Food Systems and the Poor in Harare Under Conditions of Structural Adjustment

ABSTRACT

The impact of the world economic recession on Africa has been long and deep. Its effects have been exacerbated by the structural adjustment programmes imposed on more than 30 countries. The urban poor have been badly affected by these events and the retreat of the state from welfare subsidies have forced many to look elsewhere to help meet the basic needs of their families. One of the least researched areas in this context is that of food and this paper presents the results of an on-going investigation into the urban food system of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. Food retailing in the city is largely structured through the medium of supermarkets which has kept costs high for the poor. The informal sector has expanded to meet new demands but is still relatively restricted and unorganized compared to Asian cities. As a consequence urban agriculture has grown extensively both in house-gardens and illegally in the urban periphery. As yet there is little coordinated or positive policy response on the part of the urban authorities, despite a growing rhetoric of support for the informal sector. More research is clearly needed in this important area.