Promoting inclusive sustainable land rehabilitation programme for vulnerable women and youth
In Zimbabwe, migration driven by land degradation is a main issue in the 9 districts, namely Mazowe catchment (Shamva, Mbire, Chikomba), Mutasa, Gweru, Bindura, Makonde, Sanyati (Mhondoro Ngezi), Gwayi (Hwange), Umzingwane (Mzingwane, Beitbridge) and Runde (Chivi and Zvishavane), where rural communities heavily rely on land productivity for agriculture.
These areas include settlements, arable as well as grazing lands and common ecosystems such as forests, grasslands and wetlands. In these districts, land restoration will ease population density per hectare and pressure on communal land and allow the provision of land or extension of land based projects such as crop production (rain fed and irrigation systems), horticulture and animal husbandry.
Zimbabwe aims at creating over 400 000 jobs as a result of the implementation of 3S initiative. A thorough Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) program will be a key component of the project preliminary activities to ensure engagement of the local communities. As experienced from similar projects in the country, an individual is expected to benefit at least $150 per month which for a rural community is sufficient to cover daily family requirements.
The Initiative will target youth, unemployed men and women under the age of 50 years, prioritizing disabled, widowed and displaced people. A vulnerability assessment will be carried out to identify the rightful beneficiaries and a gender specialist/social scientist will be engaged to ensure the selection is also gender sensitive. Community leaders will be engaged to ensure the selection is fair and that there is ownership of the project.