Marginal areas in Zimbabwe

• Large areas of Zimbabwe are marginal areas
• Marginal areas are mostly located in the lowveld in western and southern Zimbabwe (Matabeleland)
• These are regions where rainfall is low and unreliable
• Ground cover is poor
• This increases erosion and reduces soil fertility
• The local conditions are usually harsh
• Farming is risky and requires careful management if it is to succeed
• Game ranching is prefered in this areas as it is more profitable than alternatives
• Alternative activities include growing drought resistant crops such as millet and cattle ranching
• These areas have a low carrying capacity
• Carrying capacity-these are the number of animals/organisms that can live in a given area without damaging the ecosystem
• Limiting factors- the amount of finite resources in an area which keep the carrying capacity in check
• Culling can be used to reduce the number of animals when they exceed the carrying capacity

Problems of farming in marginal lands

• Low soil fertility
• Unreliable rainfall patterns
• Low rainfall
• Limiting factors such as space, shelter, water and food

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