The challenges of managing generational change within farm households was highlighted by the A1 self-contained land reform sites in Masvingo province. Here we have two such sites – Clare farm in Gutu district and Wondedzo extension in Masvingo district. In these sites, people were allocated plots (around 30ha) to include homesteads, farmland and grazing in one area (more like a (very) small commercial farm, hence the likelihood that these will be reclassified as A2 areas soon). These were supposed to be independent, productive commercial farms and were regarded as the ‘best’ option by settlers during the land invasion period.
As a result, many influential war veterans and other locally well-connected people who joined the invasions made sure that they got plots on these farms. While these political connections may have only lasted during the period of the invasions (these were not big ‘chefs’ as seen on some of the A2 farms), they were able to manipulate allocations, some gaining multiple plots under different names of family members. Others also were allocated plots in A2 areas, and kept two farms, again with different names.
This article is from Zimbabweland, a blog written by IDS Research Fellow Ian Scoones. Zimbabweland focuses on issues related to rural livelihoods and land reform in Zimbabwe.
