Sebungwe Regional Concept Plan
The Sebungwe Regional Concept Plan was a regional land-use and development planning framework prepared in the early 1980s for the Sebungwe Region of north-western Zimbabwe. The plan was produced by the Zimbabwe government’s Department of Physical Planning as part of an effort to guide coordinated settlement, agricultural development, conservation, and infrastructure planning in the area south of Lake Kariba.[1][2]
The Sebungwe area overlapped Binga, Gokwe North District, Nyaminyami District, and Kariba District and was associated with early wildlife-based development planning, including groundwork for the CAMPFIRE programme.[3]
Background
The legal basis for coordinating regional planning in Zimbabwe was provided by the Regional Town and Country Planning Act (1976), which required the preparation of regional plans to guide land use and development.[4] However, prior to the preparation of the Sebungwe Regional Concept Plan, development in the Sebungwe area was characterised by fragmented administrative control, limited infrastructure, and competing land uses involving communal agriculture, wildlife conservation, forestry, and commercial interests.
The region had historically been sparsely populated but experienced increasing settlement pressure during the mid-20th century, particularly following the construction of the Kariba Dam and the expansion of communal areas in the former Tribal Trust Lands.[5]
The Sebungwe area was therefore identified as a priority zone for coordinated regional planning to address land degradation, human–wildlife conflict, and uneven service provision.
Objectives
The Sebungwe Regional Concept Plan sought to:
- establish a coherent regional land-use framework;
- balance agricultural expansion with wildlife conservation;
- guide settlement patterns and infrastructure development;
- promote sustainable use of natural resources in a semi-arid environment;
- reduce land-use conflicts between communal areas, protected areas, and forestry zones.[6]
Geographic scope
The plan defined the Sebungwe Region as the area south of Lake Kariba within the Zambezi Valley, incorporating:
- communal lands used for subsistence agriculture and livestock grazing;
- protected areas including Matusadona National Park and Chizarira National Park;
- safari areas such as Chirisa Safari Area and Chete Safari Area;
- forested uplands including the Mapfungautsi Plateau and Mapfungautsi State Forest.[6]
Planning approach
The Concept Plan adopted an integrated regional approach rather than district-based planning. It recognised Sebungwe as a single functional landscape shaped by river systems such as the Munyati River (also known as the Sanyati) and the Ngondoma River, and by ecological linkages between upland plateaus and valley floors.
Land was broadly zoned into areas for conservation, agriculture, forestry, and settlement, with emphasis on maintaining ecological connectivity between protected areas while supporting rural livelihoods.
Implementation and legacy
Although formally adopted, implementation of the Sebungwe Regional Concept Plan was limited due to institutional constraints, funding shortages, and subsequent administrative reorganisation. By the late 20th century, the Sebungwe area had been subdivided into smaller administrative districts, notably Gokwe North District and Gokwe South District, reducing the influence of regional-level planning.[5]
Despite this, the plan remains an important historical reference for later conservation and development initiatives, including landscape-scale conservation efforts associated with the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.
See also
References
- ↑ Scudder, Thayer (1982). Regional planning for people, parks and wildlife in the northern portion of the Sebungwe Region, Zimbabwe (PDF) (Report). Institute for Development Anthropology (Working Paper No. 95).
- ↑ Wekwete, K. (1989). Planning Laws for Urban and Regional Planning in Zimbabwe: A Review (PDF). Department of Rural & Urban Planning, University of Zimbabwe (RUP Occasional Paper No. 20). Search this book on
- ↑ Chigonda, T. (2018). "More than Just Story Telling: A Review of Biodiversity Conservation and Utilisation from Precolonial to Postcolonial Zimbabwe". PMC: 1–11. doi:10.1155/2018/6214318. PMC 6120266. PMID 30210897.
- ↑ "Regional Town and Country Planning Act, Chapter 29:12". Zimbabwe Legal Information Institute. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chigara, Benviolent (2013). "An Analysis of the Effects of Piecemeal Planning in Zimbabwe" (PDF). Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sebungwe Region: Sebungwe Regional Concept Plan. Department of Physical Planning, Government of Zimbabwe. 1981. Search this book on
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