The offender is usually sought and is seriously
reprimanded, demonstrating the importance of
cultural beliefs in traditional water resources
management within the basin. Fears induced by
these traditional beliefs indirectly contribute to
environmental protection and water resource
conservation.
Traditional leaders such as chiefs and village
heads are both actively involved in the management of vegetation within the Turwi River Basin.
Traditional leaders prohibit villagers from cutting
down trees without prior permission from them.
Equally, they forbid veld fires. Village ‘policemen’ are responsible for enforcing these rules.
Anyone caught flouting these rules gets heavy
sanctions which are determined by the village
court (dare, in Shona, a local language). Deterrent penalties for contravening conservation rules
include brewing traditional beer for the village
community in addition to paying the village head
a minimum fine of a goat or its cash equivalent.
Sanctions get sterner when the matter is referred
to higher level traditional courts. If one defies the
village head, the matter is referred to the chief.
Once the matter is reported at the chief’s court,
the offender is required to pay the whole chain of
traditional leadership what they would demand
from them. For the chief, at least two head of
cattle are required–one for the chief and the other
which will be slaughtered to feed those participating in the chief’s court during the trial. Thus,
through enforcing vegetation conservation, traditional leadership indirectly contributes towards
soil and water resources management since all
the three are connected through the hydrological
cycle.
4.5.3 Household-Level Land
Conservation Practices
An analysis of household data collected during
interviews revealed practices that demonstrate a
close relationship between field management
practices, soil conservation and water management. This section highlights the major household practices that are undertaken by individual
villagers, which have a bearing on IWRM. In the
Turwi Basin, the lowest level at which water
management is undertaken is the household
level. Most households unknowingly promote
water conservation through contour ridging.
Contour ridges are a soil conservation technique
that is universally encouraged by agricultural
experts. They have a long history of use across
the world but in Zimbabwe, the practice of using
contour ridges to reduce soil erosion was introduced in the 1920s. Contour ridges regulate the
flow of water (Plate 4.1). They increase infiltration, and thus reduce surface runoff and erosion.
According to the Jerera-based district agriculture
mechanization officer, their department provides
communal farmers with free technical expertise
required for pegging contour ridges. Farmers
only need to request for the officer’s services.
4.5.4 Adequacy and Access to Water
Resources by Grassroots
Communities Within
the Turwi Basin
In the Turwi River Basin, water is used for
domestic purposes, including washing, bathing,
and brewing of traditional beer. Commercially it
is used for livestock drinking water, irrigation
and for moulding bricks for sale. Laundry and
bathing are usually undertaken in rivers and
dams, where the quality of the water is generally
poor. However, water for drinking and cooking is
fetched from boreholes and protected wells,
though in cases of scarcity water from unprotected wells and springs (singular-chitubu and
plural- zvitubu in the local Shona language) is
also often used. Non-potable water sources,
including river-bed wells and abstraction points
(singular-mufuku, plural- mifuku in local Shona
language), are used for multiple purposes. Since
many of the sources that local communities
depend on are neither safe nor protected, the
conditions related to safety, health sanitation and
hygiene are not addressed in a holistic manner, as
required in IWRM.
There are a number of factors that characterize
the way water resources are used and managed in
the Turwi Basin. These include economic,
34
G. Mukwada et al.
reprimanded, demonstrating the importance of
cultural beliefs in traditional water resources
management within the basin. Fears induced by
these traditional beliefs indirectly contribute to
environmental protection and water resource
conservation.
Traditional leaders such as chiefs and village
heads are both actively involved in the management of vegetation within the Turwi River Basin.
Traditional leaders prohibit villagers from cutting
down trees without prior permission from them.
Equally, they forbid veld fires. Village ‘policemen’ are responsible for enforcing these rules.
Anyone caught flouting these rules gets heavy
sanctions which are determined by the village
court (dare, in Shona, a local language). Deterrent penalties for contravening conservation rules
include brewing traditional beer for the village
community in addition to paying the village head
a minimum fine of a goat or its cash equivalent.
Sanctions get sterner when the matter is referred
to higher level traditional courts. If one defies the
village head, the matter is referred to the chief.
Once the matter is reported at the chief’s court,
the offender is required to pay the whole chain of
traditional leadership what they would demand
from them. For the chief, at least two head of
cattle are required–one for the chief and the other
which will be slaughtered to feed those participating in the chief’s court during the trial. Thus,
through enforcing vegetation conservation, traditional leadership indirectly contributes towards
soil and water resources management since all
the three are connected through the hydrological
cycle.
4.5.3 Household-Level Land
Conservation Practices
An analysis of household data collected during
interviews revealed practices that demonstrate a
close relationship between field management
practices, soil conservation and water management. This section highlights the major household practices that are undertaken by individual
villagers, which have a bearing on IWRM. In the
Turwi Basin, the lowest level at which water
management is undertaken is the household
level. Most households unknowingly promote
water conservation through contour ridging.
Contour ridges are a soil conservation technique
that is universally encouraged by agricultural
experts. They have a long history of use across
the world but in Zimbabwe, the practice of using
contour ridges to reduce soil erosion was introduced in the 1920s. Contour ridges regulate the
flow of water (Plate 4.1). They increase infiltration, and thus reduce surface runoff and erosion.
According to the Jerera-based district agriculture
mechanization officer, their department provides
communal farmers with free technical expertise
required for pegging contour ridges. Farmers
only need to request for the officer’s services.
4.5.4 Adequacy and Access to Water
Resources by Grassroots
Communities Within
the Turwi Basin
In the Turwi River Basin, water is used for
domestic purposes, including washing, bathing,
and brewing of traditional beer. Commercially it
is used for livestock drinking water, irrigation
and for moulding bricks for sale. Laundry and
bathing are usually undertaken in rivers and
dams, where the quality of the water is generally
poor. However, water for drinking and cooking is
fetched from boreholes and protected wells,
though in cases of scarcity water from unprotected wells and springs (singular-chitubu and
plural- zvitubu in the local Shona language) is
also often used. Non-potable water sources,
including river-bed wells and abstraction points
(singular-mufuku, plural- mifuku in local Shona
language), are used for multiple purposes. Since
many of the sources that local communities
depend on are neither safe nor protected, the
conditions related to safety, health sanitation and
hygiene are not addressed in a holistic manner, as
required in IWRM.
There are a number of factors that characterize
the way water resources are used and managed in
the Turwi Basin. These include economic,
34
G. Mukwada et al.