INSTITUTIONS AND LAND USE PLANNING PROCESSES FOR ZIMBABWE'S COMMUNAL AGRICULTURE: A REVIEW OF EXPERIENCES

ABSTRACT This paper examines the development or evolution of land use planning approaches for Zimbabwe's communal agriculture and problems experienced in plan formulation and implementation with specific reference to the role of public institutions in facilitating or hindering the development process. It discusses the shortcomings and strengths of the identified planning systems. It is argued in this paper that new planning institutions have failed to effect their agricultural development plans in part due to their failure in acknowledging the important role of traditional leaders in regulating agricultural and grazing land resources. This fact has resulted in major conflicts between traditional authority and government institutions in the rural development process. The paper concludes by noting that for the development process to succeed in Zimbabwe there is a need to integrate activities of institutions at the national level with those of institutions at the village or community.