Rural development challenges in Mwenezi District, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe, like other developing countries is experiencing numerous development challenges. The development challenges are mainly concentrated in the rural areas of the country. The main aim of the current study is to examine the rural development in Mwenezi district of Masvingo province, Zimbabwe. A total of 160 questionnaires were administered to collect data from the residents of the district. Three interviews were conducted with Agriculturalextension officers in the district order to supplement the data from the questionnaire responses. It emerged from the research that development challenges in Mwenezi district are multifaceted. They range from poor transport services, poor health facilities, poor educational facilities, limited electricity access, drought and shortage of water and shortage of markets for rural commodities. Based on the findings, a number of recommendations were suggested to mitigate the impact of the challenges.