Data Collection

Whilst the study makes use of both primary and secondary data sources, several data collection methods were used as will be shown below. The thesis also collected primary data on food production and processing. Secondary data was also used from a recent study. Some of the field data had already been collected in 2016 as part of the Consuming Urban Poverty (CUP) project in which the researcher is also a member of the Epworth research team. The CUP project collected data on the typologies, location, and quantities of food retail outlets in Epworth.

Whilst the CUP survey also collected data on the numbers and location of grinding mills, it had not been exhaustive. This study conducted a comprehensive and exhaustive survey of all grinding mills in Epworth using three methods: Firstly, it used

a snowball method which was used in the last grinding mills survey conducted in all major cities of Zimbabwe (Mbiba, 1995). Secondly the survey used a key informant in the Epworth Local Board who is responsible for development control. He assisted by verifying that the survey had captured all grinding mills in all parts of Epworth. Lastly the survey compared its results with the CUP survey and where there were differences, ground truthing was conducted to ensure data accuracy.

The food production data was also independently collected. This comprised mainly field observation to determine the types of food production going on in Epworth and assess whether it is supported or prohibited by urban planning regulations. It also included a household survey where respondent food producers were asked how the planning regulations affected their activities.

3.5.1 Secondary data Collection

The thesis made extensive use of secondary data. This was collected from various public documents in the form of reports of council proceedings, pieces of legislation, by-laws and budget statements for the Epworth Local Board. Other records included community records, NGO reports and government reports. City of Harare documents were also extensively referred to since Epworth falls within the Harare Metropolitan region with Harare being the lead local authority in that region. Due to capacity constraints Epworth has very few governance tools of its own and periodically consults Harare for direction in urban management. The extensive use of secondary data in this study was due to the fact that planning regulatory and legislative frameworks (documents) and how they impact on food production processing and retailing is essentially an evaluation exercise. The documents were reviewed as they contained some of the answers the research sought to establish. Secondary data was analyzed using the text and content analysis to bring out themes and major arguments pertaining to food production, processing, and retailing and the legal framework governing the same in Epworth.

3.5.2 Document Review

Key laws, plans, by-laws, and policies regulating food production, processing and retailing were examined to analyse the role and scope of planning and regulatory

framework in the Epworth food production, processing and retailing system. Document review is a way of collecting data by reviewing existing documents. For the food system analysis, the planning documents reviewed were those that govern the practice of planning and affect food. These include the Constitution of Zimbabwe which is the principal law of the country. The other laws are the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act, the Urban Councils Act, the Environmental Management Act, The Zimbabwe National Water Authority Act, The Shop Licenses Act, among other laws governing urban food production, processing, and retailing system. The Harare Strategic Plan 2012-2025, The Epworth Strategic Plan, and Harare Combination Master Plan are the other documents that were also examined for this study.

According to Payne and Payne (2004) documentary method is described as techniques that are used to ‘categorize, investigate, interpret’ and identify the limitations of physical sources. This was chosen given that through document review, the researcher will be able to systematically examine documents. For this study, public documents were extensively used as they are often acceptable as reliable and authentic thus they were useful to the study. Public documents are those documents prepared by the government, its ministries, departments and related entities and they come in the form of Acts of parliament, policies, plans, by-laws and other public records. The use of document review was adopted to inherit the advantages that include cost effectiveness and non-obtrusiveness. Its use as a basis for comparison or contrast of different sets of data is effective. Therefore, document review was used in relation to the objective that seeks to explain the planning legislative and regulatory frameworks and the extent to which they engage with food.

Five distinct types of documents were used. These were laws, policies, plans, organizational strategies, and different reports. The laws were useful in informing on the areas that constituted bottlenecks to food production processing and retailing.

They also helped expose clauses that were unrealistic or could not be complied with by the mainly poor citizens of Epworth. The other intention was to assess whether the laws were enacted with the existing socio-economic and urbanization environment or they were prepared for a different context. The other documents served a similar purpose at different governance levels and showed consistencies and inconsistencies where they existed. This analysis helped expose the disconnection between the spirit

of the planning regulatory framework to the lived experience of residents in contemporary Epworth.

3.5.3 Primary Data Collection

Whilst document review was the principal method of collecting data, primary data were also collected on grinding mills and food production. This was done to show the numbers and the distribution of grinding mills as well as provide insights into food production patterns. Primary data was also collected to investigate how key stakeholders viewed, understood and implemented planning regulations. The interviews helped to interrogate how key stakeholders interpreted and acted upon the official legislation.

The primary data complimented the secondary data from document review. The primary data was collected through key informant interviews, questionnaire surveys, as well as surveys of grinding mills and production spaces. Extensive field observations were also undertaken to give the researcher a feel of the study setting.

