Sustaining and Sharing Economic Growth in
TANZANIA
Edited by Robert J. Utz
THE WORLD BANK
Sustaining and Sharing
Economic Growth in
Tanzania
Sustaining and Sharing
Economic Growth in
Tanzania
Edited by
Robert J. Utz
THE WORLD BANK
Washington, D.C.
©2008 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
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ISBN: 978-0-8213-7195-4
eISBN: 978-0-8213-7196-1
DOI: 10.1596/978-0-8213-7195-4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Utz, Robert J.
Sustaining and sharing economic growth in Tanzania / Robert J. Utz.
p. cm.
ISBN 978–0–8213–7195–4 (alk. paper)—ISBN 978–0–8213–7196–1 (electronic)
1. Tanzania—Economic policy. 2. Poverty—Tanzania. I. Title.
HC885.U89 2007
338.96789—dc22
2007022160
Contents
FOREWORD
xv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
xvii
ABBREVIATIONS
xix
OVERVIEW
1
Robert J. Utz
PART I POVERTY REDUCTION AND GROWTH: RECENT PERFORMANCE
AND PROSPECTS
1.
15
A DECADE OF REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND
ECONOMIC GROWTH
17
Robert J. Utz
2.
Improved Macroeconomic Fundamentals
22
Determinants of Economic Growth in Tanzania
30
Conclusions
39
Notes
39
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVERTY
41
Johannes Hoogeveen, Louise Fox, and Marianne Simonsen
3.
Economic Inequality, Poverty, and Growth
43
Nonmonetary Poverty Measures
49
Economic Characteristics of the Poor
50
Explaining Household Consumption
58
Conclusions
60
Notes
61
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH AND POVERTY REDUCTION
63
Philip Mpango
4.
Overall Regional Income Patterns
63
Implications for Regional Policy
73
Notes
73
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVERTY REDUCTION
75
Robert J. Utz and Johannes Hoogeveen
Growth Scenarios
75
Review of Tanzania’s Growth Prospects in Historical and International Contexts
78
V
VI
CONTENTS
Policy-Based Projections
78
Input-Based Projections
79
Sectoral Projections
84
Reaching the MDG and NSGRP Targets
85
Conclusions
93
Notes
94
PART II SECTORAL PERSPECTIVES ON GROWTH
95
5.
97
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
Henry Gordon
6.
Removing Constraints on Agricultural Growth
105
Public Expenditures to Support Agricultural Growth
130
Notes
141
FOSTERING GROWTH, EXPORT COMPETITIVENESS, AND EMPLOYMENT IN
THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR
143
Vandana Chandra, Pooja Kacker, and Ying Li
7.
Determinants of Manufacturing Sector Growth
145
Enhancing the Export Performance of the Manufacturing Sector
152
Conclusions and Recommendations for a Manufacturing Sector Growth Strategy
156
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
159
Annabella Skof
8.
Economic Contribution of Tourism
159
The Tanzanian Tourism Industry Compared with That of Other Countries
162
Growth Potential
166
Recommendations
167
Notes
168
THE INFORMAL ECONOMY
169
Annabella Skof
Constraints to Growth of Enterprises in the Informal Sector and Formalization
172
Benefits of Increasing Formalization
174
Implications for Policy
176
Notes
178
PART III ELEMENTS OF A STRATEGY FOR SHARED GROWTH
179
9.
181
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
Anuja Utz and Jean-Eric Aubert
Education
183
Innovation
191
Information and Communication Technologies
198
Summary of Issues and Recommendations
203
Notes
205
CONTENTS
10.
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
VII
207
Michael Wong, Ravi Ruparel, and Peter Mwanakatwe
11.
Scaling Up Access to Infrastructure
208
Scaling Up Access to Capital and Finance
217
Enhancing the Public-Private Interface
223
Notes
238
HARNESSING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
241
Kerstin Pfliegner
12.
Contribution of Natural Resources to Growth and Government Revenue
242
Public Investment in Natural Resource–Based Growth
244
Untapped Growth Potential
245
Potential for Local Spinoff Effects
246
Potential for Poverty Reduction
247
Sustainability of Growth
249
Externalities
251
Recommendations
252
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PARTICIPATE IN GROWTH
255
Johannes Hoogeveen
Improving Human Capital of the Poor
255
Building Physical Capital of the Poor
273
Dealing with Vulnerability
280
Conclusions
283
Notes
285
PART IV MANAGING POLICIES AND EXPENDITURES FOR SHARED GROWTH
13.
289
SCALING UP PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR GROWTH AND
POVERTY REDUCTION
291
Robert J. Utz
14.
Domestic Resources
292
Scaling Up Foreign Aid
294
Debt Sustainability
297
Reducing Aid Dependency
299
Conclusions
300
Notes
301
COORDINATION OF ECONOMIC POLICY FORMULATION
AND IMPLEMENTATION
303
Robert J. Utz and Allister Moon
Review of Institutions for Economic Policy
303
Challenges
305
Implementation of the Growth Agenda of the NSGRP
310
Note
311
VIII
CONTENTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
313
INDEX
323
CONTENTS OF CD-ROM
Part I: Background Studies for Specific Book Chapters
Chapter 1: Tanzania: Recent Growth Performance and Prospects by Robert Utz
Chapter 2: Rural Income Dynamics in Kagera Region, Tanzania by Flora Kessy
Economic Growth, Sectoral Linkages, and Poverty Reduction in Tanzania by
Jorgen Levin and Robert Mhamba
Population Growth, Economic Growth and Welfare Distribution: An Overview of
Theory, Empirical Evidence and Implications to Tanzania by Adolf Mkenda
A Profile of Poverty in Tanzania by Marianne Simonsen and Louise Fox
Chapter 3: Spatial Dimensions of Growth and Poverty Reduction in Tanzania Mainland by
Philip Mpango
Urban Rural Dynamics in Tanzania, through Informal Redistribution Mechanisms
by Meine Pieter van Dijk
Chapter 4: Growth, Inequality and Simulated Poverty Paths for Tanzania, 1992–2002 by
Gabriel Demombynes and Johannes G. M. Hoogeveen
Chapter 5: Smallholder Ground Water Irrigation in Tanzania by Shiva S. Makki, IJsbrand de
Jong, and Henry Mahoo
Chapter 6: Tanzania: Growth, Exports and Employment in the Manufacturing Sector by
Vandana Chandra, Pooja Kacker, and Ying Li
Chapter 9: Innovation in Tanzania: Insights, Issues and Policies by Jean-Eric Aubert and
Godwill Wanga
Improving Competitiveness in Tanzania: The Role of Information and
Communication Technologies by infoDev
Constraints to Technology Access in Tanzanian Horticulture: A Case Study of
Barriers to the Introduction of Improved Seed and Pest Control Technologies by
Annabella Skof
Fostering Innovation, Productivity, and Technological Change: Tanzania in the
Knowledge Economy by Anuja Utz
Chapter 10: Supply Chain Development in Tanzania: An Assessment of Three
Products/Commodities by Ronald Kopicki
Chapter 11: Natural Resource Based Growth: Summary Paper by COWI
Chapter 12: Reducing Child Malnutrition in Tanzania: Combined Effects of Income Growth
and Program Interventions by Harold Alderman, Hans Hoogeveen, and
Mariacristina Rossi
Coffee Price Risk in Perspective: Household Vulnerability among Rural Coffee
Growing Smallholders in Tanzania by Luc Christiaensen, Vivian Hoffmann, and
Alexander Sarris
The Distributional Impact of the PEDP in Rural Kilimanjaro by Johannes G.
