By Thabisani Dube
In the golden fields of Zimbabwe, women rise before dawn to sow seeds and harvest crops, their labour vital to the nation’s food systems. Yet, despite their hard work, they do not own the land they till. This contradiction lies at the heart of a growing movement among Zimbabwean women demanding ownership, autonomy, and justice.
As the sun rises over Cross Dete, a small trading centre in Hwange district, Beatina Ncube arranges fresh vegetables at her stall. Each vibrant piece of produce reflects her tireless efforts, but a deeper truth lingers. “Women would contribute more if they had their own land to till,” Ncube says. “Most farms that perform well have women providing the labour, but we do not own the land—we are simply working on it.”
Ncube relies on produce from male-owned farms, and when those supplies dwindle, her business halts. “If we had our own land, we could grow our own crops and sell them directly,” she explains. “We wouldn’t be at the mercy of someone else’s harvest.” Her story resonates across the country, where entrepreneurial women struggle to build livelihoods on land they cannot claim.
Zimbabwe’s land ownership patterns stem from colonial policies that favoured male landholders. Even after the country gained independence in 1980, customary laws continued to prioritise male inheritance. Women remain reliant on husbands, fathers, or brothers for access to land. The Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in the early 2000s aimed to redistribute land from white commercial farmers to landless black Zimbabweans, but only 15 per cent of beneficiaries were women, according to a 2022 report by Feminist Africa. Feminist Africa is a continental gender studies journal produced by the community of feminist scholars. Today, 90 per cent of communal land is owned by men, leaving many women legally invisible as they pay land taxes under male names.
Organisations like Women and Land in Zimbabwe (WLiZ) are striving to change this narrative. Active in 23 districts, WLiZ trains rural women in agriculture and advocacy. “We start by training women in advocacy,” says Gloria Makahwi, the organisation’s spokesperson. “Many begin by acquiring land as groups. Over time, some go further—eventually securing land in their own names.”
WLiZ also establishes irrigation schemes and community gardens, enabling women to farm collectively and directly benefit from their labour. However, Makahwi emphasises that access is just the beginning. “When we say access, we mean full access,” she stresses. “That includes decision-making and control over profits. Without ownership, there’s no real empowerment.”
To combat deep-rooted patriarchy, WLiZ conducts male engagement campaigns, encouraging men to support women’s land rights. “We’ve had some buy-in from men,” she says. “But customary practices still hold us back. That’s our greatest challenge.”
The Zimbabwe Women’s Bureau (ZWB) complements these efforts with legal literacy and grassroots mobilisation, aiming to dismantle barriers that exclude women from land ownership. “Land is a critical economic resource,” says Melody Gwangwara, ZWB’s communications officer. “We cannot talk about women’s empowerment without addressing ownership.”
ZWB has trained over 5,000 women on land rights, many of whom have successfully applied for land, received government offer letters, or won inheritance disputes. The Bureau collaborates closely with traditional leaders and policymakers to ensure gender issues are included in national policy.
One progressive leader, Chief Wait Gwesela of Zhombe in the Midlands Province, advocates for equitable land ownership. “Land belongs to both husband and wife,” he says. “If the husband dies, the land should remain with the wife and children.”
Despite these advocacy efforts, progress remains slow. The Communal Lands Act is under revision, but the draft remains unpublished. “Unfortunately, the draft Act is still not public,” Makahwi says. “We’ve engaged the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, but it’s stuck in limbo.”
A recent government land audit revealed that very few women own land under the A2 resettlement schemes, while title deeds continue to be issued mostly to men. “This move entrenches inequality,” warns Makahwi. “It formalises exclusion with paperwork.” In communal areas, women often pay land tax under male names, further rendering them invisible.
Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development supports women through the Women’s Development Fund and the Zimbabwe Women Microfinance Bank, with over 70 per cent of loans going to women-led agricultural projects. “We’ve invested in poultry, horticulture, and livestock,” says Julia Mapungwana, director of programme management. “But without secure land rights, these efforts remain vulnerable.”
Value-addition centres, such as a fruit processing plant in Honde Valley and a textile hub in Bulawayo, also help women access markets. Still, Mapungwana acknowledges, “There’s no formal quota for women in land allocation. Patriarchy still dominates. We’re lobbying for change, but enforcement is weak.”
Back in Cross Dete, Ncube remains hopeful. “If women had land, they would produce more to support the national basket,” she says. “Women can do wonders if given support.”
Empowering women with land isn’t just a matter of fairness; it’s vital for food security, inclusive growth, and national resilience. Ownership is the missing link. Until it is secured, Zimbabwe’s women will continue to till land they cannot call their own.
