MOTIVACION Y OBJETIVOS

The geography of Zimbabwe was a key factor in the development of conflict over land as the region offered farming and cultivation opportunities as well as significant mineral deposits and reasonable rainfall; all elements making the land a highly desirable resource for any group of people. The customary use of land in pre-colonial Zimbabwe relied on shifting cultivation, a cattle-based economy and social system and extensive and complex trade networks, the significance of which was not fully realised until recent archaeological endeavours revealed in detail how trading in the region may have worked.

44 Fig. 1: Location map of Zimbabwe within Southern Africa

Source: Herbstein (1991)

As shown in the map above, Zimbabwe is a land-locked country, occupying the high plateau between the Zambezi River to the north and the Limpopo to the south, with a mountainous region in the east (Commonwealth Office, 2007). Inyangani is the highest mountain in Zimbabwe at 2 592 metres and the lowest point is the junction of the Runde and Save rivers, 162 metres. Victoria Falls is a popular tourist destination on the Zambezi River (Pritchard, 1979). Zimbabwe’s total area is 390 580 square kilometres (sq km) comprising 386 670 sq km land and 3 910 sq km water (Commonwealth Office, 2007). Natural hazards such as recurring droughts, floods and severe storms are rare in Zimbabwe. Environmental concerns in Zimbabwe include; deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; poaching leading to near extinction of the black rhinoceros; and poor mining practices leading to toxic waste and metal pollution (World Development Report, 2005). Because of its landlocked position, Zimbabwe’s colonial economy depended for its successful operation upon extensive links with neighbouring territories, links of historical association as well as of trade and communication (Wetherel, 1979). This involved the Zimbabwe’s colonial community in the affairs of those territories for which the Colonial Office and Dominions Office were responsible. These territories included Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Bechuanaland Protectorate and Southern Rhodesia, as Zimbabwe was called.

Zimbabwe has a tropical climate, moderated by altitude. The rainy season is from November to March. Mineral resources include coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin and platinum group metals (World Fact Book, 2008). The country is divided into 5 agro ecological zones with rainfall ranging between 400-1500 millimetres

45 (mm). These zones have a variety of soil types that support a diversity of flora and fauna (Pritchard, 1979). Soil types include clays, sands, loamy sands, deep fine sands as well as poorly drained heavy soils. Major farming activities include ranching, livestock production, plantation agriculture and crop production. Crops grown for domestic consumption and commercial purposes include tobacco, maize and cotton. Timber, coffee, tea, sugar and fruit are also produced within the five natural regions of Zimbabwe for domestic consumption and export. The distribution of land in the five natural farming regions of Zimbabwe between the whites and black Zimbabweans has been a major cause for concern for the black Zimbabweans. These natural regions are very important in the history of Zimbabwe because they determine areas of high productivity and those of low productivity. Describing the regions is significant in analysing land apportionment and its failures. Some of the natural regions, for example Region 3 contain the most precious minerals of Zimbabwe. People whose settlements were on land with minerals were evicted by the colonial Government. The quality of land within the different regions determined how land was allocated to both the whites and black Zimbabweans.

46 Fig. 2: The five natural regions of Zimbabwe

Source: Derived from "Natural Regions and Provisional Farming Areas of Zimbabwe", 1:1,000,000 (Surveyor-General, 1998); Information supplied by the department of Agricultural, Technical, and Extension Services (Agritex) in Zimbabwe.

Natural Region 1

Pritchard (1979) describes the five natural regions of Zimbabwe in terms of rainfall regime, soil quality and vegetation among other things. Pritchard (1979) noted that the quality of the land declines from Natural Region 1 to Natural Region 5. Region 1, lying east of the country, is characterised by rainfall of more than 1000 millimetres a year, low temperatures, high altitude and steep slopes. The country’s timber production is located in this region. Natural Region 1 is suitable for intensive diversified agriculture and livestock production, mainly dairy farming. Tropical crops such as coffee and tea, deciduous fruits, such as bananas and apples, and horticultural crops, such as potatoes, peas and other vegetables are also grown in Natural Region 1.

47 Natural Region 2

Natural Region 2 is located in the middle of the north of the country. The region has generally good soils, and because of reliable rainfall of about 700 to 1000 millimetres a year from November to March/April Natural Region 2 is suitable for intensive cropping and livestock production. Suitable crops for the region include flue-cured tobacco, maize, cotton, wheat, soyabeans, sorghum, groundnuts, seed maize and burley tobacco. Irrigated crops include wheat and barley. The region is also suitable for livestock production based on pastures and pen-fattening utilising crop residues and grain. The main livestock production systems include beef, dairy, pig and poultry.

Natural Region 3

Natural Region 3, located in the mid-altitude areas of the country, is characterised by annual rainfall of 500-750 millimetres, mid-season dry spells and high temperatures. Production systems are based on drought-tolerant crops and semi-intensive livestock production based on fodder crops. Extensive beef ranching is an important activity. Cash crops grown include maize, cotton, groundnuts and sunflowers. It is in Natural Regions 1, 2 and 3 that the British South Africa Company carved out more land for all its members and white settlers while the black Zimbabweans were allocated more land in Natural Region 4.

Natural Region 4

Natural Region 4, located in the low-lying areas in the north and south of the country, is characterised by annual rainfall of 450-650 millimetres, severe dry spells during the rainy season, and frequent seasonal droughts. Though unsuitable for dryland cropping, smallholder farmers grow drought-tolerant varieties of maize, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in Natural Region 4. The region is ideally suitable for cattle production under extensive production systems and for wildlife production.

Natural Region 5

Natural Region 5 covers the lowland areas below 900 metres above sea level in both the north and south of the country. Although the region receives highly erratic rainfall of less than 650 millimetres a year in the northern part of Zimbabwe along the Zambezi River, its uneven topography and poor soils make it unsuitable for crop production. Generally, the area is

48 suitable for extensive cattle production and game-ranching (Rukuni and Eicher, 1994 and Pritchard, 1979).

Table 1: Farming regions of Zimbabwe Natural

Region

Effective rainfall (in inches)

Actual rainfall

(in inches)

Recommended farming system

1 Over 25 Over 42 Specialised and diversified (fruit, tea, intensive livestock)

2 20-25 28-42 Intensive crop production (tobacco, maize) 3 17-20 22-28 Semi-intensive crop production (livestock and

crops)

4 14-18 18-24 Semi-extensive ranching (some drought- resistant fodder crops)

5 16 and under 20 and under Extensive ranching only

Source; Fed. Of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Agricultural Survey of Southern Rhodesia, Part 1, Agro-ecological survey (Salisbury, 1961).

According to Wetherel (1979: 279), Rhodesian white settlers occupied the fertile highveld and constructed a network of roads and railways to facilitate development of their mining and agricultural industries; while the bulk of the Colony’s indigenous population was relegated to impoverished lowveld reserves. Under these circumstances the indigenous population depended on their cattle. In spite of the availability of mineral resources cattle have remained of paramount importance since the pre-colonial period (before 1890).