ABSTRACT
A determining feature of the post-Second World War world has been the quest to attain ‘development’, however it is defined, globally, continentally, regionally, nationally and locally. Some of the most striking features of what has come to be referred to as the ‘development experiment’ are, first, the degree to which development theory and practice have evolved from a narrow focus on Western concepts of modernization through to more situationally specific endeavours at self-reliance. The concept of ‘development’ is an elusive one to define, especially as its meaning has evolved over time. In the late colonial era, development was conceptualized as focusing on the creation of the infrastructure to promote growth – ports, railways, etc. – and the associated investment in large mining and agricultural undertakings. One of the most dramatic development interventions undertaken in the late colonial era in Africa is variously known as the ‘Tanganyika Groundnut Scheme’ or the ‘East African Groundnut Scheme’.
