Informed Change for Zimbabwe's Communal Areas: A Geoinformatics Perspective

Abstract

"The fact that resettlement land in Zimbabwe is held under indeterminate permit rather than title deed, means that it may be grouped together with traditional, Communal Area (CA) tenure. The net result is that the CAs in Zimbabwe are being added to by the day. Their future, however, is far from clear.

"This paper reviews the land holding position in Zimbabwes Communal Areas, both on a philosophical and also a more practical level, as these areas face pressures and incentives on a national and even a global scale. Conclusions include ideas on Community Zoning and also the integration of title reform initiatives with modern farming practices such as animal-impact grazing, conservation farming and waterharvesting. Also discussed, are changes that may be engendered by the giving of full, marketable title, including a change in the perception of land and boundaries. Finally conclusions are drawn concerning the need for improved CA land management (notably including the management of common land) as a result of access to spatial-data management tools at all levels from Village Assemblies right up to national level."