Life after landmines: land and livelihoods in northeast Zimbabwe

Image © The HALO Trust

In 2021, the remote border village of Chisecha, four hours north of Harare in Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe, hosted a landmark moment in the country’s demining efforts.

Chisecha is located in a heavily mined part of the country. Its children used to have to cross a minefield to get to school. Yet this district of Mount Darwin has become the first on the border with Mozambique to be declared mine-free. In an emotional ceremony, the land was handed back to the local community.

The handover of the newly demined land in Chisecha isn’t the end of the story. When land is returned to the stewardship of local communities, they are free to forge hopeful futures with improved livelihoods.

“We will be able to expand our plot by another hectare or two so we can grow a cash crop,” says Sarudzai Kamoyo, a mother to three sons who lives next to land that was recently demined in 2019. “With one more hectare we can make around 200 dollars per harvest, which would allow us to buy domestic products and pay for school fees much more easily.”¹

The work of The HALO Trust – the international humanitarian demining charity whose local teams have destroyed more than 235,000 mines in Zimbabwe since 2013² – doesn’t end when land is declared safe. HALO has been making sure that local men and women employed on demining projects have also been learning transferrable literacy, language, numeracy, accounting, and IT skills.

“We’re working with local organisations to pilot training schemes for staff and local communities,” says James Cowan, CEO of HALO. The schemes support their career progression within the Trust, as well as their long-term job prospects beyond HALO.

Land is precious in the Mount Darwin district, and every acre is needed to raise cattle and grow crops. This is why, as land opens up, regenerative agriculture techniques can truly help it thrive.

“Small farms built alongside remote minefield camps provide ongoing training in sustainable and regenerative farming practices for camp staff,” says James. “This approach allows soil, water, nutrients, and other natural resources to recover naturally, thereby improving biodiversity and boosting harvests. It also helps rural communities become more resilient – both financially and in response to changes in the climate.”

Two Zimbabwean organisations are working to improve food and financial security in Mount Darwin’s and Mutoko farming communities. One of the organisations is the Agricultural Partnerships Trust (APT), which was formed in 2010 to support the development of rural communities in Zimbabwe, with a focus on smallholder agriculture. APT has trained more than 150 smallholders in Mount Darwin in regenerative farming methods. Local farmers now have access to mechanised equipment like two-wheel tractors, which reduce the need to till the soil. Farmers have also learned how to plant, harvest, bale, and store fodder. “We’re helping to improve farming methods, reduce labour, and improve cattle health, which all increases earnings,” says director Michael Dawes. “APT has also been supporting local communities to start businesses, including a community-owned dairy scheme and a wild fruits processing venture.”

For the first time since the 1970s, Mount Darwin is free from the fear of landmines, and at last its communities can look towards the future. Livelihoods are starting to thrive once again, and as rural communities transform, new micro-businesses pop up to meet their needs, including animal care, fodder supply, and dairy marketing. With 20 new saving and lending schemes, farmers can plan for and invest in future years’ yields.

The second organisation is the Zimbabwe Women’s Bureau (ZWB). Although it is not working on demined land, the organisation is working to advance the rights and socio-economic empowerment of local women. Its programmes promote regenerative agriculture, food security, and sustainable livelihoods.

For example, in neighbouring Mashonaland East Province, on five hectares once abandoned to drought, ZWB supports a cooperative of 36 women farmers who are bringing the land back to life.

Two boreholes and a solar-powered water pump support the Women’s Agroecological Garden, and the women looking after the garden have learned techniques such as crop rotation, composting, mulching, and drip-irrigation to minimise erosion, improve fertility, and conserve water.

The women have been making an income from selling vegetables since late 2024, helping them to pay school fees and become financially independent. They have just secured a one-year contract to grow chillis, and found ways to add market value to raw products, such as solar driers for fruits like banana and mango.

“The women are excited to be doing this work,” says Ronika Mumbire, executive director of ZWB. “The women are working hand-in-hand with nature to create a food production system that’s sustainable for future generations, through unity, hard work, and a deep connection to the land.”

The combined efforts of APT and ZWB are making a positive impact on several fronts. Sustainable farming practices along with locally adapted livestock breeds and drought resistant crops are improving farmers’ success rates and their family’s food security. Deforestation is reduced and biodiversity improved, as communities with diverse livelihoods have less need to cut down trees to make charcoal for cooking, or to hunt illegal bushmeat.

Oak supports projects in northeast Zimbabwe by The HALO Trust, Zimbabwe Women’s Bureau, and the Agricultural Partnerships Trust via our Zimbabwe Programme, which funds local organisations involved in supporting the hopes and aspirations of Zimbabweans, particularly those furthest from opportunity.

References:

^{1: The HALO Trust. Saving and Transforming Lives in Zimbabwe. 2 November 2023. Available at: halotrust.org/news/transforming lives-in-zimbabwe/ (Accessed 23 February 2026).
2: The HALO Trust. Zimbabwe. Available at: halotrust.org/where-we-work/ africa/zimbabwe/ (Accessed 23 February 2026).}