Gender roles in agricultural knowledge in a land settlement context: the case of Mupfurudzi, Zimbabwe - Netsayi M Mudege

The present paper discusses the social construction and reconstruction of gender roles in relation to agricultural knowledge claims in a land resettlement area. Many women were politically active in the war of liberation where the land question dominated the agenda. However, at independence this question was framed in terms of race, and gender issues were sidelined. Despite the fact that women were not resettled in their own right, they are not simply victims of the system but manoeuvre within the system to gain advantages. This paper discusses strategies that women use to challenge the males in their families and the resultant confliicts and contradictions. It also discusses decision-making, investments and poverty as concepts and practices that can illuminate the gendering and gendered nauture of knowledge in resettlement schemes. Claims of knowledge by both men and women arei nn the final analysis claims to the owndership of household and famly resources.
From: Development Bank of South Africa, October 2008