An Ethnography of Knowledge: The Production of Knowledge in Mupfurudzi Resettlement Scheme, Zimbabwe

251 Pages·2007·3.247 MB·English

by  Netsayi Noris Mudege

An Ethnography of Knowledge
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Afrika-Studiecentrum Series
In collaboration with SAVUSA
(South Africa – Vrije Universiteit – Strategic Alliances)
Series Editor
Dr. Harry Wels
Vrije Universiteit , The Netherlands
Editorial Board
Prof. Bill Freund (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)
Dr. Lungisile Ntsebeza (University of Cape Town, South Africa)
Prof. John Sender (School for Oriental and African Studies, United Kingdom)
Prof. Bram van de Beek (Vrije Universiteit, the Netherlands)
Dr. Marja Spierenburg (Vrije Universiteit, the Netherlands)
VOLUME 11
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An Ethnography of Knowledge
The Production of Knowledge in Mupfurudzi
Resettlement Scheme, Zimbabwe
By
Netsayi Noris Mudege
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2008
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Photo cover: Delivering cotton bales to the Cotton Company’s depot.
Photo by the author.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
A C.I.P. record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISSN 1570-9310
ISBN 978 90 04 16168 9
Copyright 2008 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing,
IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher.
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provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center,
222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA.
Fees are subject to change.
printed in the netherlands
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Contents

List of tables, figures, maps and photos vii
Acknowledgements viii
Abbreviations and acronyms ix

1 Knowledge, resettlement and farming 1
Introduction 1
The history of agriculture and agricultural knowledge
in Zimbabwe 5
A brief background on land resettlement 17
Study villages 23
Governance 25
Organisation of the book 27
2 Investigating knowledge 33
Introduction 33
Approaches to knowledge 34
Reflections 37
Knowledge in context 40
The research and the book 49
Concepts 53
From knowledge to specialised ignorance 71
Conclusion 72
3 The research context 73
Introduction 73
The history of farming in Mudzinge and Muringamombe 74
A brief background of sample households 76
Institutions 80
Religion 93
Concluding remarks 99
4 Farmers’ knowledge and sustainable innovation:
Experiments and observation 101
Introduction 101
Experimentation 102
Observation 114
Conclusion 121
v
5 Magic, witchcraft, religion and knowledge 123
Introduction 123
Magic 127
Religion 142
Discussion 160
Conclusion 163
6 Field days: Knowledge dissemination and
entertainment 167
Introduction 167
Field days and agricultural knowledge 169
Why people attended field days 174
Conclusion 192
7 Knowledge and practice: Men, women and children 195
Introduction 195
Knowledge dissemination and formal channels 198
Conclusion 210
8 Conclusion 213

References 221
Index 235

vi
List of tables, figures, maps and photos

Tables
2.1 Calculation of wealth 58
2.2 Land available to various social categories (in acres) 60
3.1 Percentage of land sown with new varieties by type of new variety by
year, Mupfurudzi 75

Figures
3.1 Acreage planted to maize, Mupfurudzi 76

Maps
0.1 Zimbabwe locating Shamva x
0.2 The location of the Shamva District in Mashonaland Central Province
as well as the location of Mupfurudzi resettlement Scheme xi

Photos
3.1 Behind the two women is Mr Karidza’s gota where maize is kept to
dry before shelling 73
3.2 Delivering cotton bales to the Cotton Company’s depot 74
4.1 Cow dying of black leg 101
4.2 Cattle vaccination exercise by farmers in Muringamombe 102
6.1 Mr Kadungure, the host of the field day in Magazi, explaining to other
farmers with his two wives standing by his side 168
6.2 A women’s choir club at a field day 169
7.1 Mupandasekwa’s nephew’s wife shelling groundnuts with her two
daughters 195
7.2 Father and son helping each other to smear paraffin on chickens to get
rid of ticks 196

vii
Acknowledgements

This book was an outcome of the cooperation of different people and
organisations. I would like to offer my thanks to the WOTRO scholarship
fund without which this work would not have been possible. Many thanks go
to Prof. N. Long and Dr. P. Hebinck whom I worked with while in the
Netherlands. Prof. Long patiently read my drafts, commented and encou-
raged me to strive for better. Dr. Hebinck never tired of reading all drafts,
giving insightful comments and visited me in the field to make sure I was on
track and proceeding as planned. Back home Prof. M.F.C. Bourdillon
deserves special mention for reading all my drafts, editing and offering
valuable comments, and most of all for having faith in me. I also thank Bill
Kinsey for being generous with his panel data on the Mupfurudzi resettle-
ment scheme. Many thanks go to Prof. Geschiere and Prof. Murray and Dr.
C. Leeuwis for reading my original thesis and making useful comments.
I also would like to make a special mention of my sample households. It
was a long process that required dedication and understanding from all of us.
C. Mavheneke, M. Karuru, M. Jumbi, M. Mushaninga, M. Gwati, P.
Mademo (Tembo), C. Chari, R. Mutyavaviri, D. Seda, D. Maronje, W.
Karidza, J. Ngorima, D. Chenjera and E. Mupandasekwa. Thank you! I
would also like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Zvorwadza for providing me with a
home and a family whilst in the field, and Mr. E. Chidembo, F. Banda, and
D. Bwana of Madziwa Mines for providing me with accommodation during
the difficult times.
A special dedication goes to my father and mother who always advised
me to study to gain knowledge, but to observe and listen to gain wisdom. I
found this advice useful in the course of my study. My only hope is that I
managed to gain both knowledge and wisdom.
viii
Abbreviations and acronyms

NGO Non-Governmental Organisation
CIAT International Centre for Tropical Agriculture
CIMMYT International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre
ZANU (PF) Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front)
MDC Movement for Democratic Change
AGRITEX Agriculture and Extension
AFC Agricultural Finance Cooperation
AGRIBANK Agricultural Bank
VIDCO Village Development Committee
IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute
ITK Indigenous Technical Knowledge
TOT Transfer of Technology
ANC African National Congress
HYV High Yielding Varieties of Maize
CAMPFIRE Communal Areas Programme for indigenous Resources
COTTCO Cotton Company of Zimbabwe
HIV Human Immuno Virus
AIDS Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome
SEEDCO Seed Company Zimbabwe
GMB Grain Marketing Board
CMB Cotton Marketing Board
ZTA Zimbabwe Tobacco Association
DERUDE Department of Rural Development
DA District Administrator
PGR Plant Genetic Resource Management
LSCF Large Scale Commercial Farms

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