Harvard Professor denounces Zambia's ag import ban
Professor Juma who is Professor of the Practice of International Development at Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University, said such bans are a poor substitute for measures, such as investments in local infrastructure, that would enable local producers to compete
But Professor Juma said, “Given the circumstances it’s clear why the government would want to protect local producers. But the ban is unlikely to result in the desired outcomes except to provide relief for existing producers. Bans are usually not permanent and so do not serve as incentives to encourage new investment that may take a long time to show results.”
Professor Juma believes imports are not necessarily bad in themselves, adding that they are part of a global system that is theoretically built on the principle of reciprocity.
source: lusakatimes.com
