4 - Post-Independence Development Planning in Ghana and Tanzania: Agriculture, Women and Nation-building
Corresponding Author(s) : Akua O. Britwum
Africa Development,
Vol. 47 No. 1 (2022): Africa Development: Special Issue from the Post-Colonialisms Today Project Lessons to Africa from Africa: Reclaiming Early Post-Independence Progressive Policies
Abstract
This article analyses development planning in post-independence Ghana and
Tanzania, particularly related to agriculture, in contrast with the contemporary
neoliberal subsumption of African economies to market forces. The article
derives lessons from both their successes and shortcomings. Ghana and
Tanzania’s experiences suggest the importance of agricultural transformation
for national self-sufficiency; development planning as a mechanism to link
all sectors of the economy; and the key strategic potential of the state in
production, distribution and employment creation. Key shortcomings included
the inability to fully de-link national economies from the global capitalist
political economy, break dependence on earnings from cash crop exports, and
the political and economic marginalisation of women in post-independence
development planning. The article suggests that progressive development
planning that centres the pursuit of gender justice is a critical starting point
for imagining and pursuing alternatives to neoliberalism.
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- Association of African Women for Research and Development (AAWORD), 1982, ‘The Dakar Declaration on Another Development with Women’, DevelopmentDialogue 1–2: 11–16.
- Britwum: Post-Independence Development Planning in Ghana and Tanzania Ayarbior, D. M., 2016, ‘The Arusha Declaration (1967): ideology and social engineering in Tanzania’, PaanLuel Wël Media, 18 June, https://paanluelwel.com/category/books/. Becker, C. and Craigie, T.-A., 2008, W. Arthur Lewis in Retrospect, Review of Black Political Economy 34: 187–216.
- Bennett-Koufie, P., 2018, A Contextual Reassessment of Kwame Nkrumah, British Columbia: University of British Columbia, available at: https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/download /pdf/52966/1.0366978/, accessed 20 September 2018. Boesen, J., Madsen, B. S. and Moody, T.,1977, Ujamaa-Socialism from Above, Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute of African Studies.
- Dadson, J. D., 1991, ‘Agriculture Development Strategy under Nkrumah’, in K. Arhin, ed, The Life and Work of Kwame Nkrumah, Accra: Sedco Publishing.
- Dwyer, P. and Zeilig, L., 2012, African Struggles Today: Social Movements since Independence, Lagos: Books Farm House & Publishers.
- Frimpong-Ansah, J.H., 1992, The Vampire State in Africa: The Political Economy of Decline in Ghana, Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press.
- Geiger, S., 1987, ‘Women in nationalist struggle: TANU activists in Dar es Salaam’, International Journal of Africa and Historical Studies 20 (1): 1–26.
- Gyimah-Boadi, E., 1989, ‘Policies and Politics of Export Agriculture’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA. Hansen, E., 1989, ‘The State and Food Agriculture’, in E. Hansen and K.A.Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Hartmann, J., 1983, Development Policy-making in Tanzania 1962–1982: A Critique of Sociological Interpretations, Hull: University of Hull.Hill, M., 2005, The Public Policy Process, London: Pearson Longman.
- Ibhawoh, B. and Dibua, J. I., 2003, ‘Deconstructing Ujamaa: the legacy of Julius Nyerere in the quest for social and economic development in Africa’, African Journal of Political Science/Revue Africaine de Science Politique 8 (1): 59–83.
- Jonah, K., 1989, ‘Changing Relations between the IMF and the Government of Ghana 1960–1987’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar:CODESRIA.
- Kent, D. W. and Mushi, P. S. D., 1995, The Education and Training of Artisans for the Informal Sector in Tanzania, London: Department for International Development (DfID). Konings, P.J.J.,1981, Peasantry and State in Ghana: The Example of the Vea Irrigation Project in the Upper Region of Ghana, Leiden: Afrika-Studiecentrum.
- Kwabena Senkyire, B., 2018, ‘Interview with Baffour Kwabena Senkyire, Minister of Cooperatives 1965 to 1966’. Lal, P., 2010, ‘Militants, mothers, and the national family: Ujamaa, gender, and rural development in postcolonial Tanzania’, Journal of African History 51 (1): 1–20.
- Malima, K. A., 1979, ‘Planning for self-reliance; Tanzania’s third Five Year Development Plan’, Africa Development/Afrique et Développement 4 (1): 37–56. Manuh, T., 1991, ‘Women and their Organisations during the Convention Peoples’ Party Period’, in K. Arhin, ed., The Life and Work of Kwame Nkrumah, Accra:Sedco Publishing.
- Ngowi, P., 2009, ‘Economic development and change in Tanzania since independence: the political leadership factor’, African Journal of Political Science and International Relations 3 (4): 259–67.
- Ninsin, K. A., 1989a, ‘Introduction: Thirty-Seven Years of Development Experience’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Ninsin, K. A., 1989b, ‘State, Capital and Labour Relations’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA. Ninsin, K. A., 1989c, ‘The Land Question Since the 1950s’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA. Pieterse, J. N., 2001, Development Theory: Deconstructions/ Reconstructions, London: Sage.
- Reddock, R., 2000. ‘Why Gender? Why Development?’’, in J. L. Parpart, M.P.Connelly and V.E.Barriteau, eds, Theoretical Perspectives on Gender and Development, Ottawa: International Development Research Centre.Republic of Ghana, 1964, Seven-Year Plan for National Reconstruction and Development: Financial Years 1963/4-1969/70, Office of the Planning Commission, 16 March.
