Differential Vulnerability to Severe Agricultural Drought in Zimbabwe

The 1982-1984 drought in Zimbabwe was the most severe in recorded history. Surplus maize, sophisticated infrastructure, and government commitment were the ingredients for a successful food relief programme. The recent drought, however, highlighted high levels of vulnerability due to resource degradation, reduced employment opportunities and historically derived inequalities in access to agricultural resources. Drought impacts included increased malnutrition, disease and infant mortality, as well as the long-term loss of agricultural capital for large segments of the black smallholder sector. Sustainable agricultural development will require the reduction of drought vulnerability for millions of people living in semiarid and overcrowded labour reserves. This paper investigates the physical and socioeconomic components of drought vulnerability and impact in Zimbabwe. This is done by an analysis of the ‘Zimbabwe Herald’ for two years (1982-1983), through a series of interviews conducted in August 1983 in heavily impacted areas, and by collecting miscellaneous informational pieces from the local meteorological services. Bibliogr., notes, ref.