Abstract

The chapter examines Shangwe agrarian environmental ethics in the Gokwe area of Zimbabwe. The Shangwe, like any other Shona societies in Zimbabwe, have a rich corpus of environmental values which are enshrined in their traditions cultures and customs. In pre-colonial Africa, different communities used different moral norms, beliefs, and customs to protect their environment, a factor which enhanced sustainability in Agriculture. These moral beliefs and customs which are attributed to sages were attributed to sages were applied by the Shangwe people to solve agrarian problems including agrarian conflicts, environmental degradation, land pressure and scarcity of water resources. The Shangwe have a rich reservoir of environmental values to deal with such problems. For instance, Shangwe taboos foster acceptable human relations and good relations with the environment. The Shangwe regard nature as sacred. As such people were prohibited from abusing or destroying nature thereby preserving the ecosystem and promoting a sane and healthy environment. The essence of this chapter is to explore the various Shangwe ethical principles in preserving the environment for the sake of boosting productivity in agriculture. These ethical codes could be employed in tandem with some contemporary environmental legislations in order to achieve sustainability in agriculture. I contend that government policies should not undermine traditional ethical values in environmental management.