TY - JOUR

T1 - A history of tobacco production and marketing in Malawi, 1890-2010

AU - Prowse, Martin Philip

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - During the past century tobacco production and marketing in Nyasaland/Malawihas undergone periods of dynamism similar to changes since the early 1990s. Thisarticle highlights three recurrent patterns. First, estate owners have fostered orconstrained peasant/smallholder production dependent on complementarities orcompetition with estates. Second, the rapid expansion of peasant/smallholderproduction has led to large multiplier effects in tobacco-rich districts. Third, suchexpansion has also led to re-regulation of the marketing of peasant/smallholdertobacco by the (colonial) state. The article concludes by assessing whether recentchanges in the industry such as district markets, contract farming withsmallholders, and the importance of credence factors have historical precedents,or are new developments in the industry.

AB - During the past century tobacco production and marketing in Nyasaland/Malawihas undergone periods of dynamism similar to changes since the early 1990s. Thisarticle highlights three recurrent patterns. First, estate owners have fostered orconstrained peasant/smallholder production dependent on complementarities orcompetition with estates. Second, the rapid expansion of peasant/smallholderproduction has led to large multiplier effects in tobacco-rich districts. Third, suchexpansion has also led to re-regulation of the marketing of peasant/smallholdertobacco by the (colonial) state. The article concludes by assessing whether recentchanges in the industry such as district markets, contract farming withsmallholders, and the importance of credence factors have historical precedents,or are new developments in the industry.

U2 - 10.1080/17531055.2013.805077

DO - 10.1080/17531055.2013.805077

M3 - Journal article

VL - 7

SP - 691

EP - 712

JO - Journal of Eastern African Studies

JF - Journal of Eastern African Studies

SN - 1753-1055

IS - 4

ER -