Hoogeveen
Risk, Growth and Transfers: Prioritizing Policies in a Low-Income Environment
with Risk—The Case of Tanzania by Johannes G. Hoogeveen
Trends in Malnutrition in Tanzania by Blandina Kilama and Wietze Lindenboom
CONTENTS
IX
The Benefits of Malnutrition Interventions: Empirical Evidence and Lessons to
Tanzania by Adolf F. Mkenda
Causes of Malnutrition and Tanzania's Nutrition Programs: Past and Present by
Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre
Part II: Statistical Tables
Appendix A Population and Demographics
Appendix B The Economy
Appendix C Exports and Imports
Appendix D External Debt
Appendix E Central Government Revenue and Expenditure
Appendix F Monetary Situation
Appendix G Agricultural Production
Appendix H Employment, Labor, and Production in the Manufacturing Sector
Appendix I
Consumer Prices and Cost of Living
Part III: Summary of Main Findings and Recommendations
BOXES
1.1
Overview of Structural Reforms in Tanzania
19
1.2
Government Spending and Economic Growth
37
2.1
Is Tanzania’s Poverty Line Too Low?
42
3.1
Regional Differences in Coping with External Shocks
66
5.1
Organization of the Marketing Chain for Oranges and Onions
128
8.1
Examples of Voluntary Formalization
176
9.1
Benchmarking Tanzania in the Global Context
182
9.2
The United Nations Development Programme’s Technology Achievement Index
194
9.3
Constraints to Technology Access in the Horticulture Sector in Tanzania
195
10.1
Aspects of Governance
224
12.1
Gender Differences in Education
259
12.2
Marketing Opportunities and Crop Adoption
275
12.3
Positive Consequences of a Shock
277
12.4
A Poverty Trap in Shinyanga
282
12.5
Analysis Helps Clarify Whom to Target
284
14.1
Governance Arrangements to Strengthen the Effectiveness of Growth-Enhancing
Interventions
308
FIGURES
1.1
Annual Growth of Real GDP at Factor Cost, 1960–2005
18
1.2
Merchandise Exports: Traditional and Nontraditional, 1990–2004
23
1.3
Government Finance, 1991/92–2004/05
24
1.4
Money and Inflation, 1990–2004
25
1.5
Domestic Credit and Interest Rates
27
1.6
Capital Formation, 1995–2005
28
1.7
Savings and Investment, 1990–2005
30
1.8
Exchange Rate and Balance of Payments, 1990–2004
31
X
CONTENTS
1.9
Public and Publicly Guaranteed Debt and Debt Service, 1990–2005
1.10
Decomposition of Economic Growth per Worker into Contribution of Human
and Physical Capital Accumulation and Total Factor Productivity, 1985–2005
34
1.11
Growth Rates of GDP Inclusive and Exclusive of Government Spending, 1990–2005
37
1.12
Contribution of Private and Public Expenditure to Economic Growth, 1990–2005
38
2.1
Simulated Changes in Poverty, 1992–2002
44
2.2
Growth Incidence Curve: Nation as a Whole
46
3.1
Average GDP by Region, 1996–99 and 2000–03
65
3.2
Average Maize and Paddy Yield per Hectare, Fiscal Years 1995–2001
69
3.3
Interregional Output Disparities, 1980–2003
72
4.1
Projections of GDP Per Capita and Poverty, 2003–25
76
4.2
Average Annual Per Capita GDP Growth for Five-Year Periods, 1961–2005
77
4.3
Average Per Capita Real GDP Growth in 185 Countries, 1994–2003
79
4.4
Average Years of Schooling in Seven African Countries, 1960–2000
80
4.5
Contribution of Capital Accumulation to Growth, 2005–25
82
4.6
Projected Reduction in Consumption Poverty, 2001–15
87
4.7
Projected Reduction in Consumption Poverty under Alternative Compositions
32
of Growth, 2001–15
89
4.8
Projected Reduction in Malnutrition (Underweight), 2004–15
91
5.1
Average Annual Agricultural Growth, 1990–2003
98
5.2
Labor Productivity Levels in Tanzania and Comparators, 1990–2002
5.3
Labor Productivity Trends in Tanzania and Region, 1990–2003
100
5.4
Producer and Intermediary Returns as a Percentage of the Border Price
119
5.5
Cost Components of Marketing Margins
120
5.6
Cost Components of Producer Margins
122
6.1
Growth of Manufacturing Sector Output and Exports
144
7.1
Tourism Receipts, 1991–2005
160
7.2
Total Visitor Arrivals in Kenya and Tanzania, 1996–2004
163
7.3
World Travel and Tourism Council Competitiveness Index, 2004
164
8.1
Size of the Informal Economy for Selected Countries, as a Percentage of Gross
National Income
170
8.2
Estimated Unreported Revenue for Tax Purposes
174
8.3
Median Value Added per Worker
175
9.1
Adult Literacy Rates, 1970–2002
184
9.2
Average Years of Schooling, 1960–2000
185
9.3
Reading Scores and Mathematics Scores
187
9.4
Predicted Earnings in Manufacturing Sector Based on Manufacturing Firm Surveys
188
9.5
Marginal Social Returns per Year of Education Based on Integrated Labor Force Survey
189
9.6
Projected Shortfall of Health Care Workers
191
9.7
ICT Infrastructure: Telephones, Personal Computers, and Internet
200
10.1
Cost of Inefficiencies in the Business Environment as a Percentage of Sales,
99
Various Countries
208
10.2
Cost Structure of Firms by Average Percentage of Total Costs
209
10.3
Percentage of Enterprises Rating Problems as Major or Very Severe Constraints on
Enterprise Operations and Growth, 2003
209
CONTENTS
XI
10.4
Effect of Low Levels of Infrastructure on Economic Growth
210
10.5
Proportion of Rural Population Living within 2 Kilometers of an All-Season Road
212
10.6
Real Interest Rates for T-Bills, Lending, and Savings, 1993–2005
220
10.7
Governance Indicators for Tanzania, 1996–2005
225
10.8
Informality in Tanzania and in Comparator Countries
226
10.9
Percentage of Firms Inspected and Number of Inspections per Year, by
Government Agency
10.10 Rating of Problems by Enterprises in Tanzania and Comparator Countries
230
232
10.11 Enterprises Reporting That Bribes to the Government Affect Their Businesses in
Tanzania and Comparator Countries
10.12 Requests for Bribes during Inspections
235
236
10.13 Interaction with Institutions That Demand Bribes: Microenterprises versus Small,
Medium, and Large Enterprises
237
11.1
Annual License Revenue and Number of Foreign Vessels in EEZ, 1998–2004
246
11.2
Income to Ololosokwan Village, Ngorongoro District Council, 1999–2003
247
11.3
Village Incomes from Hunting in Lunda-Mkwambi (Game-Controlled Area), Idodi,
and Pawaga Divisions, 1996–99
248
12.1
Primary Education Performance, 1995–2004
257
12.2
Changes in the Distribution of Access to Education in Rural Kilimanjaro, 2001 and 2003
258
12.3
Enrollment in Secondary Schools, 1990–2004
260
12.4
Percentage of Undernourished Children under Age Five, 1991–2004
261
12.5
Fraction Stunted, by Region (1992–99), and Under-Five Mortality Rate per 1,000 Live
Births (2002)
263
12.6
Height of Children in Kagera in 2004 by Stunting Status in 1993
264
12.7
Nutritional Status of Children by Age, 1999
265
12.8
Effect of Community Interventions on Average Nutrition Scores in Kagera, 1992–94
265
12.9
Infant Mortality, 1988 and 2002
267
12.10 Concentration Curves for Different Health Care Consultations
