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Efficiency of National Budget allocations in reduction of poverty levels in Zambia

Research Proposal

Introduction

Zambia is a landlocked country located in the southern part of Africa covering an area of 5664

square kilometers .On the northern part it borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania

on the North-East, Malawi on the Eastern side while Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe and

Namibia are on the southern part of Zambia. Angola is on the western side.

Statement of the Problem

Zambia as a nation is under pressure to improve efficiency in National budget allocation (OECD,

1997), while also reducing growing public expenditure. The issues of an Ageing population and

health problems have increased budgetary pressure but this notwithstanding, National budget

allocation efficiency on farm inputs have to be accounted for by government.

Evidence on tested areas shows that agricultural inputs can raise productivity to very great levels

and that sustaining intensive agriculture in the long run does not deplete soil fertility.

The question one may ask then is, “why we have very few farmers in Zambia who engage in the

use of agricultural inputs?’’

The policy monitoring and Research Centre Report 2013, suggests that with efficiency in

National budget allocation, Zambia’s economic potential can be unlocked. The National

planning and budgetary Policy, the first of its kind is relatively new in the country. The policy is

designed to guide the process of planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the

National development plans and budget allocations (PMRC, 2013).

Research Hypothesis

Ho1. Has the National Budget Allocations Helped In Poverty Alleviation in Zambia?

H2. Has the National budget allocation been efficient in addressing the plight of farmers in

Zambia?

Purpose of the study

A paper on Agricultural development in Zambia asserts that there is need to develop extensive

farming as a way of addressing food security and alleviation of hunger.

Research Questions

1). How have cost implication for delivery of agricultural inputs to the farmers and the

subsequent benefits affected adoption of the farm inputs.

2. Could market failures; be responsible for low morale among farmers in Zambia in adopting

agricultural inputs?

Significance of the study

The systems perspective permits insight into the “what” as well as the “how” of the phenomenon

(Banathy and Jenlink, 1996); Reigeluth, Banathy, & Olson, 1993). In this proposal the

investigation of the effectiveness of National budget allocation and the positive change it brings

to the farming system in the country will be our focus. According to Watson &Reigeluth (2008),

systemic change is the process of changing a system from one paradigm to another by applying

systems thinking and systems theory. In their view, systemic change is concerned with the

creation of a completely new system rather than a mere retooling of a current system.

Its implementation pervades all levels of the system, namely, farming methodologies at the

District, Regional and the national level. As such, the central concern in the discussion is that of

consistency of application of the farm inputs and their ultimate impact countrywide.

Limitation of the study

The most significance limitation of this study will be that it will be carried out in only one region

of the over one hundred districts and this will be representative of heterogeneity.Gwembe

district, a small town in the southern province, with a population of sixty thousand people, as per

the census of the year 2010. Data collection through interviews, observer notes and document

study may also limit validity of conclusions made due to overrating or underrating by

respondents.

Delimitation of the study

This study will only cover some parts of the Nation and not as a countrywide research. However,

samples taken will be sufficiently representative since all regions will be included in the study.

The study will focus on the field officers, agricultural extension officers and Directors and will

investigate the effectiveness of National budget allocation only. One on one interview as a means

of data collection will be applied to the Directors only due to time limitation; this will be

complemented by interviews, observer notes and document study.

Organization of the study

The study will be organized in five chapters. The first chapter will introduce the study and

provide the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives

of the study, research questions, and significance of the study, limitations of the study,

delimitations of the study, basic assumptions of the study, definitions of significant terms, and

the organization of the study.

Data analysis

The interview process will create a large amount of data. The immediate challenge, which will

begin after the transcription of the very first interview, is to reduce the mass of text to something

manageable and meaningful. In keeping with the principles of grounded theory, the data analysis

will begin immediately because, future interviews and future sampling is dependent on the

information which emerges from the first set of data. The grounded theory mode of analysis

produces concepts, categories and propositions. Concepts are the basic units of analysis in

grounded theory methodology (Glaser, 1992).

Reference

 Government of Zambia (2013). Public Financial Management Reform Strategy: Ministry of

Finance

 Grobbler, P.A., Warnich, S., Carrell, M.R., Elbert, N.F., Hatfield, R.D. (2002). Human

Resource Management in South Africa. 2nd edition. Thomson Learning, London.

 Hutchins, C. L. (1996). Systemic Thinking: Solving complex problems. St Louis, MO:

Professional Development Systems.

 OECD (1997).Managing Across Levels of Government, Paris.

 Republic of Zambia (2010): Central statistical office 201

 Watson, S.L., & Reigeluth, C.M. (2008). Systems Design for Change in Training

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