From Economic Development to Local Economic Growth: Income Generating Projects in Nkayi District, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The paper explores the potentials and challenges of adopting local economic development (LED) in Nkayi district. It discusses the economic activities that have been adopted by the citizens of the Nkayi district in bid to create employment and sustainable sources of livelihoods. The paper further questions the role of development institutions in the Nkayi district in promoting business-enabling environment. The research employed purposive sampling.Data was gathered through questionnaire, key informant interviews and observation in Nkayi district. Research revealed that Nkayi citizens are engaged in various Income generating projects using locally available resources. There is a general lack of concerted effort by the development actors in Nkayi district to work towards LED related. This could be attributed to the fact that Zimbabwe as a whole has not adopted LED as a development strategy. Nkayi is endowed with many natural resources that can be intelligently exploited for the betterment of the community, however, it is faced with challenges in achieving LED as a district. The paper concludes that there is a need for the government of Zimbabwe to shift from a sectoral approach to development and adopt a region specific approach to development.