The Brain Drain and Gain Debate in Zambia

The "brain drain" factor in Zambia considerably reduces the chances of national development because of emigration by qualified professionals in pursuit of greener pastures abroad. This kind of migration has been highly attributed to factors such as low salaries, poor working conditions, and political unrest, which result in a massive loss of human capital, especially in the vital sectors of health and education. Workforce shortage thus negatively impacts service delivery and innovation, aggravating the problems that the country faces. On the other hand, the concept of "brain gain" presumes that out-migration by the educated enhances educational attainment in remaining people, with a possible benefit from return migration and contributions from the diaspora. The book therefore combines household survey data with qualitative interviews using a mixed-methods approach to discuss both adverse and positive impacts of skilled migration in Zambia. Results show that though brain drain is a serious problem, it creates incentives for investments in education and opens channels for knowledge transfer back home.