Policy Brief: Revisiting the 2013 Tanzanian National Agricultural Policy
DOWNLOADDecember 9, 2024 - Dr. Innocensia John
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EmailThis policy brief reviews the 2013 Tanzanian National Agricultural Policy (NAP), emphasizing its contributions, gaps, and need for reform. Agriculture contributes 26% to Tanzania’s GDP, with the sector evolving through policies promoting liberalization, decentralization, and private sector growth.
Key Strengths:
- Promotes agricultural modernization through research, inputs, infrastructure, marketing, and financing.
- Encourages public-private partnerships like SAGCOT to boost agro-processing and commercialization.
- Integrates cross-cutting issues such as gender and environmental sustainability.
Key Shortcomings:
- Microenterprises: The NAP focuses on medium and large enterprises but neglects the critical role of microenterprises in food security, employment, and rural development.
- Gender Equity: Although gender is recognized as a cross-cutting issue, practical measures for gender mainstreaming, especially regarding land tenure and decision-making, are absent.
- Food Safety: Lacks specific guidelines for enforcing food safety in locally produced and traded food.
- Environmental Sustainability: Fails to address the environmental impact of MSMEs, limiting the promotion of sustainable practices.
Recommendations:
- Recognize and support microenterprises in the agricultural economy.
- Include gender equity measures in access to resources, credit, and land tenure.
- Develop robust food safety standards for locally produced food.
- Promote environmental conservation practices among MSMEs.
- Enhance cross-sectoral coordination to address agriculture-related challenges in energy, health, and infrastructure.
Conclusion:
The 2013 NAP requires revision to reflect global and national changes in agriculture, including climate resilience, gender inclusivity, and microenterprise support. Aligning with Tanzania’s Five-Year Development Plan and Vision 2025 will ensure the policy supports sustainable development and food security.
