Impact of community participation in addressing new emerging disaster risks (veld fire) in Murewa district Mashonaland East province Zimbabwe.
- Author
- Dzinotizei, Rutendo
- Title
- Impact of community participation in addressing new emerging disaster risks (veld fire) in Murewa district Mashonaland East province Zimbabwe.
- Abstract
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The study investigated the impact of community involvement in managing veld fires in the Murewa District. Murewa District has been experiencing unprecedented incidences of veld fire in its 30 wards for the past decade. For instance, since the start of 2022 fire season, 6543 fire incidents occurred in the District. To date (2024) a total of 122 288. 48 hectares of land has been burnt. The research objectives included assessing the current level of community participation in addressing emerging veld fire risks, evaluating the effectiveness of existing community-based strategies and practices in mitigating and responding to veld fire incidents, and identifying factors that influence community engagement in veld fire management activities. To achieve these objectives, an embedded mix-methods research design was employed. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews, with a sample size of 91 respondents selected using simple random and purposive sampling methods. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data. The research showed that collaborative participation in fire management in Murewa District led to strong community engagement and shared decision-making, with effective community motivation and ownership in reducing veld fire risk. Collaborative approaches like the Working on Fire program were effective in reducing unplanned fires and enhancing fire containment. Community participation and local knowledge were crucial in developing fire management strategies, including controlled burning and invasive species removal. Strong leadership and clear governance structures promoted community engagement, while socioeconomic constraints limited participation. Incentives, cultural norms, and indigenous fire practices positively influenced involvement. Distrust in fire managers and social marginalization posed barriers. Collaborative methods yielded higher community involvement and ownership compared to consultative and contractual approaches.The study recommended amongst others that there is need to enhance collaborative participation, improve consultative processes and promote local knowledge and practices in fire management.
- Date
- May 2024
- Publisher
- BUISE
- Keywords
- emerging disaster risks, disaster technology
- Supervisor
- NIL
- Item sets
- Department of Geosciences
