Conflicts in utilization of land resources in Zimbabwe

The peri-urban poor have limited options of gaining livelihoods and often times the only resource that is at their disposal is the land. Due to large numbers of people utilizing land and given the limited amount of land,conflicts are bound to rise. These conflicts occur between the peri-urban poor themselves or against local authorities and central government environmental agencies mandated to protect these land resources. The purpose of this book is to show in greater detail the consequences of building sand collection, quarrying and gardening carried out in Epworth (Zimbabwe), showing both the positive and negative effects of the activities. Voices of the poor who engage in these activities were tapped and recorded including what compels them to act in the way they do. Alternative sustainable ways of earning a living and conserving the environment were explored in this book. To stakeholders such as NGOs and the civil society seeking to alleviate the situation, this study acts as a stepping-stone on how to work around the problem. Authorities that manage land will understand the extent and context of the problem and ways of alleviating conflicts were also explored.