Understanding the Drivers of Policy Reforms in Africa: The influence of Neopatrimonialism on food policies in Malawi

Abstract

This empirical study used data from a 40 years period (1970-2010) to estimate the levels of neopatrimonialism in Malawi and test how it has affected policy-induced producer incentives. The three forms: systematic clientelism, power concentration index and control of corruption used to measure neopatrimonialism were all negatively related to producer support estimate. Suggesting that the manifestation of a patronage system creates policy-induced disincentives to production through worsening corruption, declining political willingness to improve agricultural incomes and crowding out of development expenditure due to a bloated civil service. This result reaffirms the notion that neopatrimonialism results in poor performance of economic sectors in sub Saharan Africa

Keywords: Malawi policies, neopatrimonialism, corruption, agriculture