269
12.11 Births per Individual Women Ages 15–49, by Wealth Quintile
272
12.12 Fraction of People Working as Own-Account Laborers in Agriculture
274
12.13 Disability and Orphanhood Relative to Primary School Attendance
283
13.1
Effective Exchange Rates, 1990–2004
295
13.2
Exports of Manufactures as a Percentage of GDP and Exports of Goods and Services,
1990–2002
13.3
296
Multilateral Credit Disbursements and Debt Sustainability: Net Present Value of
Debt-to-Export Ratio, 2006–26
298
MAP
3.1
Main and Least Contributors to GDP, by Region
64
TABLES
1.1
Real GDP Growth Rates, 1988–2003
21
1.2
Sources of Growth and Production, 1990–2005
21
1.3
Structural Change of the Tanzanian Economy, 1990–2005
22
1.4
Decomposition of Tanzania’s Growth, 1995–2005: Depreciation of Initial Capital
Stock by 0, 25, and 50 Percent
33
XII
CONTENTS
1.5
Sources of Growth, by Region, 1990–2000
35
1.6
Sources of Growth: Expenditure, 1990–2005
36
2.1
Poverty Indexes, 1991/92–2000/01
42
2.2
Poverty Status in Tanzania, 1991/92–2000/01
43
2.3
Distribution of the Population by Strata by National Quintile, 1991/92–2000/01
45
2.4
Increase in Consumer Prices between 1991 and 2001
45
2.5
Gini Coefficient and Theil Index, 1991/92–2000/01
46
2.6
Share of Inequality Created by Between-Group Differences in Tanzania,
1991/92–2000/01
47
2.7
Decomposition of Change in Poverty in Tanzania, 1991/92–2000/01
48
2.8
Food Share by Strata and Poverty Status, 1991/92–2000/01
49
2.9
Households’ Perceptions of Problems with Satisfying Food Needs in Relation to
Actual Poverty Status, 2000/01
50
2.10
Household Asset Holdings by Quintiles, 1991/92–2000/01
51
2.11
Housing Quality, 1991/92–2000/01
52
2.12
Poverty by Number of Children Age Five or Younger, 1991/92–2000/01
53
2.13
Poverty by Civil Status of Head of Household, 1991/92–2000/01
53
2.14
Level of Completed Schooling of Head of Household by Quintile, 1991/92–2000/01
54
2.15
Employment of Head of Household by Quintile and Strata, 1991/92–2000/01
54
2.16
Change in Average Consumption per Adult Equivalent by Employment of Head of
2.17
Average Consumption per Adult Equivalent by Employment of Head of Household,
2.18
Index Number of Average Consumption per Adult Equivalent by Employment of Head
of Household, 1991 Tanzania Basis
56
2.19
Share of Labor Force by Employment and Gender, 1991/92–2000/01
57
2.20
Employment of Spouses Compared with That of Heads of Household, 1991/92–2000/01
57
2.21
Main Type of Business by Quintiles, 1991/92–2000/01
58
2.22
Average Years of Education of Head of Household, 1991/92–2000/01
58
2.23
Regression Results, Determinants of Consumption for Households, and Coefficients
in Levels (Regional Dummies Included), 1991/92–2000/01
59
3.1
Distribution of Industrial Establishments, Workers, and Value Added, 2000 and 2004
67
3.2
Regional Population Dynamics
70
3.3
Selected Indexes of Human Capital Development, by Region
71
4.1
Projections of Per Capita GNI and Share of Population below Poverty Line, 2010–25
76
4.2
Policy-Based Growth Projections
80
4.3
Effect of Additional Years of Schooling on Economic Growth
81
4.4
Contribution of Investment to Growth: Average over 10 Years for 0, 2, 4, and
6 Percent Growth Rates
82
4.5
Growth and Total Factor Productivity in Selected East Asian Countries, 1960–94
83
4.6
Overall Input-Based Projections
84
4.7
Structural Transformation, Selected Countries, 1980–98
84
4.8
Scenarios for Economic Growth and Structural Transformation
85
4.9
MDG Baseline, Most Recent Estimate, and Target
86
4.10
Scenarios for Economic Growth
87
Household and by Strata, 1991/92 and 2000/01
1990/91–2000/01
55
55
CONTENTS
XIII
4.11
Reduction in Malnutrition in Kagera
92
5.1
Sectoral and Subsectoral Contributions to GDP Growth, 1995–2003
98
5.2
Labor Productivity Growth: Contributing Factors
5.3
Contributions of Subsectors to 5.3 Percent Growth in Agricultural Gross Value of
Production, 1995/96–2002/03
103
5.4
Land Use and Potential for Agricultural Land Expansion, Mid-1990s
106
5.5
Inventory of Technologies Coming Out of the Research System in the 1990s
110
5.6
Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development of Smallholder Irrigation Systems
116
5.7
Proposed Growth in Development Expenditures for ASDP, 2002/03
133
5.8
2005/06 Budget Proposals
134
5.9
Budget Ceilings for Rural Development and Agriculture in Line Ministries, 2005/06
135
7.1
Key Tourism Statistics, 1991–2005
161
7.2
Hotel Occupancy Rate
164
7.3
Perception of Infrastructure Services
165
7.4
Obstacles Encountered in the Business Environment
165
7.5
Electricity Provision Indicators
168
8.1
Typology of Forms of Enterprise in Tanzania
170
9.1
Role of the Public Sector in Fostering Innovation
192
9.2
ICT Indicators for Tanzania and Comparators
202
10.1
Road Network, February 2004
212
10.2
Financial Variables as a Percentage of GDP, 1997–2005
219
10.3
Commercial Bank Lending to Some Sectors, 1997–2005
220
10.4
Doing Business Indicators
227
10.5
Percentage of Firms Inspected and Median Number of Inspections, by Sector
230
10.6
Likelihood of Reporting That Bribes Were Needed to Get Things Done, by Size
102
of Enterprise
236
11.1
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism Annual Revenue, 2002/03 and 2003/04
243
11.2
Budget of Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, as Distributed by Subsector,
12.1
Increase in Per Capita Consumption Relative to Households Headed by Individuals
2002/03–2003/04
244
with No Education
256
12.2
Benefit-Cost Ratios of Nutrition Interventions
264
12.3
Number of Days of School or Work Missed Because of Illness, by Consumption Quintile
268
12.4
Distance to Health Facilities, 1991 and 2000
268
12.5
Differences in Health Outcomes, by Quintile
269
12.6
Access to Preventive Health Services, by Quintile
270
12.7
Socioeconomic Aspects of Health, by Quintile
270
12.8
Ordinary Least Squares Regression of the Education Gap of Children Ages 8–11
271
12.9
Consumption Transition Matrix in Kagera, 1994 and 2004
275
12.10 Shocks with Major Consequences for Well-Being in Kagera, by Quintile, 1994–2004
277
12.11 Five Main Causes of Mortality, by Age Group
278
12.12 Access to Savings Services in Rural Areas, 1991 and 2000
279
13.1
Per Capita MDG Investment Needs and Financing Sources, 2006–15
292
13.2
Potential Contribution of Domestic Revenue to Finance MDGs, 2006–25
293
Foreword
Promoting growth, reducing poverty and inequity, and improving opportunities for people are central to the World Bank Group’s objectives in Tanzania. The World Bank
Group is strongly committed to supporting these objectives and the detailed programs
and policies needed to achieve them as portrayed in the government of Tanzania’s
National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty—also called MKUKUTA.
