Research Article

Diversifying Livelihoods under Constraints: On-Farm and Off-Farm Strategies in Irisvale, Umzingwane District, Zimbabwe

Phumuzani Mpofu 1 * , Tinos Toindepi Mabeza 2
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1 School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa2 Women's University in Africa, Harare P.O. Box MP 1222, Zimbabwe* Corresponding Author
International Journal of Social Sciences and Artistic Innovations, 6(3), September 2026, 30-38, https://doi.org/10.35745/ijssai2026v06.03.0013
Submitted: 24 February 2026, Published: 29 September 2026
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ABSTRACT

This study examines how women in Irisvale Resettlement Area, Umzingwane District, Zimbabwe, navigate structural, environmental, and socio-economic constraints through diversified livelihood strategies. Drawing on the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, Sen's Capability Approach, and Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), the research explores how on-farm and off-farm activities enhance household resilience, economic agency, and social influence. Guided by a transformative paradigm, a qualitative phenomenological design was employed, involving focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and key informant consultations with 38 participants. Findings reveal that limited access to land, credit, markets, and recurrent droughts constrain agricultural productivity, compelling women to engage in complementary non-farm activities such as petty trading, cross-border commerce, gold panning, and migration for remittances. Participants highlighted that, despite recurring shocks, diversification enabled them to sustain household consumption, invest in children's education, and participate in community networks. Drivers of diversification included education, access to technology, social capital, economic incentives, and gendered household roles. Social networks, alliances, and informal savings schemes emerged as critical mediators, translating human and financial resources into tangible outcomes. The study demonstrates that livelihood diversification in Irisvale functions not only as a survival strategy but also as a mechanism for expanding women's capabilities, renegotiating power relations, and enhancing agency within constrained socio-economic systems. Policy interventions should prioritize market access, gender-responsive financial inclusion, support for informal sector activities, and investment in education and low-cost technologies to foster equitable, sustainable, and resilient livelihoods.
Keywords: Livelihood diversification, Women's agency, Smallholder farming, Off-farm activities, Zimbabwe, Cultural historical activity theory

CITATION (APA)

Mpofu, P., & Mabeza, T. T. (2026). Diversifying Livelihoods under Constraints: On-Farm and Off-Farm Strategies in Irisvale, Umzingwane District, Zimbabwe. International Journal of Social Sciences and Artistic Innovations, 6(3), 30-38. https://doi.org/10.35745/ijssai2026v06.03.0013

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