- Structural Adjustment Participatory Review International Network (SAPRIN), 2004,The Policy Roots of Economic Crisis, Poverty and Inequality, Malaysia: TWN.Schneider, L., 2015, ‘Visions of Tanzanian socialism’, Jacobin, 8 December, https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/12/julius nyerere tanzania-socialism-ccm-ukawa, accessed 20 April 2018.
- Sowa, N. K., 1989, ‘Financial Intermediation and Economic Development’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Tsikata, D., 2001, Gender Training in Ghana, Accra: Woeli. Tsikata, E., 1989, ‘Women’s Political Organisations 1951–1987’, in E. Hansen and K.A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA.
References
Association of African Women for Research and Development (AAWORD), 1982, ‘The Dakar Declaration on Another Development with Women’, DevelopmentDialogue 1–2: 11–16.
Britwum: Post-Independence Development Planning in Ghana and Tanzania Ayarbior, D. M., 2016, ‘The Arusha Declaration (1967): ideology and social engineering in Tanzania’, PaanLuel Wël Media, 18 June, https://paanluelwel.com/category/books/. Becker, C. and Craigie, T.-A., 2008, W. Arthur Lewis in Retrospect, Review of Black Political Economy 34: 187–216.
Bennett-Koufie, P., 2018, A Contextual Reassessment of Kwame Nkrumah, British Columbia: University of British Columbia, available at: https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/download /pdf/52966/1.0366978/, accessed 20 September 2018. Boesen, J., Madsen, B. S. and Moody, T.,1977, Ujamaa-Socialism from Above, Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute of African Studies.
Dadson, J. D., 1991, ‘Agriculture Development Strategy under Nkrumah’, in K. Arhin, ed, The Life and Work of Kwame Nkrumah, Accra: Sedco Publishing.
Dwyer, P. and Zeilig, L., 2012, African Struggles Today: Social Movements since Independence, Lagos: Books Farm House & Publishers.
Frimpong-Ansah, J.H., 1992, The Vampire State in Africa: The Political Economy of Decline in Ghana, Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press.
Geiger, S., 1987, ‘Women in nationalist struggle: TANU activists in Dar es Salaam’, International Journal of Africa and Historical Studies 20 (1): 1–26.
Gyimah-Boadi, E., 1989, ‘Policies and Politics of Export Agriculture’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA. Hansen, E., 1989, ‘The State and Food Agriculture’, in E. Hansen and K.A.Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Hartmann, J., 1983, Development Policy-making in Tanzania 1962–1982: A Critique of Sociological Interpretations, Hull: University of Hull.Hill, M., 2005, The Public Policy Process, London: Pearson Longman.
Ibhawoh, B. and Dibua, J. I., 2003, ‘Deconstructing Ujamaa: the legacy of Julius Nyerere in the quest for social and economic development in Africa’, African Journal of Political Science/Revue Africaine de Science Politique 8 (1): 59–83.
Jonah, K., 1989, ‘Changing Relations between the IMF and the Government of Ghana 1960–1987’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar:CODESRIA.
Kent, D. W. and Mushi, P. S. D., 1995, The Education and Training of Artisans for the Informal Sector in Tanzania, London: Department for International Development (DfID). Konings, P.J.J.,1981, Peasantry and State in Ghana: The Example of the Vea Irrigation Project in the Upper Region of Ghana, Leiden: Afrika-Studiecentrum.
Kwabena Senkyire, B., 2018, ‘Interview with Baffour Kwabena Senkyire, Minister of Cooperatives 1965 to 1966’. Lal, P., 2010, ‘Militants, mothers, and the national family: Ujamaa, gender, and rural development in postcolonial Tanzania’, Journal of African History 51 (1): 1–20.
Malima, K. A., 1979, ‘Planning for self-reliance; Tanzania’s third Five Year Development Plan’, Africa Development/Afrique et Développement 4 (1): 37–56. Manuh, T., 1991, ‘Women and their Organisations during the Convention Peoples’ Party Period’, in K. Arhin, ed., The Life and Work of Kwame Nkrumah, Accra:Sedco Publishing.
Ngowi, P., 2009, ‘Economic development and change in Tanzania since independence: the political leadership factor’, African Journal of Political Science and International Relations 3 (4): 259–67.
Ninsin, K. A., 1989a, ‘Introduction: Thirty-Seven Years of Development Experience’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Ninsin, K. A., 1989b, ‘State, Capital and Labour Relations’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA. Ninsin, K. A., 1989c, ‘The Land Question Since the 1950s’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA. Pieterse, J. N., 2001, Development Theory: Deconstructions/ Reconstructions, London: Sage.
Reddock, R., 2000. ‘Why Gender? Why Development?’’, in J. L. Parpart, M.P.Connelly and V.E.Barriteau, eds, Theoretical Perspectives on Gender and Development, Ottawa: International Development Research Centre.Republic of Ghana, 1964, Seven-Year Plan for National Reconstruction and Development: Financial Years 1963/4-1969/70, Office of the Planning Commission, 16 March.
Structural Adjustment Participatory Review International Network (SAPRIN), 2004,The Policy Roots of Economic Crisis, Poverty and Inequality, Malaysia: TWN.Schneider, L., 2015, ‘Visions of Tanzanian socialism’, Jacobin, 8 December, https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/12/julius nyerere tanzania-socialism-ccm-ukawa, accessed 20 April 2018.
Sowa, N. K., 1989, ‘Financial Intermediation and Economic Development’, in E. Hansen and K. A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Tsikata, D., 2001, Gender Training in Ghana, Accra: Woeli. Tsikata, E., 1989, ‘Women’s Political Organisations 1951–1987’, in E. Hansen and K.A. Ninsin, eds, The State, Development and Politics in Ghana, Dakar: CODESRIA.