An Analysis of African Family Expenditure Part Two: the Chiweshe Reserve

Abstract

Chiweshe Reserve is some 60 miles north-west of Salisbury in the Mazoe district, and is a typical African Reserve in the high veld of Mashonaland. Male absenteeism is fairly high, and agriculture is typically carried out by the older men, the women and children. Land tenure is on a customary basis, and the Land Husbandry Act of 1951 has never been strictly applied. Soil types vary from granite sands to laterite red clays, with a marked difference in agricultural productivity between the two. The budgets analysed here were drawn from a sample of 120 families whose agricultural activities were fully recorded between October 1960 and September 1961. Food consumption levels were derived from crop production records less sales of produce. Meat consumption levels were derived from cattle slaughter less sales plus cash purchases of meat. Consumer goods purchased by the families were recorded by the research assistants on twice weekly visits. Income was calculated from crops grown and consumed plus sales of produce plus cash remittances from outside the reserve plus any other recorded source of income.