Reflections on the ‘Zimbabwean crisis 2000–2008’ and the survival strategies: the sustainable livelihoods framework (SLF) analysis

Abstract

In this paper, the author applies the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) to unravel the complexities inherent in the ‘Zimbabwean Crisis’. When unravelled from the SLF, the ‘Zimbabwean Crisis 2000-2008’ portrays a decimation of various forms of capital–financial, social, human, physical and natural–and forced Zimbabweans to innovate, show resourcefulness and ingenuity in generating various forms of capital to survive the scathing crisis. Broadly, the kukiya kiya strategy has received little scholarly study and despite various survival strategies inherent in the kukiya kiya strategy. The kukiya kiya livelihood strategy prominence is seen in its adoption across the broad spectrum of society–educated, uneducated, employed, and unemployed, women, and men, young and old. The study of kukiya kiya livelihood strategy is important because it sustained thousands of households as the Zimbabwean formal sector collapsed. This reality is largely unappreciated in literature.

The Challenges Faced by Young Entrepreneurs in Informal Trading in Bindura, Zimbabwe

“…In the post 2000 period Zimbabwe witnessed economic problems of significant proportion (Kabonga, 2020a). In summary, in the period between 2000 and 2008, the economy of Zimbabwe experienced worsening decline which, according to Kabonga (2020a), was characterised by shortages of foreign currency and spiralling hyperinflation, which triggered unemployment. At the same time employment in the agricultural sector was upset by the Fast Track Land Reform Programme which further exacerbated unemployment levels (Kabonga, 2020b).…”

“…Studies in a different environment by Kanchana et al (2013) indicated that for young business people to be on a successful trajectory, they ought to manage risks and deal with an avalanche of challenges that come with running such businesses. Bindura, an agricultural and mining town, just like elsewhere in Zimbabwe, has, since the onset of the macroeconomic turmoil in 2000 (Kabonga, 2020a), witnessed the deterioration of the formal business sector while informal small businesses sprouted all over the town. In our case study area, the aforementioned economic crisis of the post 2000 period negatively affected the viability of mines such as Bindura Nickel, Trojan Nickel and Freda Rebecca gold mines.…”

Women entrepreneurship development and sustainable rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe

“…Natural capital comprises of tangibles and intangible goods, such as air quality, soil quality and lodging for a healthy atmosphere (Campbell et al, 2002;Chapman et al, 2003;Erenstein et al, 2010). The SLF framework describes conditions which govern an individual's access to possessions and livelihood opportunities which can be converted into sustainable rural livelihood outcomes thus driving individuals out of the deprivation trap of poverty (Kabonga, 2020;Othman et al, 2016). Knutsson (2006) posited that the sustainable livelihoods outcome consists of five indicators which are more income, increased well-being, reduced vulnerability, improved food security and more sustainable use of natural resources.…”

“…The SLF assumes that people live within a vulnerability environment made up of shock waves, developments and seasonality (Chitongo, 2019;Kabonga, 2020). The vulnerability environment is determined by converting structures and methods which include levels of government regulations, rules and culture that govern the livelihood strategies (Tabares et al, 2022;Kabonga, 2020) people use to meet their desired livelihood outcomes such as food security.…”

Swimming Against the Tide: Young Informal Traders’ Survival Strategies in a Competitive Business Environment in Zimbabwe

“…Unemployment is a reflection of broader economic challenges of Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean economy is yet to recover from the crisis period whose climax was the year 2008 (Kabonga, 2020). Socially, the interlocking economic challenges culminates in poverty.…”