86 Book Reviews
philosophy; but now they run more risk of being little more than figureheads.
The history of workers' and students' movements is traced through legislation and
salient events. This history is one that moves from something fairly free, maybe
becoming more radical and eventually facing banning to, in the end, the
establishment of a tame and docile national organisation, easily manipulated by the
government administrative machine. This process is outlined, sometimes by
participants in the key events, and backed with convincing arguments.
An area in which conclusive proof is, in the nature of things, more difficult to offer
is that, it is argued, in which growing bureaucratic control of producer prices, selling
conditions, choice of crops to plant, supply of inputs and even how the crop is
cultivated, is a direct cause of the decline in Tanzania's agricultural production.
Figures are massed in support of the argument, which is plausible enough, and they
undoubtedly show a more or less steady decline from 1966 to 1981 in agricultural
production per head of population for both food and cash crops. Growing
bureaucratic control, first by eliminating the middlemen in favour of co-operative
unions, then by dismantling the co-operative movement, and now by a return to
State-controlled co-operatives, has accompanied the decline in production. The
tables showing the simultaneous decline in the price paid to the peasant producer
and the total marketed amount of cotton and cashew nuts would be more cogent
evidence if they were extended beyond the 5-6 year periods (different periods for
each crop) given by Mapolu. It might then be easier to identify particular changes in
amounts grown and marketed with particular changes in producer prices or with the
introduction of further government control over the whole process of peasant
production.
In addition to arguing their cases effectively as regards developments in Tanzania
over the past 30 years, the authors have given us an analysis of a case that is not too
different from most countries in this part of Africa. The book, therefore, needs to be
widely read.
This reviewer prefers to avoid nitpicking about typographical errors, but it needs to
be pointed out that one of the lines enumerating 'total non-agricultural use' in table
III, ch 5, should be 'total agricultural use'; on page 164, paragraph 2, 14th line would
make more sense in the overall context if the word 'liberal' were changed to 'illiberal';
and the second sentence of the second paragraph on page 39 makes no sense;
presumably a line is missing.
Reviewed by Brian MacGarry, Silviera House, Harare.
The State and Agriculture in Africa, Thandika Mkandawire and Naceur Bourenane
(eds), CODESRIA (Dakar), London, 1987 (385pp, price unknown).
Hazarding a philosophical synopsis of independent Africa's transition to sovereign
nationhood, one journalist once stated, "While it may have taken 100 years to put
colonialism on a sound footing in Africa, it will probably take twice that time to
eradicate its effects on the continent". Indeed, most independent African governments
soon discover, to their frustration, that the profound processes and
mechanisms used to entrench colonialism are not so easily dismantled or replaced
by those purporting to promote the lofty ideals of freedom and independence that
characterise nationalist campaigns for popular support.
Book Reviews 87
This collection of articles, by some of Africa's eminent scholars, highlights the
many policy imponderables that African politicians, government bureaucrats and
technocrats find themselves confronted with as they try to redress the economic
imbalances of their colonial past. Significandy, in all the 17 countries covered under
this study, a common feature is the universal acceptance of the fact that agriculture
and food production are critical to their economic survival. In addition agriculture
and food production are important in their attempts to divest themselves of the more
fundamental elements of post-independence neo-colonialism, or, more positively,
towards attaining what is now popularly known as 'economic independence'.
Four distinct scenarios emerge from these studies:
First, that Africa's food crisis is deepening and not reducing, so diat agriculture and
food production must, of necessity, take top priority in die development strategies
of these countries;
Second, that African governments need to adopt pragmatic and realistic policies
mat will address this critical area of their economic activities;
Third, that government officials and other state functionaries find tiiemselves
strait-jacketed by poEtical, social and other extraneous considerations in the
process of policy formulation. This often leads to ill-conceived or inappropriate
policies being adopted in their efforts to tackle the issue of agriculture and food
production;
Last, that colonial economic superstructures inherited at independence have
proved more resistant to change dian was apparendy expected, forcing most
governments to maintain the status quo.
