BWPI research in Zimbabwe
BWPI has always been eager to establish an African presence and to date it has concentrated its efforts and resources on the critical situation in Zimbabwe.
BWPI commissioned a team of young Zimbabweans to prepare a range of background papers on the crisis in their country. Dr Admos Chimhowu, a Lecturer in the Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM) at the University of Manchester, has been working with BWPI for six months to prepare a summary report based on this research.
News
Read the Report by Chapter:
Chapter 1: Zimbabwe's economy and the causes of the crisis
Chapter 2: Employment and labour markets
Chapter 3: Agriculture and land reform
Chapter 5: Environment and development
Chapter 8: Social protection in post-crisis Zimbabwe
Chapter 11: Policy priorities: moving forward with an agriculture-led strategy
Appendix 1: Prioritisation of recommendations for the education sector
- The Brooks World Poverty Institute, University of Manchester and Centre for Applied Social Studies, University of Zimbabwe completed a two-day review (25 and 26 August 2009) of their Report on Moving Forward in Zimbabwe - reducing poverty and promoting growth. They met with the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Tendai Biti, to discuss ways in which the Government of National Unity (GNU) could ensure that its plans for rebuilding Zimbabwe improve the lives and living conditions of the country’s poor people.
At present around 75% of Zimbabwe’s people live on less than $1.25-a-day (the international extreme poverty line). Dr Admos Chimhowu of the University of Manchester led this meeting and produced the Report.
The Report’s main argument is that the reconstruction plan must focus on a small farmer-led growth strategy allied to the provision of human development services (basic education and health) as this will reduce poverty in the short term and permit pro-poor growth to occur in the medium and longer term. The Chimhowu Report challenges the prescriptions of neo-classical economic advisors who are arguing for a growth strategy focused on large commercial farms and big business. This might produce higher aggregate economic growth but it is likely to lock the country into a pro-rich growth path, as has occurred in South Africa, Angola and Mozambique with jobless growth that leaves poor people poor. As Zimbabwe already has the second highest income inequality in the world, a strategy that deepens inequality will not help poor farmers and labourers improve their productivity and earnings and would not augur well for future social cohesion and political stability.
The workshop discussing the Report noted the progress made in the last few months under the GNU – inflation at low levels, food back in the shops and stores, mobile phones tripling in number and civil servants back at work. But the challenges facing the country remain awesome and the recovery will take several years, even if things are well planned and implemented.
Launch of the report:
'Moving forward in Zimbabwe - reducing poverty and promoting growth'
with special guest Dr Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe Minister of Finance.
The launch event took place on Friday 11th December 2009 3pm, Lecture Theatre A, University Place, University of Manchester.
Dr Admos Chimhowu (BWPI) presented the report with discussant Dr Desire M. Sibanda, Zimbabwe Secretary for Economic Planning and Investment Promotion.
A Question and Answer session was chaired by Professor David Hulme, Executive Director of the Brooks World Poverty Institute, followed by a drinks reception.
Read the Full Report (16MB) pdf
Read the Executive Summary
Photo gallery
A gallery of photographs of the event are available online at the New Zimbabwe website.
Media Coverage
BBC World Service - 12 December 2009 - listen to the programme
BBC Today Programme - 12 December 2009 - listen to the programme
The presentations from the conference held in Harare in August 2009 can be downloaded here (pdf files).
Events
Launch of the report Moving Forward in Zimbabwe - reducing poverty and promoting growth, with special guest
Dr Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe Minister of Finance
Friday 11th December, 3pm, Lecture Theatre A, University Place.
People
Key people working on this theme include:
Publications
- Moving forward in Zimbabwe - reducing poverty and promoting growth
- Moving forward in Zimbabwe - reducing poverty and promoting growth
- Full Report (16 MB)
- Moving Forward with Pro-poor Reconstruction in Zimbabwe - conference presentations (pdf files)