CCMT Programme:

Developing Policies that Cushion Rural Communities from Development Induced Displacements

CCMT is advocating for the development of national and local level policies that protect rural communities from the adverse effects of displacement, where part or all of the land they occupy for communal, residential and agricultural purposes is required by authorities for development purposes.

The policies for which CCMT is advocating, must provide for minimum requirements for an effective relocation process, which balances the interests of government to bring development, and the rights of the affected communities to a fair compensation. It is only through such a win-win situation that conflicts emanating from development induced displacements are minimised.

CCMT has realised that such conflicts have, in several instances, actually stood in the way of development. The policies for which CCMT is advocating must also provide for improved tenure systems, both on communal and agricultural land, so that the occupants of such land’s bargaining power for compensation, in instances where they have to cede part or all of their land to pave way for development, is strengthened.

In order to convince policy makers that development induced displacement is a key driver of conflict that warrants their serious attention, CCMT collects empirical data on development induced displacements and presents it to the policy makers, demonstrating how big the problem is locally, regionally and internationally. Such empirical data also includes international best practices on the subject.

CCMT facilitates processes where government, private sector, academics, parastatals and civil society who have an interest in the subject, interrogate the existing laws, policies and practices on development induced displacements, with a view to identifying gaps which need strengthening.

To amplify its voice on the subject matter, CCMT has mobilised other civil society organisations who have an interest in development induced displacement work, to form a working group at national level so that advocacy efforts can be synergised.

• The development of policy blueprints on development induced displacements for use by local authorities in the Midlands Province. 7 local authorities from the Midlands Province have adopted the policy blueprint and are using it.

• Publication of a research paper titled 'Challenges to Compensation and Relocation of Communities displaced by development projects in Zimbabwe'.

• CCMT is collaborating with the Midlands State University to publish a book on development induced displacements as way of generating knowledge on the subject matter.

• CCMT has built consensus amongst government (both the executive and legislature), private sector, academia, civil society and traditional traditional leaders on the need for the development of a national policy on development induced displacements. The development of such a policy, under the facilitation of CCMT, is underway.

• The building of the capacities of rural communities in the Midlands province to bargain for fair compensation before relocations.

CCMT Programme: Improved Irrigation/Agricultural Productivity Through Conflict Transformation
Under this project, CCMT is using conflict transformation and organisation development to improve food security in 14 communities of Irrigation Schemes in Vungu and Mberengwa Districts in the Midlands Province.

The project was inspired by the realisation that the Irrigation Schemes were failing in their objective to improve food security and alleviate poverty, as they either failed to meet the expected productivity levels, or in some cases have failed to function at all due to conflicts.

The set- up within Irrigation Schemes is such that they bring together people from various social, cultural, political and economic backgrounds with different interests and needs; this therefore creates a heightened potential for conflict. In view of the above, efforts towards ensuring improved productivity, improved food security and poverty alleviation, should go beyond just availing tangible livelihood capitals, but should focus on the transformation of structures and processes that create barriers to the functionality and production in irrigation schemes.

The project is doing this through strengthening cohesion amongst the Irrigation Scheme community stakeholders, to enable them to work to together, capacity development of Irrigation Management Committees and District Irrigation Management Committees to enable them to coordinate and support farmers growth, and facilitating marketing linkages for the farmers to improve their incomes.

Key Activities:

• Conflict transformation - training and establishment of dialogue platforms

• Leadership - training, coaching, exposure visits

• Financial management - training, coaching, exposure visits

• Post-harvest handling - training, coaching, exposure visits

• Agriculture marketing - training and agriculture fairs

• Contract farming - training and support

• Team building - sessions for the team

• Development of constitutions and strategic plans in four Irrigation Schemes

• Resuscitation of District Irrigation Management Committee in Vungu and Mberengwa District

• Development of Constitutions for the two District Irrigation Management Committees and two Strategic Plans

• 502 farmers from four Irrigation Schemes gained knowledge in conflict transformation, leadership and organisation development

• 100 farmers from two Irrigation Schemes gained knowledge in post-harvest loss management, financial management and contract farming

• CCMT-supported Irrigation Schemes excelled in the 2018 and 2019 National Irrigation Scheme competitions

• Increased income for the Irrigation Schemes supported by CCMT by 25 percent since the project started.

• Resuscitation of 1071 Village Development Structures in Gokwe South District, ensuring that there is at least one woman and one youth representative in each VIDCO. VIDCOs are local government structures from where the District Development Plan, which informs Council budgeting, in addition to budget consultation meetings, originate. By participating in these structures, women and youth are setting the agenda for development in the district. Youth and women's participation in VIDCOs also guarantees their inclusion in WADCOs.

• Increased transparency and accountability by local authorities: As a result of this project, both the Gokwe South Rural District Council and Gokwe Town Council regularly update the citizens in general, and the youth and women in particular, on their annual budgets, the actual funds received vis a vis what was budgeted for annually, and challenges thereof, how much funds were used and for what purpose, how much funds were not used and why. The updates are given throughout the year and they have helped the youth and women to hold their local authorities accountable.

• Increased participation of youth and women in the local development process: Through participating in VIDCOs, Village Assemblies, WADCOs, Ward Assemblies, Budget Consultation Meetings, Budget Feedback Meetings and Full Council Meetings, women and youths are now able to make sure that women/youth specific development priorities are on the agenda of local authorities.

CCMT Programme: Protecting Economic and Environmental Rights of Mining Host Communities in Zvishavane District

In the mineral rich district of Zvishavane in the Midlands Province, CCMT is implementing a project which seeks to ensure that mining host communities benefit from the extractive processes taking place in their areas.

To do this, CCMT has built the capacities of mining host communities in the district to defend their economic and environmental rights, to advocate for mines and minerals policies that are responsive to their development needs, and to engage mining companies and other stakeholders in the mineral value chain.

CCMT is also working to support the participation of women, youths and other vulnerable groups amongst the mining host communities to get access to mining claims, register these claims, access capital to finance operations on the claims and to bargain for fair prices for their mining produce.

CCMT also supports advocacy initiatives taken by mining host communities in defence of their environmental and economic rights. Such initiatives include, among other things, protecting their farm land from mining activities, curbing mining related violence which makes the sector unsafe for women, rehabilitation of open pits which endanger humans and livestock, engaging mining companies on corporate social responsibility, advocating for the crafting of mines and minerals policies that are responsive to mining host communities’ development needs, and formalisation of artisanal and small scale miners which is dominated by mining host communities.

To promote environmentally friendly mining practices, CCMT is collaborating with the Environmental Management Authority, Runde Rural District Council and other stakeholders whose mandates include environmental protection.

• Successfully advocating for the development of a Safety and Environment Policy by Runde Rural District Council;

• Organising mining host communities in 6 wards of Runde Rural District Council into representative structures which lead community advocacy initiatives and engage with all relevant stakeholders in the mineral value chain, including mining companies on local community development;

• Spearheading the rehabilitation of open pits by the responsible mining companies;

• Successfully defending farm land from encroachment by mining activities;

• Assisting women to register mining claims.