国际粮价对津巴布韦贸易、贫困和消费者福利的影响

n to better trade connections with other nations and address the issues confronting the agriculture industry. The effects of these changes on Zimbabwe economy and agricultural sector have been thoroughly studied by academics, who have identified both favourable and unfavourable results. Among the essential elements of the economic rules Programme in Zimbabwe has been the liberalization of agricultural markets. This has involved removing price controls, subsidies, and other government interventions in the agricultural sector. The goal of these reforms was to promote efficiency, competition, and productivity in the agriculture sector. A study by Chingono and Mugabe (2020) found that the liberalization of agricultural markets has led to an increase in self owned sector investment, improved access credit for farmers, higher levels of agricultural production. Trade policy reforms have also been a major focus of the Economic Reform Programme in Zimbabwe. These reforms have involved reducing tariffs, lowering trade barriers, and promoting exports to stimulate economic growth and foreign exchange earnings. The Zimbabwean economy has benefited from its economic changes, according to academics like Gennaioli, N., La Porta, R., Lopez-de-Silanes, F., & Shleifer, A. (2013)., who also claim that these changes have improved export revenues and foreign direct investment. 

2.2Food Price Effects on Poverty, Trade, and Consumer Welfare

2.2.1 How international food prices Affect Poverty

 Due to the high rates of food insecurity and poverty in Zimbabwe, there is a significant impact of global food prices on the country poverty. Given that a large amount of their income is spent on food, low-income households may be disproportionately affected by these increases in product costs. Zimbabwean poverty can be made worse by foreign food costs in a number of ways, including: 

 Diminished buying capacity: As the cost of food rises, numerous households may lack the financial means to get an adequate amount of food to fulfill their fundamental requirements. This can result in malnutrition and hunger, especially among susceptible demographics like children and the elderly.  

Rising indebtedness: Certain households may be compelled to acquire debt or get loans in order to meet the cost of food during periods of elevated prices. This can result in a perpetual cycle of indebtedness and increased destitution. 

Economic volatility: The fluctuation of international food prices can exacerbate the general economic instability in Zimbabwe, rendering it more challenging for businesses to function and for individuals to secure steady work. 

Government response: Elevated international food cost might exert pressure on the government to offer  to susceptible groups, so burdening already constrained resources and resulting in amplified budget deficits. In Zimbabwe, the relationship between international food prices and poverty is intricate and diverse. However, it is evident that resolving food insecurity and maintaining the affordability of food are essential measures in combating poverty in the nation.

3 DATA AND MODEL SPECIFICATION........................27

3.1 Econometric Model Specification .........................27

3.1.1 Dependent Variables ......................................27

3.1.2. Independent variables ...................................27

4 DATA ANALYSIS RESULTS ........................29

4.1. Descriptive Statistics and Stationary analysis ............................29

4.1.1 Descriptive Statistics analysis ...................................29

4.1.2 Stationary analysis ......................31

5. CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS ....................35

4 DATA ANALYSIS RESULTS

4.1. Descriptive Statistics and Stationary analysis

4.1.1 Descriptive Statistics analysis 

The descriptive statistics results of the different foods prices indexes indicate that, the average price index of cereals has been 122.73 points over 1990 t