Mukumbura | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Mukumbura Map showing Mukumbura in Zimbabwe | |
| Coordinates: 16°12′S31°41′E / 16.200°S 31.683°E | |
| Country |  Zimbabwe |
| Province | Mashonaland Central |
| District | Mount Darwin District |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 30,470 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (Central Africa Time) |
| Area code | +2122200 |
| Climate | Semi-arid |
Mukumbura is a village in the Mt Darwin District, located in the Mashonaland Central Province of Zimbabwe.
Because of the Rhodesian Bush War almost a quarter of a million African people in Rhodesia were strategically resettled into protected/consolidated villages which dictated many aspects of people's lives. This resettlement was called Operation Overload. By the end of 1974, multiple protected and consolidated villages were set up, and this included the Mukumbura Protected Village, which had three closely knit fenced-on camps, holding around 4,300 people. [1] Mukumbura was chosen as a prime exemplar and regarded as a showpiece by the government to show to journalists and other important visitors how the government has implemented and maintained protection for its people. [1] Some of the local women were also trained by the administration as community workers in order to teach simple domestic skills to the women in these protected villages. [1]
As a consequence of the landmines and the danger they present, many people live in constant fear that is breeding uncertainties in the future of those settled in the area. This safety issue that is impacting individuals, as well as prospects for development, is pushing residents to move and settle in safer places, such as Rushinga and Mutare communal areas, which are becoming increasingly densely populated due to this. [2] Naturally, Mukumbura has faced a growing underpopulation as a landmine-infested area. [2]
Low rainfall combined with the high temperatures (over 25 degrees Celsius) means that there is a limited amount of surface water resources even throughout normal seasons. [3] The land itself is primarily flat, locally dissected and stony. [4] The soil is mainly residual, well-drained, shallow to moderately deep fine-grained sandloams over brown to yellowish-red sand. [4]
As a remote and marginal area of Zimbabwe, Mukumbura is categorised as "poverty stricken and limited in socio-economic growth". [5] Acting as the border crossing between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, women usually take advantage of their proximity to Mozambique to acquire second hand goods from Mozambique at a lower price and resell them in Zimbabwe at a higher price that then allows them to maximise profits. [5] Men and women undertake small businesses in order to sustain themselves in the current economic hardships of Zimbabwe. [5]
The major economic activities of Mukumbura are livestock farming and crop production which are also done typically for subsistence. [3] The area of Mukumbura lies within a region that is determined as a 'semi-extensive farming' region, presented through the Zimbabwean agro-ecological classification. [4] In general, the soils are sandy and contain an acidic pH as a result of poor management by the farmers who take part in constant cultivation without replenishment of nutrients. [4] The main crops grown in the Mukumbura areas and communal lands include millets, maize, tobacco, sorghum, cowpeas and beans which are determined by the topo-climatic conditions of the area. [4] Cattle are mainly used to plough the fields.
Surveys carried out in Mukumbura areas found that farmers were able to identify Striga asiatica , a parasitic weed, and its variants present within their fields and soil. The parasitic plants had many plant hosts including cowpeas, common beans, maize, sorghum, millets, tobacco and Ricardia scabra . As this represents all the crop plants that are cultivated by the farmers in these areas, the farmers' food security is at a serious risk and threat by these parasitic weeds which latch onto the roots of the host plants, leading to reduced yields or complete crop failure.
