Excerpt
Ascent soil erosion survey in Zimbabwe, based on detailed analysis of nearly 8,500 aerial photographs, indicated that slightly more than 4.4 million acres (1.8 million hectares) of land was degraded, a conservative estimate given that erosion must be fairly advanced before it is clearly visible on photographs. The most extensive and severe erosion occurs within the Communal Lands or peasant farming areas, where some 3.8 million acres (1.53 million hectares) or 83 percent of the eroded land is located. In contrast, erosion in the commercial farming areas, which are characterized by large-scale farming enterprises (2,500 acres or more) owned or managed by Europeans, is more localized, accounting for only 670,000 acres (271,100 hectares).
Clearly, land tenure and population density are the most important factors influencing land degradation. In turn, these factors reflect the nature of the farming systems and the degree of pressure on resources.
Political, economic, and environmental factors have operated positively within the commercial farming sector to promote high standards of soil conservation. The situation in the peasant farming sector, however, has been one of neglect and disinterest, giving rise generally to low standards of conservation. Only since …
Footnotes
Richard Whitlow is senior lecturer in the Department of Geography, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box M.P. 167, Harare, Zimbabwe.
- Copyright 1988 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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