During the field observations land use aspects, such as location of study subjects, scale, building conditions and aesthetic appearance were observed for comparison with key informants’ responses. The investigation of conditions on the ground helped in understanding how the food system reflected the idealized food system articulated in the documents and by the stakeholders. In all instances, useful accounts that gave insights into the Epworth food system were captured to give life to the given opinions.

3.5.3.1 Key Informant Interviews

The key informant interviews were used to get data from planning officials from Harare City Council, Epworth Local Board, Department of Physical Planning, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), the Urban Development Corporation (UDCORP), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Zimbabwe Institute of Regional and Urban Planners (ZIRUP), the Department of Rural and Urban Planning at the University of Zimbabwe, researchers that are working on the CUP study, and knowledgeable locals. These were interviewed for their informed views and professional experience so that they helped in answering research questions. All targets were professionals with a

background in planning and urban management who have knowledge of the planning legislative framework who can clearly articulate how it influences food systems. The interviews also sought to understand how these key officials understood the official documents and implemented them.

These key informants, using their experience, knowledge and understanding provided an insight on the adequacies or relevance of the planning legislative framework with regard to food systems in Epworth and exposed inconsistencies. All key informant interviews were conducted face to face with the researcher or his assistants recording the responses. This approach was adopted as opposed to leaving respondents to fill in questionnaires on their own to ensure high return of responses.

To allow for the convenience to both parties, appointments were set up with the participants prior to the interviews. During the interviews permission to record the discussions was first sought from respondents. Not all participants agreed to be recorded. Out of the 22 key informants, 15 declined to be recorded as they feared that recording went against the confidentiality of the study. This was accepted, and the interview responses were recorded in notebooks.

The key informant interviews were also useful as they provided a chance for instant feedback and interaction for explanation on some seemingly misunderstood concepts on the role of the regulatory framework and the planning of key infrastructure and plants for food processing system in Epworth. The interviews also enabled the researcher to probe for information from these officials considering their diverse knowledge with regards the planning issues for the Harare Metropolitan area in general and Epworth in particular. The information provided by key informants was being evaluated during the interviews and the researcher took advantage of their presence to ask questions from different angles. The interaction also helped as the facial expressions and body language provided advantages in key informant interviews which helped the interviewer to observe certain cues from the interviewees.

Where the facial expressions and the body language conveyed contradicting messages, further probing would be done to get clarity of the message being communicated.

3.5.3.2 The Food Production Questionnaire Survey

To understand the Epworth food production patterns and typologies and how the regulatory framework affected these, a food production survey was undertaken.

Data was collected using a questionnaire prepared before the survey (see annexure 8). The questionnaire had both closed and open-ended questions in order to collect data from residents who were producing food. The production survey was limited to tracking only four specific foods (maize, small animals, fruits, and vegetables). These were chosen because of their importance to the diet of the local people. Maize was included since it is the staple food crop consumed by the majority of people in Zimbabwe.

The questionnaire also contained questions on how food production is being governed by planning legislation. These questionnaires were also administered face to face by the researcher assisted by three research assistants. The face to face administration of the questionnaire ensured high response rates and provided an opportunity for clarification of questions and responses. Closed questions helped the researcher reduce complications in data analysis. In administering the questionnaires, a rapport was first established with respondents in order to gain trust to allow as much information as possible to be freely and openly shared. The purpose of the study was clearly explained to respondents at the start of the interview as their consent was sought in line with ethical considerations in all cases.

3.5.4 Field Observations

The study also extensively used field observation to see the level of activities with regard to food production, food processing and retailing as a complement to information obtained from the various documents, interviews, mapping and surveys.

According to DeWalt and DeWalt (2002) observation is a research process where the researcher learns about the activities of the people under study in the natural setting through observing those activities. The researcher had an opportunity to observe events as they occurred, rather than rely on what the different respondents and key informants say or what is written in texts. Several days were spent observing various aspects of food production, processing and retailing in Epworth. As a result, observations allowed the researchers to verify and observe events that informants may have been unable or unwilling to share as well as observe situations that would

have been described by key informants in interviews (Marshall and Rossman, 1995).

The observations thus helped in exposing distortions as well as inaccuracies in the descriptions provided by the informants and documents reviewed.

During the field observations, photographs were also taken so as to capture events in the natural environment and have lasting references. The analysis of the role of the planning and regulatory framework on key infrastructure and plants for food processing system in Epworth would be incomplete without pictures which show the state of the grinding mills and other land uses. Where the photographs included people, their permission to take photographs was sought. Where the people objected to being photographed, their right to their privacy was respected.