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The Great African Land Grab: Agricultural investments and the global food system

The Great African Land Grab: Agricultural investments and the global food system 314 AFRICAN AFFAIRS Many of Matondi’s findings directly contradict those of Hanlon et al. On agricul- tural production, Matondi argues that despite recent improvements most crops fall short of potential output. Surprisingly, however, he pays little attention to tobacco, which has become an important cash crop for many smallholders. On gender, Hanlon et al. write that ‘women have benefited significantly from the Fast Track Land Reform’ (p. 171), but Matondi describes the FTLRP as a ‘lost opportunity’ for women (p. 207). There are some successful women farmers, but many are strug- gling because they lack inputs, credit, and markets, and women are particularly vul- nerable. Matondi’s methods (household surveys, focus groups, etc.) are also more robust, engaging directly with farmers in three districts – Mazowe, Shamva, and Mangwe – enabling him to show how experiences of the FTLRP vary between sites of different agricultural potential, and how differences in local politics shape resettlement. Some chapters are based on data from Mazowe only, but Matondi is generally more cautious in his conclusions than Hanlon et al. In short, readers looking for a well-informed, comprehensive, measured and evidence-based analysis of the FTLRP should opt for Zimbabwe’s Fast Track Land Reform. Centre http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Affairs Oxford University Press

The Great African Land Grab: Agricultural investments and the global food system

African Affairs , Volume 113 (451) – Apr 4, 2014

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Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal African Society. All rights reserved
Subject
Book Reviews
ISSN
0001-9909
eISSN
1468-2621
DOI
10.1093/afraf/adu010
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

314 AFRICAN AFFAIRS Many of Matondi’s findings directly contradict those of Hanlon et al. On agricul- tural production, Matondi argues that despite recent improvements most crops fall short of potential output. Surprisingly, however, he pays little attention to tobacco, which has become an important cash crop for many smallholders. On gender, Hanlon et al. write that ‘women have benefited significantly from the Fast Track Land Reform’ (p. 171), but Matondi describes the FTLRP as a ‘lost opportunity’ for women (p. 207). There are some successful women farmers, but many are strug- gling because they lack inputs, credit, and markets, and women are particularly vul- nerable. Matondi’s methods (household surveys, focus groups, etc.) are also more robust, engaging directly with farmers in three districts – Mazowe, Shamva, and Mangwe – enabling him to show how experiences of the FTLRP vary between sites of different agricultural potential, and how differences in local politics shape resettlement. Some chapters are based on data from Mazowe only, but Matondi is generally more cautious in his conclusions than Hanlon et al. In short, readers looking for a well-informed, comprehensive, measured and evidence-based analysis of the FTLRP should opt for Zimbabwe’s Fast Track Land Reform. Centre

Journal

African AffairsOxford University Press

Published: Apr 4, 2014

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