The Effects of deforestation on rural women and children in Mhangura, Zimbabwe

Author

Kamanga, Tafadzwanashe.

Title

The Effects of deforestation on rural women and children in Mhangura, Zimbabwe

Abstract

An assessment on the effects of deforestation on rural women and children in Mhangura, Zimbabwe was carried out. The aim of the study was to carry out a study into people’s knowledge about deforestation in Mhangura. A total of 300 respondents inclusive of man, women, children, Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and Forestry Commission officials were interviewed through the use of questionnaires and interview guide and analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression in SPSS statistical version 20.0. Deforestation had negative effects on economic, social and environmental impacts on villagers. The main causes of deforestation in Mhangura are agriculture activities, collection of firewood, unemployment and illegal mining. The social impacts were malnutrition (19.5%), domestic violence (22.5%), shortage of herbs for medicine (14.5%), hunger and famine (15.3%), change in lifestyle of people (12.5%) and poverty (15.8%) in the area. The women and children are socially affected at a higher rate as they are the ones left in the area. The economic changes such as the changes in the sources of income and the environmental changes in the Mhangura area included the deformation of the land leading to soil erosion, climate change, drought and extinction of flora and fauna which all had the significance level of 0.05. Therefore, the government through Forestry Commission and Environmental Management Agency should strengthen the measures against those who cut down trees. EMA should also work with Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture to make sure that every tobacco grower practice air curing for tobacco and save forests.

Date

June 2023

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Deforestation,

Forestry Commission,

Mhangura,

Supervisor

Dr. L. Mujuru,