This had major impacts on their lives, practically and emotionally, causing stress and anxiety as they sought different types of treatment from diverse sources. The costs of treatment, travel, and time away from farming meant income suffered, sometimes leading to businesses closing or harvests being missed. Nearly every interview had one or more examples of a caring role being taken on in the last few years, sometimes over very extended periods.

The emotional toll of looking after a loved one, and then them ultimately passing, was significant for many, marking a significant period when other concerns with agricultural production became less significant in people’s lives. The labour of care, along with the emotional investment in caring, often goes unnoticed, rarely discussed in studies of agriculture and land reform. It happens quietly behind closed doors at home, or away at hospitals and clinics.

But these periods are significant in people’s lives, shaping what is possible more widely. Care is not limited to reproductive care duties but intertwined with farm production and community work. The highly gendered labour of care as a central part of social reproductive work, therefore, needs much greater attention in discussions of land reform outcomes.

Caring in times of sickness FB from Mvurwi reflected on how she had to invest in the support of her sisters when they were sick, and subsequently the children of one of them after she died. It was a tough time when my siblings were sick in 2022. I had to help financially, and all the money went towards medicines.

I used to help cut gumtrees for sale to make money, and I used that money to pay for my sister’s treatment. One of my sisters had a husband, but he was useless and often drunk. Since my sister died, I now take care of her children in Centenary, where they stay with their grandmother.

MM from Mvurwi commented on how caring took away from farming, and used up resources: I had a setback when my mother was sick, and I had to send money home, but she eventually passed on. When all this happened, I had already sold my tobacco; sometimes bad luck happens, and we must divert funds. A relative who stays close to here also got sick and almost died this year.

I used to go and visit him to the point that I had to take him to the hospital for treatment. He was my mother’s son, my brother, so I got him treatment, and he got better. NA, also from Mvurwi, was a carer for several years, which affected her nascent business: My mother was sick for two years.

I took care of her when she was not well. I was living with her here until she passed on. We used to take her to the hospital, and my father would send money; I would assist financially whenever I could.

I was the one accompanying her to the hospital in Harare, it was tough times when she was sick. We had a tuck shop that went out of business because the money from it was used to take care of her. As a result, we were not able to restock.

I also struggled to produce anything on the farm during that time because of constant travel to try to get treatment for my mother. Mr M’s wives from Masvingo district reflected on the challenges of looking after their husband when he was sick: While he was not well, our lives and work in the field were disrupted, especially financially, as the money that was there had to be used for his treatment and X-rays. We also help our relatives with finances in case of health issues.

If we have money, we go and see our father-in-law when he is sick, then come back; we do not nurse him. In the same way, a number of other informants commented on the impacts of ill-health in the family: When there are health issues in the family, it can get expensive and affect work in the field, as you will need to give proper attention to the sick person. My mother used to get sick, and the young boy I stay with is currently sick and needs money for the hospital every month. (SZ, Mvurwi) We used to stay with both our in-laws here when they got sick and subsequently died.

I used to take care of them when they were sick, but their relatives were fully involved, assisting with medicine and hospital bills. They died here, but they were buried at their homestead. (Mai M, Gutu). Mai M from Masvingo district has been struggling with an undiagnosed chronic sickness in an adopted son, causing stress and worry: I have taken care of sick people, for instance, when my son was coming from work, he had stopped talking.

He is not my biological son; he is my brother’s son, but I have raised him since he was young, when his parents passed on. It really broke my heart; we are busy trying to get him treated. He is 22 and not yet married.

We tried to get consultations the traditional way, but we still do not know what the problem is. We thought that maybe it was drug abuse, but it was not. He has been sick for three months now, and we did not go to the hospital because we believe it’s a spiritual issue. My husband got sick in Dece