Working Paper 12: 皇冠体育app Political Economy of Agricultural Commercialisation in Zimbabwe
Debates on agricultural development have centred on different framings of agriculture viability and land redistribution
Abstract
Debates on Zimbabwe鈥檚 agricultural development have centred on different framings of agriculture viability and land redistribution, which are often antagonistic. Yet, emerging evidence of agricultural commercialisation pathways shows complex and differentiated deepening and stagnations across settlement models. Normative鈥� political constructions of 鈥榞ood鈥�, 鈥榤odern鈥� and 鈥榩rogressive鈥�, as advocated by large-scale farmers and some bureaucrats, are countered by proponents for redistribution, mainly the landless rural peasants, keen on social and economic justice as well as democratic land ownership. Across the divide, commercialisation of agriculture is seen as efficient and poverty-reducing. This paper explores how these contrasting debates have played out in Zimbabwe over time, and what interests are aligned with different positions. 皇冠体育app paper locates the discussion in a critical examination of the politics of agrarian change and presents a political economy and policy process review of winners and losers in commercialisation.
This work is part of the Agricultural Policy Research Policy in Africa (APRA) Programme
Citation
Shonhe, Toendepi. (2018) 鈥樆使谔逵齛pp Political Economy of Agricultural Commercialisation in Zimbabwe鈥� APRA Working Paper 12, Future Agricultures Consortium