The Covid-19 pandemic has had unprecedented global impact, creating multiple crises that have gone beyond the epidemiological, extending to the socio-economic and political. It has exposed structural flaws in global capitalism and intensified inequalities that have traditionally been imbedded in relations of production and social reproduction. In emerging Covid-19 literature, blind spots exist on its impact on peasant households. It is this knowledge gap that this article fills. Focusing on an agrarian context in rural Zimbabwe, the article employs a classical agrarian perspective and the political economy approach as conceptual and heuristic tools to explore the impact which this novel virus has had on rural livelihoods. It shows that the pandemic has impacted agricultural production, social reproduction, labour relations and asset accumulation. While its impact has been largely negative, opportunities were created with peasant agency being critical in dealing with shocks and vulnerabilities.

Globally, COVID-19 has caused disruption to all social institutions and sectors of the economy. Projections are that the pandemic is likely to deepen hardships already experienced by various groups in society, especially the vulnerable. As COVID-19 continues to unfold and spread, it has become apparent that the virus and its associated problems are more than biomedical issues. Against a backdrop where researchers and practitioners from public health, epidemiology, and medicine are dominating research, discussions and publication, the article advances the argument that sociologists are well qualified and positioned to explore the social causes, social consequences, and responses to COVID-19. Sociological input is pivotal to comprehensive understanding and development of effective responses to the pandemic. In this context, and specifically focusing on the family despite the complexity and dynamism attendant to this institution, the article contributes real-time insights on how the pandemic is unfolding in Zimbabwe and the associated responses, or their absence. The paper addresses lacunae in availability of quality and meaningful understanding of the pandemic particularly from the perspective of the family as the basic unit of any society in both urban and rural contexts. The lived experiences and situated meanings of COVID-19 at the family level are important in interrogating its implications to communities, the future and social policy.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a contemporary perspective on post land reform Zimbabwe with special focus on the youth. It uses the social reproduction conceptual framework to show that two decades after land reform, there are generational questions which are now arising in the new resettlement areas which need deeper, empirical and more nuanced analysis to comprehend. In a context where some countries in Southern Africa are grappling with the best ways of dealing with their land questions, it shows that from a youth perspective, the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) has important lessons. Design/methodology/approach The study was largely qualitative and grounded in an interpretive research paradigm. It employed various data gathering instruments and solicited for responses from 151 young people as well as 11 key informants. The study used the social reproduction perspective as a conceptual and evaluative tool to ascertain the outcomes of the FTLRP from a social reproduction perspective with special focus on young people. Findings The study showed that there are some young people in the resettlement areas who blame the land reform programme for the challenging socio-economic situation which they are facing. It also shows that for the youth, the FTLRP has had multi-dimensional impact; while some are complaining, others have managed to use their agency to access natural resources and land, which has seen them “accumulating from below”. For some young people, land reform has positively transformed their lives, while others feel that it has limited their opportunities. Originality/value The paper provides new and contemporary insights on post land reform Zimbabwe. This is an area which is increasingly gaining traction in scholarship on the FTLRP. In addition, the paper provides a unique perspective of looking at the issue of the youth from a social reproduction perspective; this is a unique academic contribution. Lastly, the paper is useful insofar as it transcends the debates on the FTLRP to proffer a unique analysis on the social reproduction dimensions of the FTLRP.