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Study Shows Mugabe Land Reform Has Succeeded
In the 1980s Zimbabwe became the poster-child for African independence.
Twenty years later, violent land grabs pushed white farmers off their land, and the economic turmoil caused unprecedented hyperinflation, resulting in the ultimate crash of the Zimbabwean currency. Food production collapsed and one of the continent’s strongest economies reduced to half its previous size.
While the West was quick to dismiss Zimbabwe as another failed African state, new research shows that Zimbabwe is actually recovering, and that land reform is working.
This week on South2North, Teresa Smart, one of the authors of the book, Zimbabwe Takes Back Its Land, speaks about the rise of food production in Zimbabwe.
“Since the end of hyperinflation, since the dollar economy started in 2009, production has gone up every year until its approaching that of the production before land reform,” says Smart.
Smart also talks about how the small farmers know their land more intimately and use a lot of labour, which is increasing the resources and helping to alleviate poverty.
Redi also speaks to Sam Moyo, a professor and the executive director of the African Institute for Agrarian Studies in Harare.
“We are not beyond capitalism, because this is not a socialist programme, it is a social wealth redistribution programme,” says Moyo.
When asked if President Robert Mugabe was right, Moyo says: “Yes of course he was right, I since the 80s have been arguing for a more progressive and extensive reform.”
Later in the show Redi is joined by Charlene Mathonsi, a commercial farmer from Zimbabwe, who tells us more about what things are like on the ground.
– Aljazeera.
Posted by
The
June 23, 2013 at 8:25 am
You can’t play around with veterans. Viva mugabe
Dimma
June 23, 2013 at 8:34 am
I have always said Mugabe did the right thing. Of course a lot of small minded people were only concentrating on a small picture of appeasing the white man. Just wait you see. Zambia if not careful will soon be wondering where they went wrong.
Mugabe for African Presidency and Sata for Vice!
Ha,ha,ha (Lol)
Democrat
June 23, 2013 at 12:09 pm
The west has failed to bring down Zimbabwe because of massive and good infrastructure the whites left. Britain tried all the economic sanctions and president’s travel embargo to Europe only to find Mugabe attending pope’s funeral and shaking hands with Tony blair. RM was right to grab land but I strongly believe he has outlived his usefulness. He must hand over the mantle of leadership to the young.
CNP-4U
June 23, 2013 at 5:43 pm
we need to do the same in Zambia..watch the space..
winstone
June 23, 2013 at 7:52 pm
sure bamugabe mwakota pasanibana mwpando
tease
June 23, 2013 at 11:42 pm
We must realize that our greatest enemies are not those on the outside, but those in our midst. When we recognize the enemies on the outside, and do not allow them to pass. Then we have those on the inside working with us to destroy us, without our knowing—–MARCUS GARVEY (from the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey)
wayne
June 24, 2013 at 3:31 pm
What a load of crap! How has it succeed? Zim still has to import maize to feed its people, economy still in taters, etc. The improvement is the result of the hard working people of Zim using the dollar and the opposition instilling some decent policies. Most farms were stolen buy Zanu PF losers and never ended up in the hands of the common person of Zim. This wasnt land re distribution but a land grab for the few. And those mentally challenged enough to think this is a west vrs africa thing, think a again. If the west wanted to remove the old man or take over Zim, it would only take a single day to do so and there is nothing Zim could do about it. The fact is the west is not concerned with Zim, they put sanctions against its leaders, but not the country. In turn, they never enforced the sanctions. Its just an excuse the Zim leadership uses instead of taking responsibility for destroying Zim.
PHILOSOPHER KAPWEPWE
June 24, 2013 at 4:41 pm
The fact remains that land in Zimbabwe was to be redistributed equally after independence.Why were people (the whites) reluctant to implememt the treaty thereafter?
“Uwakupoka impanga
Akutoba ilibwe pa kapanga.”
Mwe bana bandi ilukeni
Kampukeni