APPENDIX 2:

BACKGROUND TO STUDY AREAS: MASVINGO, MUREHWA AND UZUMBA

1.1 Introduction

This section provides a general background to the Masvingo and Murewha districts, where the survey was carried out. Population estimates and land area are given in Table 1.1. The location of the districts within Zimbabwe is given in Map 1. More detailed information by district is given in the following sections.

Source: Population Census 1982, Central Statistics Office

1.2 Masvingo district

This district lies in Masvingo province, south east of the country. Masvingo district spans over an area of 654 thousand hectares. The district population density of 43 persons per square kilometer is considered high for Communal Areas (Table 1.1).

Masvingo district includes three agro-ecological zones or Natural Regions; NR III accounting for 7%, NR IV accounting for 82 % and NR V accounting for 11% of total area. Large Scale Commercial (LSC) farms occupy a third of the district in NR III and IV. Communal Areas (CAs) constitute about 18 percent of the total district area and are in NRs III, IV and V. Resettlement Areas (RAs) and Small Scale Commercial Areas (SSCA) share the remaining proportion. All resettlement schemes are in NR III and small scale commercial farms are in NRs III and IV (AGRITEX, Masvingo District, 1991). Survey sites were selected from the communal and resettlement areas in NRs III and IV only.

1.2.1 Physical Environment

Altitude and Temperature

The altitude of the district ranges from 450m (Nyajena CA) to 1240m (Victoria East) above sea level. Since fish are cold-blooded, the primary environmental limiting factor in fish production is temperature (Balarin, 1982). The average annual temperature for the district is about 20 degrees Celsius. Areas in NR IV have a slightly higher annual average air temperature of about 22 degrees Celsius. Such high temperatures prevent the production of cool water fish species like trout. On the other hand, winter air temperatures can be as low as 10 degrees celcius. This also poses a severe constraint on farming of warm water fish species during winter. The winter period is likely to be non-productive because of low air and water temperatures.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure plays an important role particularly when intensive commercial opportunities are envisaged. An all weather main road runs through the district linking Harare to the Republic of South Africa. The major town in Masvingo District, Masvingo, is also the provincial capital. Farmers in the district have relatively better access to services, for example, transport to and from Masvingo town than farmers in other districts. There are numerous trading centres where farmers buy household goods and sell agricultural products.

Rainfall and Soils

The Metereology department classifies seasons by the rains as follows

The district receives an average of 600mm rainfall annually but irregular heavy rains are common around Great Zimbabwe and Lake Kyle (Balarin, 1982). The distribution of the rain is uneven and most of the rain is received between February and March. Towards the end of the dry season (August to December) ponds can run short of water and others completely dry up. Fish farmers in NR IV appear to be at greater risk of pond drying than farmers in NR III. Mid season dry spells are common and are sometimes severe between December and mid January in NR IV and V. Again, during this mid season dry period, water unavailability may worsen and more ponds dry up. Drought is a threat to continous fish farming, particularly in NR IV.

The soils in the district are of the fersiallitic type. These soils are the most extensive soil types in Zimbabwe (Nyamapfene, 1991). The terrain in the district ranges

The soils in the district are of the fersiallitic type. These soils are the most extensive soil types in Zimbabwe (Nyamapfene, 1991). The terrain in the district ranges from moderate to steep slopes (Balarin, 1982). In areas where slopes are high, soils shallow and of poor texture, the potential for erosion hazards exist. Balarin (1982) noted that most areas with great potential to warm water fish farming have poor soils prone to erosion.

Although pans and vleis are potentially suitable sites for fish production, they are very few, small. Some of the potential pond sites are distant from homesteads and require fencing before fish farming can begin to protect against poaching and predation (Fisheries Extension Worker, Masvingo Province, Personal Contact).

Reservoirs and Lakes

There are several reservoirs and Lake Mutirikwi (Kyle) in the district. The concentration of dams is higher in NR V, (Nyajena CA) than in the other NRs. In the Communal Areas, subsistence angling takes place (Balarin, 1982; Shonhiwa, 1986). Dam netting was practised illegally but recently a number of groups were organised and are applying for permits. Dams smaller than 20 hectares can only be considered for subsistence angling and not commercial netting (Shonhiwa, 1986).

Besides fishing, water from most dams in Masvingo is not utilised for irrigation yet a significant proportion of the district lies in NR V. There is one irrigation scheme in this zone (Mushandike). Two other operating irrigation schemes are in the resettlement areas. The total hectarage is about 550 ha and 550 families are plot holders (AGRITEX, Masvingo District, 1991).

