ABSTRACT

The Northern 40 percent of the country is divided into Saharan and Sub-Saharan climatic zones, across which the Taureg and Maure people have maintained an economy based on herding and salt trade for several centuries. Inflationary pressures and other economic problems engendered by an independent currency eventually led Keita to seek re-entry into the Franc Zone in order to re-establish effective State control over Mali's economy. Since achieving political independence in 1960, the country has been faced with unstable, lagging food production and rural poverty, despite a rich natural resource base. Some have taken refuge in theories of underdevelopment unsupported by empirical micro-analyses. If the regime can successfully collaborate with Mali's producers and traders, an historically significant step in Malian development will have occurred. Such collaboration would provide a dual base of domestic political support and encourage continued international political confidence in the regime, thereby assuring a flow of foreign aid.