The Political Economy of Agricultural Commercialisation in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This brief presents a critical discussion of the political economy of agricultural commercialisation in Zimbabwe, focusing on the post-2000 period – when major land redistribution brought about dramatic agrarian structural transformation in the country. Understanding shifts in production and commodity marketing, and how these have had an impact on commercialisation patterns, helps to reveal how power, state practice, and capital all influence accumulation for the different groups of farmers in divergent settlement models. This work is part of the APRA (Agricultural Policy Research Policy in Africa) Programme