Last year I wrote a ‘long read’ Insights piece for The Conversation drawing on my book, Navigating Uncertainty, and highlighting some of the case studies where inspiration can be drawn in addressing some of the key challenges of our turbulent, … Continue reading → …
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ZimbabweLand
The politics of land use change over 25 years in Zimbabwe
The gaze from space is very seductive. Satellite image analysis seems to dominate land use systems science these days and certainly the technologies available have far outstripped the careful analysis of air photos with optical steroscopes and chinagraph pencils. But … Continue reading → …
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“We can’t talk of the environment without taking about the local leadership” Why politics matter when thinking about land use change in Zimbabwe
Participatory discussions on land use and environmental change were undertaken in our Masvingo sites in early May 2026. These were conducted in three A1 farms, namely Wondedzo Wares, Wondedzo Extension and Sanangwe in Masvingo district. The discussion of the satellite … Continue reading → …
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Environmental change in a fragile ecosystem: challenges after land reform in Zimbabwe
Continuing our investigation of environmental change, a further participatory discussion on land use and environmental change was undertaken with a group of 15 farmers from Clare and Lonely farms in Gutu district, consisting of both men and women. As in … Continue reading → …
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‘It is our duty to look after the environment, while it also looks after us’ Reflections on environmental change from Zimbabwe
As with Hariana A1 land reform area, discussed in the last blog, we conducted participatory workshops on environmental changes in Ruia farms, also in Mvurwi area. In defining the ‘environment’, participants identified wetlands, wildlife, grass, trees and so on. One … Continue reading → …
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Land use change in Hariana A1 resettlement area, Mvurwi, northern Zimbabwe
As discussed in the previous blog, a participatory discussion was conducted in Hariana in March 2026. The group consisted of 15 participants, consisting of both men and women of different ages. These people were highly knowledgeable of the area, and … Continue reading → …
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Land use and environmental change following land reform in Zimbabwe: a new blog series
Our study of Zimbabwe’s land reform after 25 years has been looking at land use and environmental change and the intersection with economic, social and political processes. Over the last year we have been analysing land use cover change data … Continue reading → …
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Women in leadership roles in land reform areas in Zimbabwe
Gender roles are not only changing within the household but within the wider community and in leadership positions in the ruling party, ZANU-PF. Many women in our sample across sites hold leadership positions in the church, the party or any … Continue reading → …
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Gendered patterns of leisure in land reform farms in Zimbabwe
How do people use their free time beyond the requirements of production and social reproduction on the farm? How does this contribute to well-being, social cohesion and the ability to live happily in land reform areas? These are questions not … Continue reading → …
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The labour of care in land reform areas in Zimbabwe
Care for children, the sick, infirm and dying is at the core of social reproductive labour, very often carried out by women. In our interviews in A1 land reform areas, women frequently emphasised the caring roles of children, sick relatives, … Continue reading → …
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