THE CASE FOR INDIGENIZATION: ANALYSING PRE-COLONIAL TRENDS IN AGRICULTURE AND POLITICS IN ZIMBABWE

Abstract

This study analyzes the agricultural productivity and policy trends from pre-colonial Zimbabwe to modern times (1400-2018). Drawing upon a diverse body of literature and statistical data the study seeks insight into important intervention areas and the trends that prompted them. Precolonial agriculture reveals significant dependence on native cereals, diversified polycultures, rotational cropping and grazing and terracing. Local knowledge informed post-production preservation and insect and pest management methods. Production was competitive comparable to other same time societies, although there are great labour inefficiencies. Famine was irregular in comparison to the colonial period. Colonial agriculture was productive and focused on profitable export crops such as tobacco, cotton and the introduction of large-scale maize production. Policies such as the Native Labour Act demonstrate an exploitative functionalist bias in these policies. Locals were moved to areas with low quality soils. Post-colonial agricultural trends illustrate lows in production and profit influenced by caustic trade politics surrounding land redistribution and structural adjustment programs. The Green Revolution and the present bioengineering revolution have increased the competitiveness of the global agricultural economy. To address these myriad and intricate obstacles, innovative, interdisciplinary measures will have to be taken in the areas of crop diversification, domestic and export market growth, land and trade policy, indigenized political structures and country-based research.