“Critical Zones are defined as the thin layer of the Earth’s surface where rock, soil, water, air, and life interact to sustain ecosystems and human life (Brantley et al., 2016).” Understanding and managing these zones are essential for environmental sustainability, particularly in regions facing significant socio-ecological challenges.

From the 22nd to the 26th of June 2025, Dr Lwando Mdleleni, Dr Kwanele Qonono, Dr Mmakotsedi Magampa (Impact Assessment and Evaluation), and Dr Wilfred Lunga (DCES) from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) participated in the Critical Zone Africa (CZA) stakeholder and community engagement at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ). The CZA project is a collaborative initiative involving multiple stakeholders, universities, and institutions, including the University of Cape Town (South Africa), Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources – LUANAR (Malawi), the University of Zimbabwe, and the HSRC.

During their visit, the HSRC team met with the key stakeholders, including PhD students, research experts, and people’s representatives.

HSRCs (Dr Lwando Mdleleni, Dr Kwanele Qonono, Dr Mmakotsedi Magampa, and Dr Wilfred Lunga); University of Zimbabwe team (Prof Billy Mukamuri, Prof Phillip Nyamugafata, Dr Conillious Gwatirisa, Mr Danmore Matutu, Ms Queen Linda Chinozvina, Mr Phenias Sadondo, Mr Matthew Maya and Lindani Nkiwane); Program Manager from Harare Combined Residents Association, Mrs. Mable Murambiwa; Environmental Expert Mr Allain Chimanikire

This stakeholder and community engagement at the University of Zimbabwe, follows after two multi-stakeholder research workshops held in December 2023 in Cape Town at the University of Cape Town, South Africa and in July 2024 in Arusha, Tanzania. The July 2024 research workshop in Arusha resolved among other things on developing a coordinated approach to site visits and community engagement, ensuring project teams within CZA project interact directly with local communities, gather on-the-ground insights, and foster deeper connections with their communities to inform research, policy and solution in the Critical Zones (CZs).

Field Visits

The team visited key sites affected by environmental and socio-economic pressures: Ruwa, Mukuvusi River, Lake Chivero, and the Cobalt sewage treatment plant. The observations provided empirical grounding for the project’s aims to understand interlinked ecological, economic, and social processes in rapidly transforming urban and peri-urban spaces.

In Ruwa, the team observed the extraction of sand for construction purposes. While this activity supports local economic development by creating employment and supplying materials for nearby infrastructure projects, it also poses risks of land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and long-term ecological imbalance if not regulated.

The team also visited an adjacent informal dumping site that has evolved into a key node in the local waste economy. Community members engage in the collection of recyclable materials, particularly plastic, which are sold to nearby Chinese-owned recycling plants. The absence of formal waste management systems raises environmental and health concerns due to the accumulation of non-recyclable materials and exposure to unsanitary conditions.

Mukuvusi River: Pollution and Public Health Risks

The Mukuvusi River, which feeds into Lake Chivero, is heavily polluted with visible solid and liquid waste. The presence of residential settlements along the riverbanks heightens the public health risks, as communities may be exposed to waterborne pathogens.

Cobalt Sewage Treatment Plant: Infrastructure Challenges

At the Cobalt treatment site, the team observed a severely polluted stream laden with untreated sewage. The release of raw waste not only contributes to foul odours and aesthetic degradation but also poses serious threats to surrounding vegetation, aquatic life, and public health.

Lake Chivero: Ecological Degradation and Social Inequity

Lake Chivero, a major water source for Harare, is facing severe environmental stress. The degradation of wetlands and the encroachment of invasive plant species have led to dense aquatic weed proliferation, which is choking the lake’s ecosystem. This observation raises concerns about environmental justice and equitable access to clean water resources. If current trends persist, projections indicate that Lake Chivero could face complete desiccation by 2050.

Academic Seminar at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ)

An engaging academic seminar hosted at the University of Zimbabwe, bringing together students, fellows, researchers, and community stakeholders. The seminar provided a dynamic platform for sharing research insights, fostering dialogue around policy, governance, and sustainability.

PhD fellows from UZ (Mr Danmore Matutu, Ms Queen Linda Chinozvina, Mr Phenias Sadondo, Mr Matthew Maya and Lindani Nkiwane,) presented their research projects, highlighting how their work aligns with and informs policy processes. Researchers from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)—Dr Lwando Mdleleni, Dr Kwanele Qonono, Dr Makotsedi Magampa and Dr Wilfred Lunga delivered presentations on key themes at the intersection of research, policy, and sustainability. Their presentations included:

• “Aligning Your Research with the SDGs and the AU Agenda 2063” – Exploring how academic research can meaningfully contribute to global (Sustainable Development Goals) and continental (African Union Agenda 2063) development frameworks.
• “Policy for Habitability: Analysing Policy Frameworks and Engaging Communities and Local Government” – Examining how policies shape liveable environments and the importance of community and government engagement.
• “Towards Analytical Policy Review: Workshop as Research Methodology in Critical Zones Africa” – Showcasing participatory research methodologies, particularly how workshops can serve as both research tools and engagement platforms.
• “A Synthesis of Environmental Policies and Identification of Critical Gaps in Africa’s Critical Zones” – Providing a comparative analysis of environmental policies across CZA sites and identifying key policy gaps.

In addition, Ms Mable Murambiwa, Program Manager of the Harare Combined Residents Association, shared critical insights through her presentation on “Policy and Governance Practices and Their Impact on Habitability in Harare,” offering a grassroots perspective on how policies directly affect community well-being and urban habitability.

Furthermore, Mr Allain Chimanikire delivered an expert presentation on “Policies and Wetlands in Harare,” focusing on the crucial role of wetlands in urban sustainability and how current policy frameworks impact their protection.

The seminar proved to be a valuable space for cross-institutional learning, fostering meaningful exchanges between academia, civil society, and policy practitioners. It strengthened collaborations aimed at ensuring that research effectively informs policy and responds to the real needs of communities across Africa’s Critical Zones.

 Policy-Relevant Research and Stakeholder Mapping Exercise

The team held a session focusing on strengthening the link between research and policy through an insightful session. The second part of the day involved a practical stakeholder mapping exercise focused on environmental governance in Harare and the Lake Chivero Catchment.

The field visits, seminars, presentations and stakeholder mapping exercises provided a valuable opportunity for knowledge exchange and empirical grounding of the CZA project. The insights gained will inform ongoing efforts to integrate local realities with regional and global discourses on climate change adaptation, environmental justice, and sustainable urban futures. Stronger collaboration between the HSRC, the University of Zimbabwe, and other regional partners will be essential in developing transdisciplinary research outputs that influence policy and practice across multiple scales.