Economic transformation in countries such as Tanzania is not at all easy. Working
closely with other development partners, the World Bank Group supports government and private efforts in this regard—with financial support and policy advice. Tanzania’s progress thus far is very promising. It is one of the few countries in Sub-Saharan
Africa to have recorded sound macroeconomic management and rapid economic
growth, which averaged 6 percent per year since 2000. The big challenge now is to sustain this impressive growth performance and ensure it is shared more broadly, so as
to increase economic opportunities throughout Tanzania.
This book is designed to contribute to the government’s thinking on how best to
translate broad MKUKUTA policy objectives into practical tactics and programs well
suited to Tanzania’s economic priorities and to the removal of key institutional and infrastructure bottlenecks. The volume aims to respond to three fundamental questions:
(a) what factors explain Tanzania’s recent acceleration in economic growth, (b) how
well has the accelerated growth translated into reduced poverty, and (c) what needs to
be done to sustain growth that is also pro-poor.
It gives me great personal satisfaction to note the important achievements to date
in Tanzania and to know that the World Bank Group has contributed to these in some
small measure. Clearly much more remains to be done before Tanzania is on an established path to sustained and shared economic growth, but I am confident the authorities, in partnership with the private sector, will continue to progress.
Tanzania can meet its poverty reduction goals assuming enlightened leadership
maintains the strong commitment to its growth and poverty reduction agenda and
ensures a clear, strong, and effective partnership with the private sector.
Judy O’Connor
Country Director for Tanzania and Uganda
World Bank
XV
Acknowledgments
This book is based on a Country Economic Report that was undertaken jointly by the
Tanzanian Ministry of Planning, Economy, and Empowerment (MPEE) and the World
Bank (WB), with support from the African Development Bank and various local and
international researchers. The report was prepared under the overall supervision of
Enos Bukuku (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Infrastructure Development, previously
Permanent Secretary, MPEE), Charles Mutalemwa (Permanent Secretary, MPEE),
Judy O’Connor (WB Country Director for Uganda and Tanzania), and Kathie Krumm
(WB Sector Manager, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Unit for East
Africa and the Horn), who provided substantive inputs, comments, and support at
all stages of the preparation process. The World Bank team was led by Robert J. Utz
(WB Senior Economist, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management for East Africa
and the Horn), who also edited this publication. The government team was initially
led by Arthur Mwakapugi (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Mining, previously Director for Macroeconomics, MPEE), followed by Laston Msongole (Director of Macroeconomics, MPEE).
This book is a compilation of chapters written by authors from the African Development Bank (Peter Mwanakatwe), COWI Consultants (Kerstin Pfliegner), independent consultancies (Marianne Simonsen and Annabella Skof), and the World Bank
(Jean-Eric Aubert, Vandana Chandra, Louise Fox, Henry Gordon, Johannes Hoogeveen,
Pooja Kacker, Ying Li, Allister Moon, Philip Mpango, Ravi Ruparel, Anuja Utz, Robert
J. Utz, and Michael Wong).
Significant inputs and background studies were prepared by Harold Alderman
(WB), Luc Christiaensen (WB), Gabriel Demombynes (WB), Thomas Hansen (COWI
Consultants), Vivian Hofmann (consultant), Flora Kessy (Economic and Social Research
Foundation [ESRF]), Blandina Kilama (Research on Poverty Alleviation [REPOA]),
Ronald Kopicki (WB), Kassim Kulindwa (University of Dar es Salaam), Jorgen Levin
(Öerebro University, Sweden), Wietze Lindenboom (REPOA), Robert Mahamba (University of Dar es Salaam), Adolf Mkenda (University of Dar es Salaam), Mariacristina
Rossi (University of Rome Tor Vergata), Alexander Sarris (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), Klaas Schwarz (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Institute for Water Education [UNESCO-IHE]),
Meine Pieter van Dijk (UNESCO-IHE), and Goodwill Wanga (consultant). The background studies can be found on the CD-ROM accompanying this book and are listed
in the table of contents and bibliograhy. Also on the CD-ROM are the Appendixes of
XVII
XVIII
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Statistical Tables prepared by Emmanuel Mungunasi (WB) and a Summary of Main
Findings and Recommendations by Robert J. Utz.
We gratefully acknowledge generous support by the governments of Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden for the preparation of this study. InfoDev financed
a study on growth, competitiveness, and information and communications technology
carried out by OTF Group consultants. The book benefited also from participation in
the “growth path” project led by Roberto Zagha (WB), in cooperation with Harvard
University, which helped to sharpen the growth diagnostic.
Insightful and challenging comments were provided at various stages of the preparation process by peer reviewers Benno Ndulu (WB); Josephat Kweka (WB, previously
ESRF); Erik Thorbecke, Steven Younger, and David Sahn (Cornell University); and
Dani Rodrik (Harvard University). During the consultations held in Dar es Salaam, the
following people served as discussants for the draft background studies: Haidari Amani
(ESRF), Robert Mabele (University of Dar es Salaam), Amon Mbelle (University of Dar
es Salaam), Adolf Mkenda (University of Dar es Salaam), Peter Noni (Bank of Tanzania), and Brian van Arkadie (ESRF). Detailed comments were also provided by members of the World Bank country team, including Mavis Ampah, on the topic of information and communications technology; Mathew Glasser, on decentralization and
local government; Indumathie Hewawasam, on natural resource management; Keith
Hinchliffe, on education; Denyse Morin, on institutional reforms; Karen Rasmussen,
Duncan Reynolds, and Arun Sanghvi, on energy; and Dieter Schelling, on transport.
Preparation of the original report included several rounds of consultations in Tanzania organized by the MPEE. In initial consultations in September 2003 and July
2004, the team defined and agreed on the scope and focus of the study as well as on
collaborative arrangements. The main mission took place in November 2004 and included field visits to Kigoma, Lindi, and Mtwara. In March 2005, a series of workshops in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Morogoro, and Moshi were organized to obtain
feedback and input on the draft background studies before drafting the main report.
At that stage, the MPEE organized a review meeting with permanent secretaries and
senior officials from a large number of ministries for a briefing on the consultations
and a discussion of the emerging main messages and recommendations. The team
would like to express its sincere gratitude to all who have provided valuable comments, and input during the consultations.
Production of the final report was aided by Mary-Anne Mwakangale (WB) and
Arlette Sourou (WB), who provided dedicated logistical support. Arlette Sourou was
also responsible for word processing and physical production of the report. Publications Professionals edited the material. Production of the book was managed in the
World Bank Office of the Publisher. Tomoko Harata (WB) designed the cover.
Original Report
World Bank. 2007. “Tanzania: Sustaining and Sharing Economic Growth—Country Economic
Memorandum and Poverty Assessment (in Two Volumes).” Report 39021-TZ, Poverty
Reduction and Economic Management for East Africa and the Horn, World Bank,
Washington, DC.
