ABSTRACT
The research focused on how Africa people perceived Economic Structural Adjustment Policy (ESAP) and its effects: the expectation being that in line with other surveys in Harare and Zimbabwe, these perceptions would be generally negative. Zimbabwe introduced its ESAP in January 1991. It is important, in terms of the population’s subsequent perceptions of the impact of ESAP, to note that it is questionable whether Zimbabwe needed to adjust in this particular way. Throughout Africa people’s lifestyles and livelihoods have been fundamentally altered by the impact of structural adjustment policies (SAP). The chapter shows which particular aspects of SAPs are considered to be most important by the people affected rather than focusing on macro-level economic indicators or issues judged to be of significance by the researchers. It suggests how people rank the various impacts of SAPs on communities in different geographical settings.
