Coffee After Copper? Structural Adjustment, Liberalisation, and Agriculture in Zambia

Abstract

In contrast to its policies in the economic sphere, Zambia has one of Africa's most liberal approaches to press freedom. To convey the flavour of public debate during, or immediately after, the 19-month experiment with a market-determined exchange rate, 10 quotations are presented below:Large scale mining will continue for 12 to 20 years, but small-working may go on for 50–60 years.– Francis Kaunda, Chairman, Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines, June 1987.Coffe after copper.– Campaign slogan of the Coffee Growers Committee of the Commercial Farmers' Bureau.Even real socialist countries have to find and use foreign exchange.– Kebby Musokotwane, Prime Minister, replying to a question in the National Assembly, August 1986.Zambia's cardinal mistake was to subsidise consumption for a long time, thereby delaying diversification.– Kenneth Kaunda, President of Zambia, May 1986.The economic reform programme has begun to succeed: devaluation has stimulated exports.– Kenneth Kaunda, August 1936, Opening the 21st U.N.I.P. National Council Meeting.It was not socialist principles which ruined the Zambian economy, but unfavourable economic terms which the North has imposed on the South…I have no power…we agreed to the IMF reform programme much against out better judgement.– Kenneth Kaunda, August 1986, interviewed by Swedish, West German, and Cuban journalists.