Crop Production

The major crop grown in the district is maize. Maize is produced by nearly all farmers in resettlement and communal areas and about 90 percent of the district arable area was planted to maize in 1990/91 season. Maize is the staple crop. Millets (pearl and finger millet) and oilseeds (groundnuts and sunflower) are also important supplementary food and cash crops, particularly in the drier parts of the district.

CA farmers target the bulk of purchased agricultural inputs and other farm resources towards field crops and maize in particular. Inputs to fish are limited because crops are important for household food security and generally CA farmers have inadequate resources, for example; land, labour, cash and manure.

Besides field crops, where sufficient water is available, farmers also produce horticultural products from individual, group and community garden plots for both home consumption and the market.

Livestock Population

Livestock population in the district is shown in Table 1.2. The bulk of the livestock units in the district are cattle. Goats are second in population followed by donkeys, sheep and pigs. Farmers also own poultry. The condition of grazing areas and the livestock is poor in the CAs but fair in the RAs. Although the majority of the farmers keep chickens for home use, there are individuals and groups who rear broilers and layers for the market (AGRITEX, Masvingo District, 1991).

Livestock manure provides an important source of fertiliser especially for field and horticultural crops.

Source: Stock Census 1988/89, Department of Veterinary Services

Fish Farming Extension

The district has a Fisheries Research Station based at Lake Mutirikwi which supplies farmers with advice and fingerlings. This station is run by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. It is quite close to Communal and Resettlement area farmers. An alternative source of fingerlings is Makoholi Research Station but the station is situated in the Commercial farming area and distant from Communal and Resettlement area farmers.

Within the district, there are 13 wards including resettlement areas, that have practising fish farmers. A ward has an average population of 100 farming households. There is virtually no fish farming in NR V of this district, hence, only wards in NR III and IV were selected for the fish farmer survey. The number of fish farmers per ward ranged from as low as two in Marirangwe ward and as high as 27 farmers in Murinye A. The majority of the ponds were owned by men but women participated more as managers than owners. There were few groups with communal ponds in the district.

Extension workers assessed the quality of construction of most ponds as fair to good. Few ponds were of poor construction quality. The criteria for a well constructed pond was simple if the area was around 200 square metres and of recommended depth. More than two thirds of the ponds were equal or greater than 150 square metres. This probably indicates the extent of the extension impact in the district.

Of the ponds that were constructed before 1988, the majority of them were stocked. Since then, 1990 has been the most remarkable year when there was a greater impact in construction and stocking. The proportion of unstocked ponds was high (Table 1.3) because some of the unstocked ponds had been constructed lately and some had dried up. Fish farmers appeared to have limited access to fingerlings of the recommended species. Of the ponds that were stocked, the common species was T. rendalli. Other important species were O. mossambicus and some unidentified breams. Barbel was uncommon in the ponds. Balarin (1982) highly recommended temperate carp for stocking in areas such as Masvingo district.

Fish farming is expected to develop in favourable areas in the district but the major drawback has been caused by the high number of ponds drying up (AGRITEX, Masvingo District, 1991). The water situation is unusually critical because of the drought experienced last season. Balarin (1986) attributes a number of techno-socio-economic factors as causing underdevelopment of fish farming in CAs.

There is one fisheries extension worker for Masvingo Province. He is responsible for implementing the extension programme in the province. Currently the planned activities are to restock the most promising of dried ponds, form fish farming co-operatives, train farmers and integrate fish ponds with gardens. Integration within irrigation schemes may be the most promising opportunity. Plans to conduct demonstration pond units and train commercial fish farmers in irrigation schemes were made before 1982 (Balarin, 1982).

1.3 Murehwa district

Murehwa district is in Mashonaland East province, 60 – 100 kilometers east of Harare. It consists of CAs and a SSCA. There are four communal areas in Murehwa district, namely, Mangwende, Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwe. The only SSCA, Chitowa, is in the south eastlerly part of the district. The survey sites were selected from Mangwende and Uzumba CAs only. There are no resettlement areas in the district. The background information of Mangwende and Uzumba will be discussed in this section.

Mangwende and Uzumba CAs

Mangwende CA is situated in a high rainfall zone classified as NR II. The southern part of Mangwende is in NR IIa and the remainder is in IIb. NR IIa obtains more consistent rainfall than NR IIb. The chances of dry spells are low giving opportunity for continuous fish farming.

There are 23 wards in Mangwende. Mangwende is densely populated (one of the highest in the country's CAs) and it seems there is no place for new settlements in the CA (Table 1.1). In future increased output may only arise from intensifying or integrating different enterprise sub-systems.

