Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

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

1998. 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

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