DR Situmbeko Musokotwane is a seasoned economic analysts and, on many days, one of the few ministers who can stand in Parliament and explain policy without sounding like he is reading a pamphlet at a workshop. But on this one, his diagnosis of the causes of poverty in Zambia is too neat, too comfortable, and too convenient. The Minister told the House that “the major cause of poverty is the low agriculture productivity” in rural areas, and then added “high fertility levels” among the factors. We agree with him that poverty is multi-dimensional. But we disagree with him on two big claims: that high fertility is a major driver of poverty in the way he suggests, and that rural areas...
