Choosing between environmental conservation and survival: Exploring the link between livelihoods and the natural environment in rural Zimbabwe

Macheka, Mavis Thokozile; Maharaj, Pranitha; Nzima, Divane

doi:10.1080/03736245.2020.1823875

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Poverty plays an important role in the destruction of the environment in many African countries (Macheka et al, 2018). As income generating projects, brick moulding, selling firewood and charcoal is big business where many trees and anthills are destroyed with little chance of recovery.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, a paper in Sustainability by Hashemi et al (2015) mentions the environmental impact of brick moulding although the paper concentrated on construction methods and materials in low-income tropical housing. A study by Macheka et al (2018), in the rural Chivi District of Zimbabwe, shows the impact of mining of sand and clay for brick moulding, illegal mining and cutting down of trees for firewood harvesting on the environment. The paper concludes that poor people have resorted to various environmentally hazardous activities as a means of earning livelihoods.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They provide food such as vegetables, termites and other insects with high micronutrient and protein content (Srivastava et al, 2009). The soil is also used as fertiliser for fields and small gardens that communities use for their daily foods (Macheka et al, 2018). They are also very important for the environment because of the vegetation and trees that grow on them.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An analytical assessment of brick moulding processes and its impact on local ecosystems, biodiversity, environment and human health in a rural Zimbabwean village

Chipfakacha¹

2022

Afr. J. Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, changes in the ecosystem and disasters play an important role in the development and economic advancement. In Zororo Village, Zimbabwe, environmental degradation, changes in the ecosystem and biodiversity have occurred rapidly during the last few decades. A literature review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions were the methodologies used for this research. All the participants agreed that environmental changes had occurred during the last few decades, however, they could not connect these to activities such as brick moulding. Brick moulding is a lucrative and economic backbone of many communities in rural Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries. It is a way of value adding to the clay deposits for economic development but the practice is associated with various environmental challenges linked to the various stages in the brick production process. The process impacts on the environment, ecosystem, biodiversity and human health. Vegetation, indigenous trees, edible insects, small animals and wild fruit trees have disappeared from the environment. Children and domestic animals drown in uncovered holes which also become breeding sites for mosquitoes and other vectors. This article discusses community contributions to the negative impacts of environmental degradation, changes in the ecosystems, biodiversity and human health, through the destruction of anthills in the process of brick moulding in rural Zimbabwe.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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