Development Challenges in the Context of Zimbabwe
DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN THE CONTEXT OF ZIMBABWE.
Zimbabwe as a developing state has a number of developmental challenges that emanate from different quarters within the parameters of its political, social, economic, technological and environmental set ups. This factors which are both historical and current intermingle in arresting development as to be discussed.
To begin with, the past corporate driven global economic policy termed the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme of 1991 and the ratification of various trade agreements like the SADC Trade Protocol, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), among others are the starting points for discussing the development challenges that Zimbabwe faces today because their implementation had a long term negative contribution to the social, political, economic, political and environmental challenges that we are faced with today. Prior to ESAP, the government subsidized commercial food production, provided agricultural infrastructure, inputs and credit directed mainly for maize production. With the introduction of ESAP in 1991, the government opened the agricultural sector to a market forces as dictated by the trade liberalization policies. Its introduction marked a paradigm policy shift from the state led development of the 1980s to market based economic system. This resulted in massive cuts on government expenditure and its support for essential service in the fields of education, health. It also eliminated support for producers and consumers. Due to lack of government support in the agricultural sector, which was the backbone of the country, the sector started to dwindle in performance and this together with successive droughts and an agrarian reform that was poorly planned which commenced in 2000, the country had to rely on food imports which created a big budget deficit and took away the resources which could have otherwise
Zimbabwe as a developing state has a number of developmental challenges that emanate from different quarters within the parameters of its political, social, economic, technological and environmental set ups. This factors which are both historical and current intermingle in arresting development as to be discussed.
To begin with, the past corporate driven global economic policy termed the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme of 1991 and the ratification of various trade agreements like the SADC Trade Protocol, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), among others are the starting points for discussing the development challenges that Zimbabwe faces today because their implementation had a long term negative contribution to the social, political, economic, political and environmental challenges that we are faced with today. Prior to ESAP, the government subsidized commercial food production, provided agricultural infrastructure, inputs and credit directed mainly for maize production. With the introduction of ESAP in 1991, the government opened the agricultural sector to a market forces as dictated by the trade liberalization policies. Its introduction marked a paradigm policy shift from the state led development of the 1980s to market based economic system. This resulted in massive cuts on government expenditure and its support for essential service in the fields of education, health. It also eliminated support for producers and consumers. Due to lack of government support in the agricultural sector, which was the backbone of the country, the sector started to dwindle in performance and this together with successive droughts and an agrarian reform that was poorly planned which commenced in 2000, the country had to rely on food imports which created a big budget deficit and took away the resources which could have otherwise
References: 1. Zimbabwe Human Development Report 2003. Redirecting our responses to HIV/AIDS: Poverty Reduction Forum. Institute for Development Studies: University of Zimbabwe 2003. 2. Report of the Presidential Land Review Committee: Dr Charles UTETE 2003 3. Environment and Pollution and Control: Zimbabwe Open University: I NHAPI 2000 4. My Socio-Economic Rights: Labour and Economic Development Research Institute 2008. 5. The Zimbabwe Independent: 5-11 February 2010. 6. The Sunday Mail: 14- 20 February 2010. 7. NewsDay: 5 February 2010 8. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. www.wikipedia.com.