Structure of the peasantry, household decision making and supply response : the case of maize and cotton in the peasant agricultural sector in Zimbabwe, 1965 - 1989
Date
1994-01
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Publisher
Economics Department, University of Zimbabwe
Abstract
This thesis has the overall aim of trying to understand the characteristics/structure, decision making and supply response behaviour of peasant/communal farmers in Zimbabwe. This understanding is vital if the communal sector is to be meaningfully influenced by economic policies and integrated into national development programs. Structural and behavioural models at household level are built and analysed using primary data collected from Chirau and Magondi communal areas of Mashonaland West Province. The implications for supply response noted in these micro-level models are then utilised to improve the development and interpretation of sectoral econometric supply response models for maize and cotton production in the communal areas. Statistical Factor Analysis modelling is used to determine the extent of the process of differentiation/stratification among the peasantry in Zimbabwe and the implications of this on supply responsiveness . Portfolio Choice modelling is used to determine how peasants make their crop mix decisions under output related uncertainty . Lastly, Price Expectations and Output Adjustment econometric supply response models are developed and used to estimate communal sector supply response to price, rainfall and other factors in maize and cotton production…
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