Questia Books and Articles on Similar Subjects

Nine world-class experts on the African economy share their knowledge regarding the potential for real improvement and growth in food production and the development of grassroots economies that will benefit citizens as well as governments. Economic models that assume good incentives, infrastructure ...

Nine world-class experts on the African economy share their knowledge regarding the potential for real improvement and growth in food production and the development of grassroots economies that will benefit citizens as well as governments. Economic models that assume good incentives, infrastructure, entrepreneurial skills, and a level trading field cannot be invoked. Structural adjustment in African countries has led to unintended consequences because the common people and the small farmers have not been consulted. Domestic food production, the crux of Africa's economic problem, has been downgraded because of the emphasis on export crops. To develop self-sufficiency and food security, African nations must mobilize domestic resources, improve the human resource capacity, and strengthen their scientific and technological bases. They must also cooperate in integration schemes rather than compete for the available Western aid.

This collection of case studies focuses on the processes and outcomes of reform programs in seven African countries--Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania--chosen for the wide variety of conditions present before their individual adjustment programs began. The World Bank's ...

This collection of case studies focuses on the processes and outcomes of reform programs in seven African countries--Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania--chosen for the wide variety of conditions present before their individual adjustment programs began. The World Bank's recent policy research report Adjustment in Africa: Reforms, Results, and the Road Ahead concludes that the adjustment programs launched in 29 countries in the mid-1980's have resulted in some improvement in the overall policy environment. These improvements have been strongest in the macroeconomic and agricultural spheres and weakest in the areas of finance and public enterprise. The study also finds that reform programs work in the countries where policy performance has been good; conversely, poor policy progress has been reflected in poor performance. This volume presents case studies of seven country experiences to supplement and reinforce findings from the Policy Research Report. The studies confirm that whenever adjustment programs are vigorously pursued, results are strongly positive from the viewpoints of growth and alleviation of poverty. A key element in ensuring a successful adjustment program is strong motivation and commitment by the leadership in each nation. Too many abrupt, unpredictable, and frequent changes and reversals of policies erode the credibility of the programs, intensify the uncertainties, and slow down investor confidence. In short, the success of reforms hinges on policy stability, continuity, and predictability.

The authors of this study challenge the assumptions of the World Bank that the expansion in informal cross-border trade is a vindication of the market-liberalizing thrust of structural adjustment, and that adjustment policies have improved the effectiveness of an "independent" bourgeoisie that is ...

The authors of this study challenge the assumptions of the World Bank that the expansion in informal cross-border trade is a vindication of the market-liberalizing thrust of structural adjustment, and that adjustment policies have improved the effectiveness of an "independent" bourgeoisie that is emerging out of this trade as an agent of regional integration. Instead, they make the case for the adoption of what they call a "development approach" for tapping the benefits of the informal currency markets, as an alternative to the "market coercion" of structural adjustment.