In examining these complex issues, die authors have isolated die particular
circumstances of each country, taking into account different ecological conditions,
types of colonialism or subsequent decolonisation, social and cultural aspects, the
nature of the states, and the strategies and economic policies that they have pursued
at any given time. As Mkandawire points out in his introduction, it becomes clear
from these studies that the state is, in varying degrees, involved in a wide range of
roles in die economic activities of these countries. Almost widiout exception,
governments evolve policies diat they consider appropriate for dieir particular
economic circumstances and dien create or facilitate die creation of administration
structures and institutions for die implementation of such policies.
In diese articles, die authors examine the various forces interacting wimin a given
state which influence or cause die failure of policies and programmes for agriculture
and food production. Individual case studies highlight me widely divergent perceptions
diat Africans have of the continent's agrarian crisis and die difficult choices diat
policy makers face in dieir approaches to die problem. Notably, it becomes clear
from these studies that the so called success stories in African agriculture are diose
countries diat have maintained the status quo. These are countries diat have retained
die capitalist mode of production, which consigns indigenous peasants to the
peripheral role of suppliers of labour, while die neo-colonial state or its agents retain
die means of production.
A random choice of Malawi typifies this category of states. In his paper entided
"Agricultural and Food Policy in Malawi" Guy Mhone oudines reasons for Malawi's
much acclaimed success, drawing stark comparison between die roles of the
marginalised peasant sector and die 'Achikumbe' estate type of farming which is
88 Book Reviews
heavily subsidised by the government. Swaziland and Mauritius are other examples
of countries which have maintained agricultural production systems inherited from
their colonial past. In these and many other African countries, the pre-independence
rhetoric about improving the living standards of the masses has not been matched
with concrete actions to meet these goals.
On the other hand, Zambia typifies the confusion which assailed many newly
independent countries in their efforts to bring about an equitable development
pattern in rural areas, particularly with regard to agriculture and food production.
The study shows that in many instances, political considerations tended to influence
policy formulation to an unrealistic extent. In the case of Mali, Kary Dembele points
out the discrepancies in policy rhetoric and implementation in that country's First
Five Year National Development Plan. The study on Burkina Faso shows that the
countries agricultural development programme failed due to ambiguous policies
that were not supported by a coherent implementation strategy.
From these articles, it becomes evident that colonial attitudes and strategies which
accorded priority to the production of so called industrial crops, such as cotton,
tobacco, etc, at the expense of food crops (ie maize, sorghum) still remain widely
prevalent in a majority of African states. The large scale commercial producer still
enjoys preferential treatment in government support, while his peasant counterpart
continues to eke out a precarious existence from the arid regions of his motherland.
Indeed, while the manipulation of commodity prices and marketing structures are
perceived by some African governments to be major incentives for commercial
agricultural production, other elements such as credit facilities, input subsidies and
infrastructural developments are seen as playing an increasingly important role by
others.
Also worth noting is the fact that although the papers allude to an almost pervasive
obsession by African countries to produce for export, at the expense of domestic
food crops, it is not clear whether this is merely a colonial legacy or whether perpetuation
of this practice is deliberate to an extent where it can be linked with the
orchestrated ineptitude of emergent African states.
This is an extremely useful book for politicians, government officials and those
whose responsibilities include the implementation of government policy in their
countries.
Reviewed by Desmond Kumbuka, Agricultural and Rural Development Authority,
Harare.
Peasant Economics: Farm households and agrarian development, Frank Ellis,
Wye Studies in Agricultural and Rural Development, Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, 1988 (257pp, £11,95 pbk, £35 hbk).
This is an undergraduate's text on the economic analysis of peasant household
agricultural production, although it could also be used as a graduate text in rural
development and relevant social sciences. It would also be useful to natural scientists
interested in developing commodities and technologies appropriate to the small farm
sector. It gives a good basic understanding of the economic principles which govern
decision-making in peasant households. There is, however, one serious flaw in the
interpretation of comparative advantage which spoils an otherwise excellent book.