Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

(Darren Dugan) #1
Chapter 14

Palm utilisation for basketry in


Xini Ward, Sengwe communal areas,


Zimbabwe


Phosiso Sola^1

ABSTRACT
People living in the south-eastern lowveld of Zimbabwe have utilized and
managed the palm, Hyphaene petersiana Klotzsch, since time immemorial. In
Sengwe the palm grows in the wild, especially in the flood plains of the Mwenezi
and Maose rivers. This paper seeks to document and assess the performance
of the basket industry in Sengwe Communal Areas.
The data presented in this paper were collated from reports based on
various independent studies conducted in this area from 1993 to 1999 but are
mainly based on the findings of an M.Sc. thesis completed by the author in


  1. A further study was also conducted in 2001.
    In 2001, the basket industry contributed 20% to annual household income
    representing an annual income of US$21 from basket sales compared to US$14.8
    in 1998. To date, the industry has not resulted in visible impacts on the resource
    base. Major changes have been experienced in areas of social organisation
    and trade facilitated by various research and rural development institutions.
    This case study therefore has demonstrated that, with support, community-
    based industries can be viable.


INTRODUCTION

Hyphaene petersiana in southern Africa
The basketry industry has been growing in most countries in southern Africa.
This has come about due to both economic hardships aggravated by persistent

Common names Part of the Management Degree of Scale of Geographic
resource used transformation trade range
Ilala palm, Ilala Leaves Wild Medium International Medium

14PALM.P65 245 22/12/2004, 11:05

Free download pdf