Vakai Matutu

Drought and Household Vulnerability in Rural Zimbabwe: Government Drought Mitigation Interventions in the Context of Household Social Vulnerability Vakai Matutu

Droughts induced household food insecurity in Zimbabwe has presented new complex political, social and economic challenges threatening national security and peace in addition to development and growth of the economy in the context of social vulnerability of labour constrained households. Free Food Distribution has been the most common approach of mitigating food insecurity among labour constrained households in times of drought. Coping with the effects of drought has not only proved to be a mammoth task for the government but a complicated mix of policy, strategy, capacity and political will. The research is a case study using mixed methods to examine the complications of household food security and mitigating effects of drought in labour constrained households in rural Zimbabwe at the same time examining the social construction of vulnerability by labour constrained households, role of state and non -state actors. The resilience and coping mechanisms of labour constrained households are also extensively examined in the context of household food security.