Water sources can be unsafe due to the underground landmines that contribute to environmental pollution. [2] The majority of the water in the areas is contaminated, and if precautions aren't taken it exposes people to health hazards. Sources of water for domestic purposes and cooking for rural people then tend to be mainly from wells, boreholes and rivers. [2] However, there is decreased reliability of these water sources during the dry seasons as a result of many factors, with reduced groundwater being one of them. [3] During the dry season, livestock is also watered from the boreholes. [3] Furthermore, Water Point Committees (WPCs), which are local community management groups, exist for all the area's boreholes. [3] WPCs are the lowest institution in the management of rural water supply. [3] It is claimed that these committees are not entirely effective in managing the maintenance and operation of the boreholes because of poor record keeping and incapacity to mobilise the community when the boreholes break down. [3]
In 2003, an international non-government organisation implemented a new water supply project for Mukumbura communal lands. The objective of the water project was to increase accessibility to water and thereby reduce water borne diseases. [3] The project planned to rehabilitate 52 of the non-functional boreholes in Mukumbura while also drilling 21 new boreholes. [3]
The area of Sheba forest, Musengezi border posts and Mukumbura, which are densely populated with landmines, have a potential of attracting tourists as a result of their significant historical sites, favourable and pleasant weather, perennial rivers and small to medium game parks. [2] Areas that have been infested with landmines become an obstacle and defer these potential tourist activities that would help generate foreign currency for the country and village. [2]
Mukumbura Border Control lies between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Mecumbira is situated on the Mozambican side of the border. On each side, the borders are separated by the Rio Mukumbura River. It was reported in mid-2012 that there was little activity at the border post and that the perimeter fence between the two counties was washed away as a result of the Mukumbura River flooding. [6] The border operates from 6am-6pm (GMT+2). [6] When visiting and entering Zimbabwe, all visitors are required to present a valid passport, and original vehicle registration papers and license when travelling with a vehicle. [6] If the visitor is driving a vehicle not their own, they must provide an affidavit signed by the owner that authorises its use by another person as well as third-party insurance. [6] Payments in USD or ZAR are made for road access fees that are based on vehicle size, and a carbon pollution fee. [6]
Mukumbura was immortalized in the song "It's a Long Way to Mukumbura" by Mike Westcott and Leprechaun. The 1977 song is set to the music of the British song "It's a Long Way to Tipperary". It rose to #2 on the Rhodesian hit music charts. The song expressed, in humorous form, the physical distance to Mukumbura from other parts of the country while also celebrating the contributions made by different branches of the Rhodesian armed forces to the Rhodesian Bush War.[ citation needed ]
Land reform in Zimbabwe officially began in 1980 with the signing of the Lancaster House Agreement, to reverse the distribution of land that resulted from the colonial occupation of the country by white people. The colonial distribution that started in 1884, took land from black people, land the black people called home and used for habitation and production as subsistence farmers. The colonisers drove black people to dry and unproductive land while they shared prime and productive land amongst themselves resulting in a population of 3% owning 51% of the land while 4.3 million black people owned 42%, with the remainder being land for towns and other non-farming activities. The white people enjoyed superior political and economic status, but this was resisted, leading to war, and political independence in 1980. At independence, the Lancaster House Agreement was signed and it had a clause that prohibitted return of land, except where a white person had surrendered or offered it for sale. This did not return enough land until the accelerated land reform programme started in 2000. The programme altered the racial imbalance of land ownership.
The Rhodesian Bush War, also called the Second Chimurenga as well as the Zimbabwean War of Liberation, was a civil conflict from July 1964 to December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia.
Striga, commonly known as witchweed, is a genus of parasitic plants that occur naturally in parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is currently classified in the family Orobanchaceae, although older classifications place it in the Scrophulariaceae. Some species are serious pathogens of cereal crops, with the greatest effects being in savanna agriculture in Africa. It also causes considerable crop losses in other regions, including other tropical and subtropical crops in its native range and in the Americas. The generic name derives from Latin strī̆ga, "witch".
Kazungula is a small border town in Zambia, lying on the north bank of the Zambezi River about 70 kilometres (45 mi) west of Livingstone on the M10 Road.
The Mozambican Civil War was a civil war fought in Mozambique from 1977 to 1992. Like many regional African conflicts during the late twentieth century, the impetus for the Mozambican Civil War included local dynamics exacerbated greatly by the polarizing effects of Cold War politics. The war was fought between Mozambique's ruling Marxist Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), the anti-communist insurgent forces of the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO), and a number of smaller factions such as the PRM, UNAMO, COREMO, UNIPOMO, and FUMO.
The Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) funds participatory, collaborative research on agroecological intensification (AEI). Funded projects typically link international, national, and local organizations with communities of smallholder farmers, researchers, development professionals, and other parties. Projects work together as part of a Community of Practice to generate technical and social innovations to improve nutrition, livelihoods, and productivity for farming communities in Africa and South America. Large-scale impact is realized when new ideas, technologies, or processes are adapted, when insights from research catalyze change in policy and practice, and when innovation inspires further success. The program is under the direction of Rebecca J. Nelson of Cornell University and Jane Maland Cady of the McKnight Foundation.