Abbreviations
T Sh
AIDS
ASDP
ASDS
BCI
CBO
CDTT
CET
CPIA
DADG
DADP
DANIDA
DAWASA
DHS
DRD
EAC
EEZ
EWURA
FDI
GCI
GDP
GLS
GNI
HBS
HIPC
HIV
ICOR
ICRG
ICT
ILD
ILO
IMF
Tanzanian shillings (exchange rate effective as of January 18, 2007,
was US$1.00 = T Sh 1,285.1)
acquired immune deficiency syndrome
Agricultural Sector Development Programme
Agricultural Sector Development Strategy
Business Competitiveness Index
community-based organization
Centre for the Development and Transfer of Technology
common external tariff
Country Policy and Institutional Assessment
District Agricultural Development Grant
District Agricultural Development Plan
Danish International Development Agency
Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority
Demographic and Health Survey
Department of Research and Development
East African Community
Exclusive Economic Zone
Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority
foreign direct investment
Global Competitiveness Index
gross domestic product
gray leaf spot
gross national income
Household Budget Survey
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (Initiative)
human immunodeficiency virus
incremental capital output ratio
International Country Risk Guide
information and communication technology
Instituto Libertad y Democracia
International Labour Organization
International Monetary Fund
XIX
XX
ABBREVIATIONS
ISO
IT
KAM
KEI
MAC
MAFS
MAFSC
MBICU
MCM
MDG
MLD
MNRT
MSMEs
MTEF
MVIWATA
MWLD
NARS
NEER
NGO
NPV
NSGRP
ODA
OECD
PASS
PBRs
PC
PEDP
PORALG
PRSP
R&D
REER
ROSCAs
S&T
SACCO
SACMEQ
SADC
SEDP
SMEs
SPILL
TAFOPA
TAI
TANAPA
TANESCO
TANROADS
International Standards Organization
information technology
Knowledge Assessment Methodology
Knowledge Economy Index
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Cooperatives
Mbinga Cooperative Union
Ministry of Cooperatives and Marketing
Millennium Development Goal
Ministry of Livestock Development
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
micro- , small, and medium enterprises
Medium-Term Expenditure Framework
Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania
Ministry of Water and Livestock Development
National Agricultural Research System
nominal effective exchange rate
nongovernmental organization
net present value
National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty
official development assistance
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Private Agricultural Sector Support
Plant Breeder’s Rights
personal computer
Primary Education Development Program
President’s Office–Regional Administration and Local Government
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
research and development
real effective exchange rate
rotating savings and credit associations
science and technology
savings and credit cooperative
Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring
Educational Quality
South African Development Community
Secondary Education Development Program
small and medium enterprises
Strategic Plan for Implementation of Land Legislation
Tanzania Food Processors Association
Technology Achievement Index
Tanzania National Parks
Tanzania Electricity Supply Company
Tanzania National Roads Agency
ABBREVIATIONS
TASISO
TAZARA
TBS
TCRA
TFP
TICTS
TNBC
TPA
TRC
TRCHS
TTCL
TVET
UNCTAD
UNDP
UNIDO
USAID
VAT
VIBINDO
WUA
ZRDC
Tanzania Small Industrialists Society
Tanzania-Zambia Railway
Tanzania Bureau of Standards
Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority
total factor productivity
Tanzania International Container Terminal Services
Tanzania National Business Council
Tanzania Port Authority
Tanzania Railways Corporation
Tanzania Reproductive and Child Health Survey
Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited
technical and vocational education and training
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
U.S. Agency for International Development
value added tax
Vikundi vya Biashara Ndogondogo (Small Industries and Petty
Traders Association)
water user association
zonal research and development centers
XXI
Overview
Robert J. Utz
T
anzania’s National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP) emphasizes the importance of fostering economic growth for poverty reduction. It sets
an ambitious target of 6 to 8 percent annual economic growth to achieve rapid reduction in poverty. This book focuses on three issues that are central to the success of Tanzania’s poverty reduction efforts:
• What factors explain Tanzania’s recent acceleration in economic growth?
• Has the accelerated economic growth translated into reduced poverty?
• What must be done to sustain economic growth that is pro-poor?
The book presents evidence from the macroeconomic, sectoral, firm, and household levels that sheds light on these questions. This summary provides an overview of
the main findings and recommendations.
What Factors Explain Tanzania’s Recent Acceleration in Economic
Growth?
The average annual growth of Tanzania’s gross domestic product (GDP) of 6.0 percent during 2000 to 2005 has been high, not only compared with its own historical
growth performance but also compared with international growth rates. Growth rates
increased across all sectors, with industry growing by 8.7 percent, services by 5.9 percent, and agriculture by 4.8 percent during the same period. Mining (growth rate of
15.2 percent), construction (10 percent), manufacturing (7.0 percent), and trade hotels and restaurants (6.9 percent) were the fastest-growing subsectors. The contribution of the various sectors to growth, which depends on both the growth rate of the
sector and its share in the economy, shows that agriculture contributed 2.3 percentage points, services 2.1 percentage points, and industry 1.6 percentage points of the
average annual growth of 6.0 percent during 2000 to 2005. The analysis of the sectoral contributions to the increase in the average GDP growth rate from 2.5 percent
during 1990 to 1994 to 6.0 percent during 2000 to 2005 confirms that growth accelerated in all sectors. Growth in the service sector contributed 1.4 percentage points to
the increase, industry 1.3 percentage points, and agriculture 0.8 percentage point.
1
2
ROBER T J. UTZ
The implementation of a comprehensive set of macroeconomic and structural reforms laid the foundation for the recent growth acceleration. These reforms enhanced
the incentives for private sector activities and led to improved efficiency of resource allocation and use in the economy. The domestic and foreign private sectors as well as
Tanzania’s development partners reacted to the improvements in the economic and incentive regime in a variety of ways that explain the increase in economic growth. A central element of Tanzania’s recent growth performance is large inflows of private and
public capital that were triggered by the reforms undertaken by the government.
The transition of Tanzania to a market economy began in the mid-1980s with an
initial focus on the liberalization of the economy through the removal of constraints
on private sector activities and the abolition of controls on prices and exchange and
interest rates. The reforms also included a restructuring of the public sector and an ambitious privatization program. In the mid-1990s, the reform agenda was augmented
by a strong focus on macroeconomic stability and the quality of public financial management. Initially, this effort involved sharp cuts in government expenditures to minimize the government’s domestic and nonconcessional borrowing. These cuts served
as the basis for a prudent monetary policy that reduced the rate of inflation to well below 10 percent. Subsequently, reform efforts focused on improving Tanzania’s tax system and public financial management to improve allocative and operational efficiency
of public expenditures and to minimize resource leakages. An important result of prudent monetary and fiscal policy, combined with financial sector reforms, is the recovery of credit to the private sector, which grew by more than 30 percent annually in recent years. The environment for economic growth is thus vastly improved, and current
government efforts are targeting higher levels of investment in human capital and
physical infrastructure, improvements in the business environment, and strengthening
of government capacity.
The intensification of reforms since 1995 and improvements in the business environment, as well as sector-specific reforms—especially in the mining sector—have triggered an increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) and aid inflows. FDI has increased
rapidly since the mid-1990s and reached about US$542 million or 5 percent of GDP
by 1999, partly driven by large investments in mining and privatization-related investments. Following the completion of considerable investments in the mining sector and
the major privatizations, FDI declined to US$375 million by 2005, or 2.5 percent of
GDP, a level that is still high in comparison with that of most other African countries.
The sectors that received the bulk of the FDI showed the highest growth rates, including mining, manufacturing, and trade and tourism, which together attracted about
75 percent of FDI during 1999 to 2001.
