The changing remittance economy in Zimbabwe

These projects are established on parents’ land reform farms where surplus land and water can be put to good use. Diaspora sons and daughters may employ labourers to take care of the projects, but their parents must provide overall management. Profits are used to support the family home, as well as school fees for younger siblings, medical and funeral expenses.

Many diaspora children build houses and invest in all the mod-cons of town living, with solar electricity systems, flush toilets and the rest. Large TVs, nice sofas, sound systems and so on can be found in many people’s living rooms these days in houses with metal roofs, multiple rooms and fancy windows and doors.

As one of our informants commented, “the farms these days are like town. Solar, TVs, fridges. We invest in all this to lure our children home. We want them to come back and be involved in the farm.” 

At another farm in Masvingo district we were admiring the tall stands of irrigated maize and the considerable irrigation infrastructure around the homestead, including a new borehole, a water storage tank and drip irrigation in the field. Mrs M, a widow, explained that this was investment from her eldest son who after leaving college got jobs that allowed him to develop the farm. 

This is providing income for the whole family, including paying for school fees for the younger children. It is an impressive investment and, as Mrs M explains, she gets lots of visitors marvelling at the achievements. She is making significant profits now from the farm, but the start-up investment could not have happened without the remittances. She also points out that her son is keen on farming, and as he works locally comes often and is keen on taking over. 

This connection through investments is thus important for intergenerational transfer, as well as current investment. Even though the farms of the future will look very different to the ones of today (more well equipped, mechanised and intensive), the key thing for today’s farmers is to get their children (boys usually, but also girls) to take over the farm when they become old or die.

Of course, not everyone can get a well-paying job that allows for remittances home. In fact, the classic route of successful education leading to government jobs of the past no longer provides sufficient resources, as teachers, nurses, extension workers, clerks, even higher-level civil servants, get a salary that is barely sufficient for survival let alone providing surpluses to remit. 

Going abroad is no longer a certain route to surplus income either. The care jobs that many Zimbabweans end up in in the UK, for example, are low paid and, without wider support networks, diaspora families frequently struggle. The myth of great riches to be found in the UK, Canada, the US or elsewhere persists in Zimbabwe, encouraging people to leave and often resulting in resentments from those at home when funds are not forthcoming. 

As one informant from Matobo commented, “My husband’s brother’s son went to the UK. He went last year, but he’s already back. He was a nurse. He came back as it was so harsh there. The employment agents always exploit you, and it’s so difficult to look after families there, as there’s no help.”

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