Indigenous Fruits and Rural Livelihoods in Zimbabwe : The Case of Uapaca Kirkiana(Mazhanje) in Chishawasha Communal Area

This study sought to explain how indigenous fruits such as Uapaca Kirkiana can be used to improve rural livelihoods.The descriptive survey method was used as the research design. The study showed that there is lack of devolution of power in decision making to local communities and therefore the unsustainable methods of harvesting Uapaca Kirkiana. This has led to reduced rural livelihoods. The study recommends that communities should be granted genuine proprietorship of resources that is the right to use resources, determine mode of usage, benefit fully from use, determine the distribution of such benefits and determine rules of access. Finally it is recommended that further research be undertaken in order to establish the possibility of domesticating indigenous fruit trees in local communities with the aim of enhancing rural livelihoods.