The reforms implemented by the government also triggered a continuous increase
in aid inflows that, together with improved domestic revenue collection, supported
the increase in government spending from 16 percent of GDP in 1999/2000 to 26 percent in 2005/06. National accounting statistics suggest that this increase in government
spending contributed significantly to the acceleration in economic growth. In the short
term, the increased demand for goods and services by the government led to increased
use of available capacity. For example, the rehabilitation and expansion of administrative, economic, and social infrastructure are reflected in the fast growth of the construction sector by about 10 percent annually during 2000 to 2005. Fast growth in the
OVER VIEW
3
service sector is also partly related to increased government expenditures. In addition
to these direct effects of increased government spending, traditional multiplier effects
translate increases in government spending into increased demand for goods and services in all sectors. In the medium to long term, if government spending contributes
effectively to the building of human capital and the expansion of economic infrastructure, then sustained levels of increased government spending have the potential to expand the productive capacity of the economy.
A noteworthy development is the rapid growth of the informal sector—particularly in Dar es Salaam—as the result of various factors. These include the liberalization of the economy, the tolerance of many informal sector activities that were previously illegal, the need for laid-off government workers and migrants to generate new
income-earning opportunities, and the increased demand for informal sector products and services as a trickle-down effect from growth in the formal economy.
Another significant economic development during the past decade has been the rapid
expansion of mining and gold exports, whose share in total exports increased from
4 percent in 1998 to 56 percent in 2005. However, the contribution of mining to
overall growth was only 0.4 percentage point, reflecting the relatively small size of the
mining sector, as well as the high import dependence of the sector for machinery and
its very limited domestic backward and forward links. Aside from gold, fish, and
tourism, the value of exports remains low and volatile. Between 1995 and 2001, the
real effective exchange rate appreciated by almost 50 percent and then returned to its
1995 level. The real appreciation has had a significant influence on the competitiveness of Tanzania’s tradables sector. Although merchandise exports declined during 1995
to 2001, they started a recovery in parallel to the recent real depreciation. To date,
exports other than gold and fish have played a relatively small role as a dynamic
source of growth and learning and have seen little diversification. Thus, a key challenge for the Tanzanian economy is to strengthen its export competitiveness. Doing
so would ensure that, aside from the dynamic growth effects of a strong export sector, exports will provide an important demand stimulus for the economy, especially
because the scope for continued increases of government spending as the primary
demand stimulus is clearly limited.
The analysis of factor inputs suggests that the acceleration in economic growth is
not so much grounded in a rapid expansion of human and physical capital but is primarily due to an increase in cultivated land in the agriculture sector and increased factor productivity for the other sectors. The increase in total factor productivity reflects both increased capacity use in response to increased aggregate demand and
economic efficiency gains in the wake of the removal of economic distortions. Innovation and technological change have so far played only small roles in improving
Tanzania’s total factor productivity, mainly in the form of FDI but also as some encouraging innovations emerging from the agricultural research system. At the firm level,
there is some evidence that the structural reforms have resulted in a more dynamic
and competitive private sector. Increased competition in the private sector is evidenced by an increasing number of firms exiting and entering the market. The fact that
firms entering the market are typically more competitive than those that exit is an important driver of the increase in total factor productivity registered at the aggregate
level.
4
ROBER T J. UTZ
Although the contribution of human and physical capital accumulation to economic growth has been relatively small, the recent increases in school enrollment can
be expected to be reflected in higher economic growth in the future. Public investment
has recovered from an average of about 3 percent of GDP during the late 1990s to about
8 percent of GDP in recent years. The analysis of public investment suggests, however,
that only about one-third of it was used on public infrastructure such as roads or electricity, while the remainder was devoted to the rehabilitation and expansion of administrative and social infrastructure. Private sector investment had been stagnant at about
11 percent until 2002 but increased to 14 percent by 2005, reflecting increased investor
confidence in response to sustained implementation of investor-friendly reforms and
increased demand.
Drawing on the review of Tanzania’s recent growth performance, this book assesses the prospects for sustained high growth and the key challenges that need to be
addressed. Policy-based growth projections suggest that growth of 6 to 8 percent per
year is feasible. However, some of the factors behind the recent growth acceleration
are unlikely to be sustainable in the medium to long term. The demand-side impulses
of foreign aid and government spending depend on ever-increasing amounts of aid
and government spending. There is also a clear limit to the extent that agricultural production can be increased solely by increasing the land under cultivation. Signs of environmental and social stress (especially between pastoralists and agriculturalists) of
increased land use already exist in some areas of Tanzania. Similarly, the effect of reform-induced efficiency gains on economic growth will diminish when the higher level
of efficiency has been reached.
Thus, for Tanzania to achieve sustained high growth, increases in government
spending and expansion of land under cultivation need to be gradually replaced by increased productivity, savings, and investment by the private sector as primary drivers
of growth. Sustained economic growth will depend on the ability of the economy to
diversify and to increase its international competitiveness. Diversification requires efforts both to enhance the capacity to innovate and to find new areas of economic activity where Tanzanian enterprises can successfully compete. Enhancing international
competitiveness requires measures that enhance productivity and reduce the cost of doing business at the microeconomic level and macroeconomic policies that ensure a
competitive exchange rate as well as interest rates and access to capital that are not distorted by high public demand for funds.
Has the Accelerated Economic Growth Translated into Reduced
Poverty?
Sustained economic growth is critical to achieving progress in poverty reduction. The
mechanisms through which the poor contribute to and participate in economic growth
include the following:
• Increased incomes from the main sources of livelihood of the poor
• New income-generating opportunities for the poor
OVER VIEW
5
• Reduced vulnerability to shocks that affect the incomes of the poor
• Increased government revenue for pro-poor expenditures
• Increased private transfers and strengthened social safety nets.
In addition, the book examines the effectiveness of measures that support the poor
in efforts to accumulate human and physical capital, which would enhance their
prospects of contributing to economic growth.
Modest per capita GDP growth rates during the early and mid-1990s resulted in
equally modest poverty reduction. In 2001, government estimates show 35 percent
of the population living in poverty. The potential effect of the recent GDP growth
acceleration has not yet been captured in available poverty data. Ownership of assets such as improved housing, radios, and bicycles by the poor has also increased.
The expansion of access to free primary education has also clearly benefited the
poor. The analysis of growth incidence suggests that expenditures of all income
groups grew at about the same pace, probably because growth in agriculture, which
is the source of income for most of the poor, was similar to growth in other sectors
during 1991 to 2000. Since 2000, growth in the industry and service sectors has
been higher than in the agriculture sector, which may have caused an increase in inequality.
The Household Budget Survey data show large regional differences in poverty reduction. Although poverty dropped from 28.1 percent to 17.6 percent in Dar es Salaam,
in other urban areas poverty declined only from 28.7 percent to 26 percent and in rural
areas from 40.8 percent to 38.7 percent. The faster pace of poverty reduction in Dar
es Salaam reflects Tanzania’s pattern of growth. In particular, Dar es Salaam accounts
for about 50 percent of the FDI stock and flows, and as the seat of central government
and most donor agencies, it also benefits disproportionately from the increase in aid
inflows. Although central government expenditures increased from 18 percent to 25.6
percent of GDP between 2000 and 2005, transfers to local governments increased
only from 2.9 percent to 3.3 percent of GDP during that period. Growth in the formal sector in Dar es Salaam also supported an increase in the size and incomes in the
informal sector, which contributed significantly to poverty reduction during the period
from 1991/92 to 2000/01.
More than 80 percent of Tanzania’s poor derive their livelihoods from agriculture.