Uzumba CA is north of Mangwende. This CA is in a zone classified as NR III and receives good rains with some short mid season dry spells. Uzumba has a total of seven wards. Population density is relatively low in Uzumba because of the rugged terrain.

Altitude and Temperature

The altitude in Murehwa district is between 900–1200 metres above sea level in Murehwa and Uzumba CAs and below 900m in Maramba and Pfungwe CAs. The mean annual air temperatures is 18 degrees celcius but maximum temperatures are recorded in October - November and lowest in June - July.

Rainfall and Soils

Mangwende CA generally receives 750 – 1000 mm of rainfall annually. This CA is less subject to drought than the semi-arid regions of Zimbabwe. Uzumba receives good rains with chances of a short mid season dry spell.

The soils in both areas are of the medium grained sandy type belonging to the paraferrallitic group (Nyamapfene, 1991). The soils are of low clay, organic matter and weatherable minerals content. They are generally of low pH and are deficient in nitrogen and phosphate (Shumba, 1985). This probably indicates that supplementary nutrients are essential to attain high fish growth rates in this area.

Reservoirs and lakes

There are few dams in Murehwa with the highest concentration found in Uzumba. Dams in Murehwa were fished with nets by individuals with and without permits. In Uzumba, the situation was similar except that groups instead of individuals were fishing in dams with permits. Fisherfolk, using rod and line and sometimes basket traps were quite active in both Murehwa and Uzumba. There are no irrigation schemes in both Murehwa and Uzumba CAs.

Source: Agritex, Fisheries Unit Fish Farming Census, 1991.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure is well developed. The region is serviced by a large tarmac road leading from Harare to Nyamapanda, the Mozambique border post. Uzumba is serviced by a tarmac road (still under construction) leading to Mtawatawa growth center. There are also unpaved feeder roads in the hinterland but their condition is poor, particularly during the rains. A G.M.B depot is situated at Murehwa center and several collection points are set up as temporary selling points for crops. Shopkeepers all over the CA also sell inputs and buy crops from farmers. There are locally based transporters servicing the area.

Crop Production

The major crop in the CA is maize. One of the reasons is that it is a staple crop and gives relatively highest crop returns to limited reosurces (Farm Management Section, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, 1991). Less important crops include sunflowers, groundnuts and rapoko. Murehwa farmers produce horticultural products for home consumption as well as the market.

This area is suited for horticultural production because of the availability of ground water and a frost free environment. In certain instances, horticultural products are the major income earner for farmers. The potential for fish farming is there if the existing irrigation ponds can be improved in shape and size and then stocked.

Livestock Production

Cattle is the dominant livestock type in Mangwende and Uzumba CAs. Goats are the important small stock followed by pigs and then sheep. However, these latter small stock is of minor importance in the district and in the case of pigs, are regarded as unacceptable for domestication and consumption among certain religious sects, for example, the Apostolic faith. Cattle provide draft power and manure while the small stock are reared for meat and manure. As in all other communal areas in Zimbabwe, livestock also offer insurance against crop failure and cash in times of household distress (Zindi, 1991).

Fish Farming Extension

Fish farming is generally practised throughout the CA but the number of fish farmers varies between wards. The level of farmer participation in Uzumba is relatively low. The majority of the wards have about five farmers practising pond culture. About 15 percent of the fish farmers in Murehwa district were women but in Uzumba CA, female farmers did not own fish ponds (Table 1.3).

The quality of pond construction was generally satisfactory but half of the ponds were below 150 square metres. A significant proportion of fish farmers started fish farming before 1988. During 1988 and 1989, there has been little impact, but 1990 was the busiest year of pond construction and stocking.

Half of the constructed ponds were not stocked as of December 1991. The possible reason is unavailability of fingerlings from Agritex Fisheries Unit. Of the stocked ponds, O. mossambicus was the common species. T.rendalli and other unidentified breams were equally important specie in this district.

Fish farmers in Murehwa and Uzumba get technical and material support from a fisheries extension worker based at Murehwa. Fish farmers in Murehwa are organised to such an extent that they have formed a Murehwa Fish Farming Association. Half of the fish farmers in the district were members of the association. This organisation has helped in transmitting extension messages, channelling and coordinating of material support to fish farmers and making represantaions to local authorities and non-govermental organisations. Farmers in Murehwa and Uzumba have found fish farming relatively easy to adopt probably because they have been involved in market gardening (Data obtained from AGRITEX Fisheries Unit, Fish Farmer Census, 1991).

Source: Stock Census 1988/89, Department of Veterinary Services