Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development

This paper describes the effects of the colonial and post-colonial land policies and legislation on the management and utilisation of natural woodlands in Malawi and Zimbabwe. The two countries share similar patterns of land ownership; customary or tribal trust land designated by colonial government...

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Main Authors: Mataya, C., Gondo, P., Kowero, G.S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2002
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18696
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author Mataya, C.
Gondo, P.
Kowero, G.S.
author_browse Gondo, P.
Kowero, G.S.
Mataya, C.
author_facet Mataya, C.
Gondo, P.
Kowero, G.S.
author_sort Mataya, C.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This paper describes the effects of the colonial and post-colonial land policies and legislation on the management and utilisation of natural woodlands in Malawi and Zimbabwe. The two countries share similar patterns of land ownership; customary or tribal trust land designated by colonial governments for settlement and cultivation by the indigeneous populations; private land mostly alienated from local communities for commercial farming and ranching; initially by white settlers and later officially sanctioned by post-colonial governments; and public land appropriated by governments for purposes of establishing national parks and forest reserves. The private and public land tenure, did not only reduce the size of land available to indigeneous communities for agricultural and non-agricultural activities, but also compromised the roles and power of traditional authorities in controlling and managing natural resources including miombo woodlands. The major factors, which appear to have contributed to rapid deforestation and land degradation, include increases in population pressure, poverty and failure by governments to urgently provide effective policy guidelines on land management and administration regarding the utilisation of forests and natural resources.
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spelling CGSpace186962025-01-24T14:20:47Z Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development Mataya, C. Gondo, P. Kowero, G.S. woodlands land use forests land policy land ownership legislation colonization deforestation land degradation This paper describes the effects of the colonial and post-colonial land policies and legislation on the management and utilisation of natural woodlands in Malawi and Zimbabwe. The two countries share similar patterns of land ownership; customary or tribal trust land designated by colonial governments for settlement and cultivation by the indigeneous populations; private land mostly alienated from local communities for commercial farming and ranching; initially by white settlers and later officially sanctioned by post-colonial governments; and public land appropriated by governments for purposes of establishing national parks and forest reserves. The private and public land tenure, did not only reduce the size of land available to indigeneous communities for agricultural and non-agricultural activities, but also compromised the roles and power of traditional authorities in controlling and managing natural resources including miombo woodlands. The major factors, which appear to have contributed to rapid deforestation and land degradation, include increases in population pressure, poverty and failure by governments to urgently provide effective policy guidelines on land management and administration regarding the utilisation of forests and natural resources. 2002 2012-06-04T09:08:42Z 2012-06-04T09:08:42Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18696 en Mataya, C., Gondo, P., Kowero, G.S. 2002. Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development . Zimbabwe Science News 36 (1+2) :18-27. ISSN: 1016-1503.
spellingShingle woodlands
land use
forests
land policy
land ownership
legislation
colonization
deforestation
land degradation
Mataya, C.
Gondo, P.
Kowero, G.S.
Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development
title Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development
title_full Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development
title_fullStr Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development
title_full_unstemmed Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development
title_short Evolution of land policies and legislation in Malawi and Zimbabwe: implications for forestry development
title_sort evolution of land policies and legislation in malawi and zimbabwe implications for forestry development
topic woodlands
land use
forests
land policy
land ownership
legislation
colonization
deforestation
land degradation
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18696
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