Aspirations and Weather Shocks: Evidence from Rural Zambia

Aspirations are future-oriented desires or ambitions that determine various choices including economic and agricultural activities. Aspirations are shaped by the social, cultural, and physical environment and can be affected by external factors such as natural disasters. This article addresses the question of how weather shocks can influence the aspirations of farmers in rural Zambia with regards to their individual and community goals. Using primary panel data from two survey rounds before and after a major drought, we show that such extreme weather events can be associated with adverse impacts aspirations for individual goals. Further exploratory analyses suggest that aspirations towards assets that are particularly vulnerable to droughts are affected most. We do not find any significant effects of drought on aspirations for community goals.