Publication Details

Agricultural growth and poverty reduction in Tanzania

emerging issues and major recommendations

Oswald Mashindano
Kim Kayunze
Festo Maro
Lucia da Corta
Andrew Shepherd
2011

Abstract

Key messages of this policy brief include:

• Agricultural growth has been consistently lower than required to reduce poverty significantly, and the growth which has occurred has not ‘trickled down’ adequately to the poor.
• Strategic interventions to improve the functioning of markets can boost agricultural growth and render it more pro-poor.
  • Markets are not sufficiently competitive. More competitive export markets are needed in border areas. Top political executives should not be involved in crop marketing, for reasons of conflict of interest.
  • Standard weights and measures are needed to counter under-recording of farmers’ crops.
  • The efficiency of farm input delivery and crop purchasing needs to be enhanced. If co-operatives are to be involved they need adequate and timely liquidity.
  • Land and rental markets need a legal framework to function effectively to make use of uncultivated land and boost rural employment and agricultural growth.
    • A review of approaches to farmers’ education is recommended so that a more effective system can be developed. Significant upgrading of the capabilities of extensionists is needed so that they can work with farmers to improve farming systems rather than individual technologies.
    • Farmers do not know what potential crop yields are in their areas. This information should be publicised, so that farmers can demand the services which would assist them to achieve higher yields.
    • A menu of approaches to increasing soil fertility is needed, with better information about the fertiliser voucher system.
    • Improved road connections between villages and market and administrative centres have greatly improved access to markets and services. The priority given to this in Mkukuta 1 should be continued in order to reduce transport costs and time.

Publication Type(s)

CPRC Policy Brief

Keywords

agriculture poverty reduction Tanzania

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