Failing Maize Prices Controls
JCTR summarises well how GRZ price control has failed to reduce the price of mealie-meal in April 2013 press release :From August 2012, instability in the price of mealie-meal across the country was a...
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Is the FRA damaging crop diversification?
Helpful graphic from Rhoda Mofya-Mukuka (IAPRI) presentation, "Persistence Rural Poverty Amidst Significant Agricultural growth. Where are we going wrong?" . The message here seems to be clear. maize...
View ArticleBatoka Power Project, 2nd Edition
About 25 companies have expressed interest in the development of the 1,600 Megawatts (MW) Batoka Hydro power plant between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Zesco MD Cyprian Chitundu says of the 25 companies, two...
View ArticleAid Watch (China)
China recently donated 480 mobile solar panels valued at KR5 million (K5 billion) to help lit up rural areas in selected parts of the country. The solar panels generate 200 watts and are able to be...
View ArticleZRL Board on Clive Chirwa
Board of DirectorsZAMBIA RAILWAYS LIMITED PUBLIC STATEMENT FOLLOWING UNFOUNDED ATTACKS BY CLIVE CHIRWAFollowing a series of press statements in the Daily Nation and Lusaka Times attributed to the...
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Maize Yields : Zambia vs. World
Another excellent graphic from Rhoda Mofya-Mukuka (IAPRI) presentation, "Persistence Rural Poverty Amidst Significant Agricultural growth. Where are we going wrong?" . Rather than offer my own take on...
View ArticleDebt Watch (World Bank)
Government recently signed a KR150 million (US$29.8 million) loan agreement with the World Bank to "enable small scale farmers improve agriculture productivity and boost food security". The long term...
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Agriculture Policy As A Retrospective Bribe?
An helpful chart from Jayne & Hichaambwa's presentation on The De-Linking of Agricultural Growth and Poverty Reduction . The pattern is clearly that fertilizer support program (FSP) has largely...
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Zambia is Vulnerable
Copper prices have been falling in recent months, and if truth be told they have been falling since 2011. They have lost about $3000 per tonne over the last two years. That fall has coincided with a...
View ArticleDebt Watch (China)
The Zambian Watchdog revealed recently that Government has borrowed US$19.5 million from China to resume "making bombs, bullets and gunpowder at a military location in Serenje district". It quoted...
View ArticleReversing A Corrupt Culture
By Chola MukangaVice President Guy Scott recently observed that the key challenge we face in rooting out corruption is that it is cultural:“We are a country of thieves; people steal money meant for...
View ArticleBank of Zambia (Monitoring of Balance of Payments) Regulations, 2013
The much anticipated new Statutory Instrument 32 of the Bank of Zambia (Monitoring of Balance of Payments) Regulations, 2013. This was issued this week and comes into force on 16 May 2013. Huge thanks...
View ArticleA Shameless Enterprise
The recent National Constitution ConventionadoptedArticle 88 (g) in the Draft Constitution for Parliament to enact legislation to provide for funding of political parties. All the NGOs joined the...
View ArticleBold Leadership on Fuel Prices
By Chola MukangaThe government this week announced that fuel prices will go up by 21% after removing the subsidies. The removal of subsidies is an excellent development despite its short term costs....
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The Unemployment Problem
There are two key conclusions we draw from the above chart. First, that unemployment is largely concentrated in urban areas. Secondly, that young people are particularly affected. What is interesting...
View ArticleLevy Stadium Funding Problems
Financial challenges have hit Levy Mwanawasa stadium. Mwape Kasanda (Levy Mwanawasa Assistant Director) recently revealed :“We are faced with financial challenges in maintaining the stadium because...
View ArticleHuman Rights Report 2012
The Zambia 2012 Human Rights Report as produced by US Government. I should add that noteverything in this report is sound but its worth a read. Incidentally, I think the term "human rights" is much...
View ArticleManganese in Zambia
A useful survey of the state of manganese mining in Zambia. It brings together many of the issues we continue to discuss here.Zambia Aims to Kickstart Manganese Production, Chad Fraser, Manganese...
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Inequality of Education
It is clear that the poor are failing to access higher institutions. The issue therefore is not merely making basic education free, active policies are need to widen access in high schools and...
View ArticleHas the era of subsidies ended?
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda recently said government will resist the “cheap popularity” that subsidies provide because it is too costly :“Whether it’s fuel, whether it’s electricity, whether...
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