Local enterprise as a catalyst: Exploring community-led development for security and sustainability in the Save Valley Conservancy

Joseph Shoko, Never Muboko and Edison Gandiwa

Community Development, 2026, vol. 57, issue 4, 583-597

Abstract: This study investigates how local enterprise development (LED) can serve as a catalyst for community‑driven development, sustainability, and security in the Save Valley Conservancy (SVC), Zimbabwe. Operating within a context of contested land-tenure arrangements and fragmented governance structures, the SVC faces complex socio‑ecological challenges. Using focus group discussions complemented by thematic analysis as the primary qualitative method, the research captures collective community perspectives on enterprise initiatives, conservation priorities, and governance dynamics. The findings contribute to theory‑building in community development by illustrating how locally driven enterprises can enhance ecological stewardship, improve livelihoods and strengthen institutional resilience. The study proposes a socially embedded framework for inclusive development in conservation areas and outlines clear implications for practice and policy, particularly in designing participatory governance models and sustainable livelihood strategies in ecologically vulnerable regions.

Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/15575330.2026.2687062 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:comdev:v:57:y:2026:i:4:p:583-597

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/RCOD20

DOI: 10.1080/15575330.2026.2687062

Access Statistics for this article

Community Development is currently edited by John Green, Rhonda Phillips and Anne Heinze Silvis

More articles in Community Development from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().