Magoé District is a district of Tete Province in western Mozambique. Its administrative center is the town of Mpheende. The district is located in the north of the province, and borders with Zumbo District in the north, Marávia District in the northeast, Cahora-Bassa District in the east, and with Zimbabwe in the south and in the west. The area of the district is 8,792 square kilometres (3,395 sq mi). It had a population of 89,273 as of 2017.
Benin is predominantly a rural society, and agriculture in Benin supports more than 70% of the population. Agriculture contributes around 35% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 80% of export income. While the Government of Benin (GOB) aims to diversify its agricultural production, Benin remains underdeveloped, and its economy is underpinned by subsistence agriculture. Approximately 93% of total agricultural production goes into food production. The proportion of the population living in poverty is about 35.2%, with more rural households in poverty (38.4%) than urban households (29.8%). 36% of households depend solely upon agricultural (crop) production for income, and another 30% depend on crop production, livestock, or fishing for income.
Operation Overload was a forced resettlement operation conducted by the Rhodesian Army that took place over six weeks starting on 27 July 1974. It aimed to separate civilians from the guerrillas whom they typically supported.
Nyahunda is a ward in Bikita District of Masvingo Province in south-eastern Zimbabwe. It is situated about 140 km south-east of provincial capital Masvingo and about 40 km south of the district centre administration Bikita. It is made up of two settlement sections, the New Reserves and the Communal Farms.
The Mine Protected Combat Vehicle – MPCV was a Rhodesian 4×4 Infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), first introduced in 1979 and based on the body of the Mercedes-Benz Unimog light truck. It remains in use with the Zimbabwe National Army.
The Crocodile Armoured Personnel Carrier or "Croc" is a Rhodesian armoured personnel carrier first introduced in 1977 and based on Japanese commercial heavy-duty trucks' chassis. It remains in use with the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).
The MAP75 Armoured Personnel Carrier is a Rhodesian 4x4 heavy troop-carrying vehicle (TCV) first introduced in 1978 based on a Mercedes-Benz truck chassis. It remains in use with the Zimbabwe National Army.
The MAP45 Armoured Personnel Carrier is a Rhodesian/Zimbabwean 4x4d heavy troop-carrying vehicle (TCV) first introduced in 1978 based on a Mercedes-Benz truck chassis. It remains in use with the Zimbabwe National Army.
Agricultural sustainability in Northern Nigeria requires flexibility in both ecological management as well as economic activity. The population densities of the rural area in this region climbed from 243 to 348 people per square kilometer between 1962 and 1991, but the land area under permanent cultivation remained approximately the same. Increasing population results in high food demand among urban and rural dwellers, areas of cultivation, and reduced soil fertility. However, there are instances where frequent agricultural practices is not associated with degradation such as in Kano and neighboring region. Even though poverty and insufficient food exists in the region, it does not affect crop yield owing to sustained efforts to produce food in response to its high demand.
Striga hermonthica, commonly known as purple witchweed or giant witchweed, is a hemiparasitic plant that belongs to the family Orobanchaceae. It is devastating to major crops such as sorghum and rice. In sub-Saharan Africa, apart from sorghum and rice, it also infests maize, pearl millet, and sugar cane.
Busseola fusca is a species of moth that is also known as the maize stalk borer. It is known from Ethiopia.
Mozambique has a variety of regional cropping patterns; agro-climatic zones range from arid and semi-arid to the sub-humid zones to the humid highlands. The most fertile areas are in the northern and central provinces, which have high agro-ecological potential and generally produce agricultural surpluses. Southern provinces have poorer soils and scarce rainfall, and are subject to recurrent droughts and floods.
Banhine National Park is a protected area in northern Gaza Province, Mozambique. The park was established on 26 June 1973. In 2013 the limits of Park were updated to better reflect the realities on the ground, particularly the human presence in the area.
Mutoko District is a district of Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe, in southern Africa. It is located in the eastern part of Zimbabwe, and covers 4,092.5 square kilometres (1,580 sq mi). In 2022, the district had a population of 161,091. At that time, nearly 50% of the population was under 19 years of age.