Global Advanced Research Journal of Agricultural Science
September 2012 Vol. 1(7), pp 182-185
Copyright © 2012 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Trends in Profitability and Measure of Government Protection in Sorghum Production ( Zimbabwe)

V Munyati¹, J.P Musara¹, G. Chagwiza¹, Mafuse N¹, Parwada C ¹and Chimvuramahwe J¹

1 Department of Agricultural Economics, Education and Extension Bindura University of Science Education P Bag 1020 Bindura. 

*Corresponding author E-mail:vtmunyati@gmail.com 

Accepted 21 August, 2012

Abstract

Despite failures of government policy to stimulate sustained growth in sorghum production in the face of increased climatic shocks on maize, there have been very little efforts to understand sorghum protection by the government. The major objective of this paper is to determine the level of government protection of the sorghum production. The main sources of the data were the Central Statistics Office, FAOSTAT and the Ministry of Agriculture. The Nominal Protection Coefficient (NPC) was used to determine the level of protection from 1980 to 2010. Over the past 30years there have been swings from protectionism to liberal approaches in Zimbabwe. Policies and investment strategies should be designed to exploit the competitive advantages of these small grains which is the basis for improving the productivity of the extensive semi-arid regions of the country and of their rural labor force. Gains to the economy will also accrue from improving rural food security, reducing the need for drought relief, lowering the level of subsidies underlying grain markets, and, at least in the short run, stemming migration from rural to urban areas.

Keywords: Nominal Protection Coefficient, Government Policies, Protectionism.