women are deliberately empowered to own cattle even within the traditional family set-up, their contribution and impact in drought risk-reduction practices will remain limited. To counter this culture, national and traditional institutions and processes need to change and reconsider some patriarchal stances in the use of family ‘wealth.’ In addition, livelihood diversification is paramount to diffuse the culture of holding onto cattle until they lose market competitiveness.
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    Examining the Nexus Between Migration and Family Planning Access: A Case Study of Zimbabwean Emigrants in South Africa
    (SAGE, 2025) Ndlovu, S.; Moyo, F.; Ndlovu, N.; Dube, Z.L.; Murai, T.; Ndlovu, T.; Ncube, M.; Nkala, P.; Ncube, V.; Mathe, T.; Mamba, F.S.
    Migration plays a significant role in shaping demographic patterns and access to healthcare services, including family planning. This study investigates the complex relationship and interconnection between migration and family planning access among Zimbabwean emigrants residing in South Africa. Despite the geographical separation from their country of origin, Zimbabwean emigrants have been observed to access family planning pills from back home. This phenomenon raises important questions regarding the factors influencing their decision to obtain family planning resources from their country of origin rather than from their current country of residence. Through a qualitative study approach, this research explored the motivations behind this behaviour and the implications it may have on the reproductive health outcomes of Zimbabwean emigrants in South Africa. Focus group discussions (n=6) and in-depth interviews (n=11) were conducted in Hillbrow, Berea and Orange Farm. Participants enrolled in the study encompassed females of the reproductive age group (18–45years), healthcare providers and key stakeholder informants. Thematic content analysis was employed to explore the data using NVivo14. Emergent themes were explained and thematically categorized. Reported results indicated that despite family planning and contraceptives being free in the host countries, and also having the same chemical compositions – perceived socio-cultural and structural barriers had a significant influence on the ‘home-is-best’ attitudes upheld by migrant Zimbabweans. By addressing the specific needs of migrants, including legal rights, cultural sensitivity and healthcare provision, efforts can be made to ensure universal access to reproductive healthcare services, thereby advancing both individual wellbeing and broader public health goals
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    Impact of women’s participation on village savings and loan on children’s nutritional diversity in rural Chimanimani in Zimbabwe
    (OASIS, 2021-10-28) Mbiro, K.A.; Ndlovu, T.
    The prevalence of malnutrition in children below the age of 5 years in rural Zimbabwe, resulting from low income and the inability to meet food and medical expenses, marks huge disparities between rich and poor households. Efforts to improve child health and nutrition status culminated in different strategies being employed, chief amongst them is the enhancement of access to financial capital for vulnerable communities through improved women participation in village savings and loan (VSL). The study sought to examine the influence of women’s participation in VSL and its impact on child health and nutrition in rural Chimanimani. Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation and the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) framework anchor discussions on the participation of women, VSL financial resources usage by women, contribution of VSL to food diversity for children and ultimately to food consumption patterns before and during women’s participation in VSL. The study was largely qualitative and explored the descriptive research design to collect data by using semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The findings show that the majority of participants used funds from VSL to purchase food, invest in income-generating activities and finance medical expenses. Village savings and loan contribute to an increase in food consumption score and meal dietary diversity for children, and at the same time it improved child care, health and nutrition in the rural Shinja community. The study concluded that genuine participation of women in VSL positively influenced the improvement in children’s health and nutritional diversity and that the VSL model is a multifaceted tool, which can be intertwined with other interventions to contribute to the attainment of the sustainable development goals.
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    Participation of communal cattle farmers in drought risk reduction in Southern Zimbabwe
    (Jàmbá - Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 2021-02-12) Ndlovu, T.; Belle, J.; Silengo, M.
    Communal cattle farming has remained the mainstay of many rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe and beyond. This was an enterprise that has stood the test of time, despite the increasing threats from drought shocks in the last two decades in Southern Africa. Prevalence of weather-related shocks was of concern, which had not galvanised communal farmers to actively engage in disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiatives in order to shield cattle from the negative effects of drought. In light of this development, this article examined the complexities of the involvement of communal farmers in DRR strategies to reduce the risk posed by drought on livestock in rural Umzingwane. This article used Arnstein's Ladder of Participation to discern and generate insights on ways to promote the involvement of poor or vulnerable farmers or'have-nots' in drought mitigation processes. This study adopted the descriptive survey design with 180 structured questionnaires administered to communal cattle farmers. Besides in-depth interviews, focus group discussions were held to examine the contributions of relevant stakeholders in driving the drought risk reduction agenda involving communal cattle farmers. This study revealed that limited investment options seriously affected farmers' abilities to participate in drought risk reduction processes. Furthermore, farmers' low-income levels and lack of well-defined drought risk reduction pathways did not offer the impetus to invest accordingly in drought mitigation. This article accentuated that successful drought risk reduction process were unachievable without the voice of the affected. Hence, development agencies should exceed placation and invest in strategies that propped philosophies of the vulnerable.