Between 1991 and 2000, the agriculture sector grew by an average of 3.5 percent,
which suggests per capita growth of less than 1 percent. The increase in per capita expenditure by farm households is equally modest at 7.3 percent during the period from
1991/92 to 2000/01. Nonetheless, because most of the poor derive their livelihood
from agriculture, this modest increase explains more than half of the total decline in
poverty observed during that period. Between 2000 and 2005, growth in the agriculture sector accelerated to an average of 4.8 percent annually, which according to
poverty simulations, is likely to have generated a further drop in rural poverty. The
study argues that given Tanzania’s agricultural potential, there is significant scope for
reducing poverty by measures that would foster growth in agriculture and thus the incomes of farmers.
6
ROBER T J. UTZ
Another path out of poverty is the movement from agriculture to other sources of
income, possibly combined with migration from rural to urban areas. Data suggest that
the shift from agriculture to nonagricultural activities in rural areas has been an important contributor to poverty reduction. Informal sector activities have been an
important entry point for the poor to engage in nonagricultural activities. Ruralurban migration has also contributed to poverty reduction. However, its quantitative
significance was less than that of the other channels, probably because most of the migrants are from households above the poverty line. But migration is only one path in
which fast urban growth can benefit the poor in rural areas. Indirect channels include
higher demand for rural products, wage effects, and transfers. However, the fact that
rural growth and poverty reduction lag significantly behind urban growth and poverty
reduction suggests that these links are still weak.
Nevertheless, urban-rural links can also result in a deepening of urban-rural differences. There is evidence that rural migrants are typically better educated than the average rural population, leading to a widening of the education gap as these migrants
move from rural to urban areas. A large share of financial savings collected by banks
in rural areas flows toward Dar es Salaam, funding credit to the private sector and government in Dar es Salaam, as well as overseas investments by the banking sector. Although the mobility of human and financial resources toward opportunities where
the returns are highest is supportive of high economic growth in Tanzania, measures
that counteract an increasing marginalization of the rural poor in Tanzania’s growth
process are needed. Such measures would include enhanced rural access to quality education and policies that support agriculture.
The book highlights instances in which the lack of integration of rural areas in the
economy significantly reduced rural growth. Key among these instances is the access
of rural areas to markets as well as to agricultural inputs. For example, surveys carried out in the Kilimanjaro and Ruvuma regions suggest that lack of access to agricultural inputs results in low agricultural productivity and, consequently, limited progress
in rural poverty reduction. This limited access to agricultural inputs is the result of two
equally important problems: (a) limited access to input credit and (b) lack of a rural
input supply infrastructure that would allow farmers to purchase these inputs.
These results suggest that rural development and informal sector activities are the
primary direct drivers of poverty reduction in Tanzania, where the informal sector
has been an important transmission mechanism that allowed the poor to participate
in economic growth opportunities originating in the formal and public sectors. This
interpretation is reinforced by the fact that although economic growth was significantly higher in urban areas than in rural areas in the period from 1990/01 to 2000/01,
modest rural growth has clearly dominated the faster urban growth with respect to its
effect on poverty reduction. Furthermore, even in an environment of relatively high
growth differences between rural and urban areas, the contribution of migration and
other urban-rural links to poverty reduction has been relatively modest.
Appropriate tax and public expenditure policies play an important role in fostering shared growth. As the book highlights, enhancement of the domestic revenue
base through sustained economic growth is central to the sustainable financing of public expenditures and reduction of aid dependence in the medium to long term. In turn,
tax policies have a direct influence on the level of investment and economic activities.
OVER VIEW
7
Similarly, public expenditures play an important role not only in improving the environment for economic growth, but also in enhancing the access and quality of public
services for the poor.
Overall, the Tanzanian tax policy is assessed as being sound and not inimical to
growth. However, several measures could enhance the contribution of the tax system
to fostering shared growth. First, there remains an urban bias in the tax system:
effective tax rates are higher for farmers than for businesses, which are mostly urban.
In particular, the crop cess collected by local authorities imposes a relatively heavy tax
burden on agriculture. Second, the presumptive tax regime for small businesses is
one of the most sophisticated in the region. Nonetheless, it is regressive for small
businesses that do not keep records. Third, there are significant weaknesses in the taxation of natural resources, which result in both distortions to the sustainable
exploitation of natural resources and suboptimal collection of revenue.
Social sector expenditures have seen significant increases in recent years. However,
incidence analysis suggests that only in the education sector have public expenditures
been pro-poor. In other sectors, such as water, primarily nonpoor households benefited
from improved quality and access to services. The focus on social expenditures also
limited the availability of funds for growth-enhancing expenditures.
What Must Be Done to Sustain Economic Growth That Is Pro-Poor?
The review of Tanzania’s recent growth performance suggests that enhancing the pace
of structural change and diversification and increasing the international competitiveness of the economy remain the key challenges for sustaining growth. The poverty
analysis highlights the importance of a productive agriculture sector and of a conducive environment for the activities of micro- , small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
as key elements of a shared-growth strategy. It also emphasizes that participation of
the poor in the growth process requires that policies support the accumulation by the
poor of primarily human capital and physical and financial capital. Finally, the book
underscores the importance of appropriate policies and institutions to manage the design and implementation of a shared-growth strategy, as well as resources for their implementation. Here the book discusses not only the management of public finances but
also the equally important management of natural resources. Improved governance of
Tanzania’s natural resources, strengthened capacity to ensure that tax and expenditure
policies are supportive of a shared-growth agenda, and a better institutional coordination framework for development and implementation of a growth strategy require
attention in Tanzania’s quest for sustainable shared growth.
To sustain and share economic growth across all income groups of society, Tanzania will need to preserve achievements, consolidate ongoing reforms, and strengthen
institutional capacity for both policy advice and program implementation. It will also
be important to guard against backsliding in the face of pressures from vested interests or impatience with the pace of poverty reduction.
The sectoral distribution of growth has a significant effect on the pace of poverty
reduction and inequality. Tanzania’s comparative advantage in agricultural production and its large potential to enhance agricultural productivity provide a good basis
8
ROBER T J. UTZ
for a focus on agriculture and agriculture-related activities as the central element of its
efforts to reduce poverty. Agricultural activities are the source of livelihood for 75 percent of the population, more than 40 percent of whom are poor. Efforts to reduce
poverty must focus on measures that will help the poor to (a) generate more income
from their current agricultural products, (b) shift their production to more profitable
agricultural products, and (c) shift to income-generating opportunities outside of agriculture in both rural and urban areas. In addition, a decline in prices attributable to productivity increases benefits poor people who are net buyers of agricultural products.
Increasing agricultural incomes requires policies that target both improvements in
market access and increases in agricultural productivity. Enhancing rural infrastructure remains critical to ensure market access for farmers. It is equally important to ensure that institutional arrangements are in place that link farmers to domestic and international markets. An example of reforms in this area would be to ensure that the
crop boards function efficiently, with a clear separation of public and private functions,
and that they are accountable to farmers. Regulations such as mandatory auctions
and single license rules for coffee potentially harm the efficiency of markets and reduce
farm incomes.
Scaled-up investment in agricultural research and a reform of Tanzania’s extension
service have important roles to play in supporting farmers in the move to raising crops
that yield higher returns. The study highlights the large productivity losses attributable
to human diseases that make health intervention an important element of efforts to increase agricultural productivity. In addition to improving farm-level productivity, the
focus needs to be on promoting downstream activities such as agroprocessing and enhancing links to domestic and foreign markets. Efforts toward raising agricultural
productivity must also take into account the general question of the impact that risks
have on agricultural activity in general and the more specific consideration of the capacity of the poor to grow out of poverty.
