CHAPTER 6: ISSUES IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND GENDER MAINSTREAMING
6.5 Theme: 2 Environmental barriers
The research found that women involved in gender mainstreaming and community development projects in Rushinga Rural district of Zimbabwe are affected by environmental issues. From a theoretical perspective, gender mainstreaming considers integration of women in environmental management and sustainable community development measured by the ability of all community citizens to manage natural resources (Hartwick and Peet, 2009). GAD states that gender mainstreaming approach should have a principle of Women Environment and Development (WED) which emphasises an interactive relationship between women and environment. They further develop that natural environment should sustain the livelihoods of women and women should also utilise natural resources in a conservative manner.
WED focuses on women’s involvement in collective struggles over natural resources and environmental issues towards development. With reference to my research, I found that the utilisation of water supplies and land is seen a strategy to mainstream gender and community development. However, environmental issues are regarded as barriers to women’s participation in community development and gender mainstreaming projects. The environmental barriers are categorised into two subthemes.
a. Natural disasters
Women reported that natural disasters in their communities are impacting on their project management and sustainability. The gardens are located near dams and rivers. In ward A, gardens are surrounded by three rivers and women reported that during the summer season sometimes rivers flood making the gardens inaccessible. They also stated that sometimes it might start flooding whilst in gardens and they have to wait long hours for rivers to be calm.
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“Sometimes when floods start whilst we are here, we have to wait until rivers are calm and then go home. It will be late and dark and when you get home you have to start cooking” (Bridget, Ward B).
Garden in ward B was washed away by floods in January 2015 and women had to replant their vegetables and this delayed them to start their projects. They reported that their commitment to gardening during rainy season is limited by fear of floods.
Plate 4: A flooding river in Ward B Captured by Chiedza, 2014
Gardening in summer season is a challenge to all women as they regarded the season as most dangerous. They reported that production during rainy season is low and their commitment and participation is limited due to seasonal natural disasters. They harvested poor yields in that season due to plenty pests that are associated with rainfall, these pests which includes (aphids, locusts, leaf eaters, cutworms, tomato blight, etc.). Even though they receive pesticides from donors, they are not enough for pest control. As a result women reduce their production and
89 commitment to project in waiting for the dry season. They stated that, it is better for them to reserve their labour for the next season which will produce good quality yields.
Vegetables are also destroyed by heavy rains and hail storms, flowering tomatoes were destroyed and women reported this occurs regularly every rainy season. Some women were requesting to stop gardening during that season and wait until winter. Comparably, Nyamusimba (2014) stated that in Rushinga district, farming is affected by heavy rains and hails storms and the district is characterised by heavy rains. Women reported that they work in gardens every season because in each and every season there are environmental stresses attached to gardening. The chairmen reported that during winter season there would be snow which is their major concern as well.
“There are irregular participants who do not come in winter season because it will be cold and fetching cold water for them is a problem and they only want to come when it is hot”(Leonard, Ward A).
b. Limited water sources
Gardening in Rushinga district is done using water from the nearby rivers and dams which are limited in some villages and wards. The district is made up of twenty-five wards and each ward has at least thirty five villages. The community nutritional gardens are situated at annual water source in some wards and this located some villages to a distance of 5 kilometres away from the gardens. The location of gardens is mentioned in both wards as a major barrier to women’s commitment and participation in community development and gender mainstreaming projects.
Women who stay in remote villages sometimes come late to the gardens or leave earlier as they want to walk before it gets dark. Instead of coming three times a week they regularly come twice. The ward coordinators added that these women travel long distances to the gardens and upon their arrival arrive, they are already tired.
The gardens are situated at a distance away from villages, in the forest and women have to walk some kilometres to reach the gardens. The pathways to the gardens are in the midst of forests and a woman cannot walk alone to the gardens. Women go as a group and they reported that they are afraid of wild animals, snakes and some men. One respondent said that:
“I can’t walk alone to garden and some men in this community are dangerous. They like women and they can follow you and rape you in these
90 forests and who can help you even if you can scream.” If others are already
gone, I will not go that day. I can’t go alone” (Grace, Ward B).
The forests are densely populated and covered with vegetation of rainforest and wild animals such as jackals, hyenas, cheetahs and warthogs are a threat to women. The location of the gardens is a major concern to women since it is in the midst of the forests and the gardens are unsafe places to be as an individual and one cannot walk alone on the way. The water sources in these wards are limited to a certain corner of the ward henceforth distancing gardens from other women and making it a challenge for them to travel a long way to the gardens. The picture below shows the location of a garden in ward A.
Plate 5: Location of garden in ward A. Captured by Chiedza, 2015