The role of the cashew nut industry in the socio-economic development of Mongu district of western province, Zambia, 1972-2011.
Date
2021
Authors
Situtu, Namushi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
Following the attainment of independence from Britain in 1964, the Zambian government embarked upon the creation of agricultural schemes with so as to reduce the economic imbalance inherited from the colonial government. Studies conducted on agricultural schemes in various parts of the country have highlighted the state’s role in the sustenance of such projects. Despite having noted some socio-economic impact of such projects on Zambia’s economic development, these studies’ emphasis has been on their failure. To the contrary, this study argues that the cashew nut industry had significant socio-economic effects on the local people of Mongu district. The study demonstrates that the cashew nut industry was commercialised in 1972 and grew rapidly from 1985 to 1992 under the management of the Zambia Cashew Company (ZCC). Thereafter, a sharp decline was experienced as a result of the privatisation process which began in 1991 following the ascendancy of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) to power. The study notes that in spite of this hiccup, peasant farmers in Mongu were resilient enough to continue growing cashew nuts. In this way, it refutes the notion that the privatisation process of parastatal companies in Zambia was wholly destructive. Additionally, the study examines the challenges the industry faced which were mainly due to poor management, political interference and negative global economic trends. It also identifies class formation and the rise of individualism as part of the social effects of the cashew nut industry in the district. Furthermore, it highlights employment provision, women’s financial empowerment, promotion of local trade, skills acquisition, and improved food security as economic benefits accrued to the local people. In this way, the study demonstrates that the cashew nut industry contributed to the socio-economic development of Mongu district during the period under study.
Description
Thesis of Master of Arts in History.