Youth Migration as Climate Adaptation: The Chingwizi Experience

Since decades, climate change and environmental factors have played a key factor in people`s decision to migrate, including in Zimbabwe. By 2050, up to five percent of Africa’s population of around two billion people could be on the move due to the impacts of climate change. Considering that predictions highlight that by 2050 Africa’s youth population could reach up to 850 million, it is reasonable to assume that young people will be the most affected demographic group due to their high population composition. One could argue that human mobility, whether it is voluntary, forced or planned relocation, presents opportunities to reduce vulnerability and enhance the capacity of young people and communities to cope with, adapt and respond to climate change impacts, environmental degradation and disasters. This article explores how young people at Chingwizi resettlement in Zimbabwe deal with climate related challenges a decade after their displacement due to disaster. It also examines the potential of migration as an adaptation strategy for youth to cope with the overarching effects of climate change in line with the provisions of regional and international conventions such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, as well as the Kampala Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change. The issues discussed in this article emerged during a study on the livelihood coping strategies employed by internally displaced persons with disabilities undertaken at Chingwizi in partial fulfilment for the requirements of a Master of Science degree in Demography and Population Studies at Great Zimbabwe University by the lead author of this article.

Background: Setting the Context

In 2014, an estimated 2,230 families were displaced by floods as a result of the construction of the Tokwe-Mukosi dam in the Chivi District of Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe. The dam project was part of the government’s efforts to improve agriculture and food security in one of Zimbabwe’s dry regions which over the years has been severely affected by the impacts of climate change. Thus, the prolonged effects of climate change coupled with the Tokwe-Mukosi floods contributed towards increasing the vulnerability of the affected young people. In response to the disaster, the Government of Zimbabwe relocated and resettled the affected people at Chingwizi in Mwenezi District. The area, however, is already prone to the effects of climate change such as droughts and water shortages as well as other structural vulnerabilities which affects the socio-economic development of young people, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 35 years as a result of protracted displacement conditions.

Youth Experiences at Chingwizi: The Complex Interplay of Disaster, Climate & Environmental Attribution Challenges 

A decade after the Tokwe-Mukosi floods and displacement, young people at Chingwizi resettlement area are still being affected by the effects of displacement which have been exacerbated by the harsh impact of climate change. This emerged during general discussions and interviews held in the context of the research on the livelihood coping strategies of internally displaced persons with disabilities with over 25 young people of various ages between 15 and 35 years at Chingwizi in 2020. It was discovered that, young people at Chingwizi and their families are living in precarious conditions due to poor settlement conditions, lack of basic needs and sustainable support services. As a result, several young people were pessimistic about life.  

It also emerged that their families had not received any compensation, resulting in increased poverty and failure to own assets and other means of production to sustain their lives. Practical experiences among the youth at Chingwizi also reflected uncertainty as young people lament that their ambitions and life goals have been completely shattered due to lack of economic opportunities in the area.

The impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather conditions resulting in droughts and extremely high temperatures, water scarcity, and declining agricultural land and pastures for livestock, have also exacerbated the plight of the youth at Chingwizi, affecting their capacity to live meaningful lives and to have sustainable livelihoods as they are an ambitious economic and social productive age group. 

The combined effects of protracted displacement, climate change as well as environmental degradation is disproportionately affecting young men and women who bear the socio-economic responsibility of taking care of families through day to day activities that depend on the climate and environment such as farming, herding cattle, fetching water and firewood, among others.

The situation is even more difficult for those who were children in 2014 when the community was initially displaced. They are now young adults supporting their own families, with no access to land for agriculture hence they lack access to sustainable livelihoods and employment opportunities. They also lack government assistance, compensation, or access to their own land, which is vital for their livelihood.  

Migration as an Adaptation Strategy for Youth in the Context of Climate Change

Human mobility, either forced, planned or voluntary, presents opportunities that may aid resilience to climate change and serve as an adaptation measure in itself. Thus, beyond being victims, young people at Chingwizi are now harbingers of climate action championing climate resilience solutions including relocation as an adaptive approach.

Migration as an alternative source of livelihood and income for the youth

Faced with the challenges associated with disasters, displacement and the impacts of climate change, young people at Chingwizi are taking migration as an adaptation strategy. Some of them have moved from Chingwizi to nearby urban areas such as Masvingo and Chiredzi for employment and better economic opportunities, while others have settled for seasonal employment in the nearby Triangle Sugarcane farms. In these new areas, young people have access to income and they are able to send some money back home to support their families. Some have also acquired solar technologies for various energy needs at Chingwizi such as lighting and entertainment. Thus, migration can be viewed as an adaptation strategy for young people whose livelihoods are being threatened by the impacts of climate change, disasters and environmental degradation. 

Migration as an opportunity for enhancing youths and community resilience

Climate related migration can be an opportunity to promote the inclusion and participation of young people in enhancing community resilience against climate change. As a result of relocation, young people at Chingwizi have managed to acquire new knowledge, experiences and skills to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Through interaction with other people in the new settings, youth can adopt new innovative ways of production such as conservation farming, and incorporating nature-based solutions to climate adaption. Thus, young people can become more resilient to the changing climate. 

Youth capacity building through migration

Moreover, migration can also offer opportunities for the youth to learn about climate-related issues, develop entrepreneurial skills, and raise funds to help their communities enhance their adaptive and resilience strategies. They can also learn new green skills through vocational training which can also enhance their adaptation capacities. These are some of the positive outcomes of climate migration.

Conclusions

Disasters and climate change continue to reshape communities around the world, and their impacts are felt acutely by the most vulnerable, including young people. While the youth have been forced to migrate as a result of disasters and climate change impacts, the article has argued that despite the challenges, migration can be an adaptation strategy that offers simultaneous benefits for youth development and enhance climate resilience in line with the provisions of regional and international conventions such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, as well as the Kampala Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change. Hence, migration, whether forced or planned, can offer great opportunities for youth as a way of adapting to climate change. 
 

About the authors:

Tafadzwa Maganga is a development practitioner based in Zimbabwe with interests in youth and climate change issues. He has researched on youth movements in Africa, rural green infrastructure and climate adaptation, disability and internal displacement as well as rural development and renewable energy. Tafadzwa holds a M.Sc. in Demography and Population Studies from Great Zimbabwe University and a B.A in Development Studies from Midlands State University in Zimbabwe.    

Terrence Muvoti is a climate advocate and researcher based in Zimbabwe. His advocacy and research interests revolve around international climate and environmental policy; climate justice; sustainable communities; gender and human rights within the context of climate change and the legal and policy solutions therein. Terrence is also passionate about Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) with a particular focus on youth and vulnerable populations such as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). He holds a M.Sc. in Public Policy and Governance from Africa University; B.A Political Science from the University of Zimbabwe; B.A in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy; and a Certificate in Climate Reality Leadership Corps from the Climate Reality Project led by former US Vice President Al Gore.

This article is part of the IOM Blog Series: Youth Voices on Migration, Environment and Climate Change

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