Increased income-generating opportunities in nonagricultural activities, especially
in rural areas, are also important for poverty reduction and for the medium- to longterm structural transformation of the economy. Providing opportunities for Tanzanians to move out of the agriculture sector can be expected to improve the labor productivity in the sector and to provide higher incomes for those moving out of the
sector. MSMEs, often in the informal economy, provide an important entry point for
the poor to engage in industrial and service sector activities. Measures that support
MSMEs are thus important. Such measures would target easier access to credit and public recognition and support for informal sector activities, instead of the frequently observed harassment of informal sector operators. Formalization should be primarily
incentive based in the case of microenterprises.
This book highlights the importance of the manufacturing sector as a potential dynamic driver of diversification and growth. Analysis of firm-level data from the enterprise survey suggests that, in order of priority, the five leading factors that affect firm
growth and that deserve special attention by policy makers are (a) access to and cost
of financial capital; (b) access to technology to improve productivity; (c) infrastructure,
especially energy; (d) skilled labor; and (e) the regulatory environment for business
activities.
OVER VIEW
9
Because firm growth is intricately tied to growth in exports, an aggressive and
proactive policy stance promoting manufactured exports is likely to have the greatest
effect on manufacturing growth in Tanzania and is recommended. The rationale for
this selective approach is motivated by today’s global reality: if a firm cannot compete
in the global market (that is, if it cannot export), it is unlikely to survive too long in
Tanzania’s domestic or Africa’s regional markets, which are flooded with cheaper imports from low-cost and high-skills producers such as those from East and South Asia.
The policy implications of an export-oriented stance have several overlaps with factors that promote growth in nonexporting firms, but an aggressive focus on incentives
that facilitate the expansion of existing firms and promote new entrants in the export
sector is likely to yield the most benefits.
Priority areas that require improved policies or scaling up of expenditures include
investing in infrastructure; enhancing access to finance, notably for the rural and
MSME sectors; and building an effective interface between the public and private sectors, because the economy currently suffers from ineffective regulation, bureaucracy,
and corruption. Focus on these issues promises increased economic activities in areas
that the private sector can readily support. This advice may seem tantamount to recommending everything—that is, redressing all barriers to production presently facing
all manufacturing firms in Tanzania. But it is not. To circumvent the high financial and
time costs and the government’s limited implementation capacity, the book recommends focus and pragmatism in catering to existing and potential exporters. A sound
strategy for delivering physical inputs (such as infrastructure) and financial inputs
(which will make bank finance more accessible) includes the identification of spatial
locations where export activity is most prevalent and where exporters are most likely
to locate. The government is pursuing this strategy through export processing zones
and special economic zones. However, in rolling out this strategy, it will be important
to sequence these activities by initially addressing problems of existing zones before new
ones are created. A review of Tanzania’s export processing zones highlights infrastructure weaknesses, especially reliable access to electricity and water, as a main constraint
for firms located in those zones (World Bank 2005f). The targeted improvement of infrastructure services to the manufacturing sector thus needs to be a priority in Tanzania’s efforts to spur growth and structural transformation. Spatial targeting helps in
targeting exports. This approach would render public support in a financially feasible
and timely manner for fast-growing exporters and potential new entrants into the export business.
Sustained economic growth will increasingly depend on the capacity of economic
actors to innovate, to produce an increased array of goods and services, and to accelerate the pace of technological change. It will require, foremost, a greater focus
on investment in human resource development (and vast improvement in secondary,
technical, and tertiary education), as well as strengthening of the innovation environment and Tanzania’s fledgling information and communication technology (ICT)
infrastructure.
Tanzania’s natural resource endowment could be an important source of growth
and poverty reduction. Strengthening the governance of natural resource use and the
backward and forward links to other activities is critical to ensure that Tanzania
10
ROBER T J. UTZ
benefits from the exploitation of its natural resources. In addition, improved governance arrangements are important for the sustainable exploitation of renewable
resources such as fish or forests and are necessary to minimize the impact of negative externalities such as that of commercial fishing and mining on their artisanal
counterparts.
A shared-growth strategy also requires a focus on the capacity of the poor to contribute to—and participate in—economic growth. This strategy includes opportunities
to build human capital through measures that center on equitable access to, and improved quality of, education (primary, secondary, and technical), nutrition, and health
services; to reduce the burden of communicable diseases; to improve child nutritional
status; and to reduce maternal mortality by helping women achieve their desired family size. Other measures include supporting household savings and investment through
development of appropriate finance and ancillary institutions, especially in rural areas.
Limited social protection measures can also play a role in mitigating the impact of large
shocks that may create poverty traps for the poor.
Regional differences in economic performance reflect not only inherent differences
in economic potential, but also factors such as past investments in infrastructure and
human resources, local governance, and connectivity. Data suggest some degree of
convergence in per capita incomes across regions. However, in most regions, the growth
performance remains intimately linked to the fortunes of individual crops. Several
policy lessons emerge from the analysis of subnational growth patterns. First is the
importance of capturing local knowledge to fully exploit growth opportunities. This
lesson suggests that decentralization not only is a means for improved service delivery, but also has an important role to play in the implementation of Tanzania’s growth
strategy. Local knowledge about growth opportunities is critical for a series of public
interventions to foster growth, ranging from infrastructure investments to targeted, cropspecific interventions in the agriculture sector. Second, local governments have a significant effect on the business environment, ranging from their attitude toward the informal sector to local tax policy and administration, licensing, land management, and
so forth. Finally, attention to subnational growth is important to identify successful
strategies that can be scaled up and replicated in other parts of the country. The study
argues that the regional distribution of public investment should be determined by
the growth opportunities, whereas distributional objectives should be primarily pursued through targeting of access to education.
As the book highlights, Tanzania has been successful in establishing a sound basis
for sustained and shared economic growth through the implementation of a broad reform agenda. Tanzania’s strategic frameworks for growth and poverty reduction, including the National Development Vision 2025, the Medium-Term Plan for Growth
and Poverty Reduction, and the NSGRP, adequately identify core interventions that
are needed to sustain economic growth. These interventions include the strengthening of economic infrastructure, scaling up of human resource development from an
initial focus on primary education to secondary and higher education, and the implementation of reforms to strengthen the business environment. In many key areas, specific reform programs are in place, including the Business Environment Strengthening
Program in Tanzania, the Agricultural Sector Development Program, the Primary and
Secondary Education Development Program, and the Second-Generation Financial
OVER VIEW
11
Sector Reform Program. The book broadly endorses this reform program, and it highlights three elements of the reform agenda that deserve increased attention:
• Enhancing international competitiveness and accelerating diversification
• Making growth pro-poor
• Managing policies and resources for shared growth.
Enhancing International Competitiveness and Accelerating Diversification
Enhancing international competitiveness and accelerating diversification with a focus
on macroeconomic management, infrastructure, access and cost of credit, the regulatory environment for private sector activities, human resource development, the innovation environment, and the rollout and use of ICT involve the following:
• Resolve infrastructure bottlenecks. Recurrent energy shortages are the most visible
constraint to economic growth. However, general underinvestment in the development and maintenance of transport infrastructure, especially in the rail sector and for
rural roads, also holds back growth, particularly in rural areas. In addition to scaledup investment, there is an urgent need to get appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks in place, which would support greater participation by the private sector in
selected areas of infrastructure development, operation, and maintenance.
• Devote greater attention to fostering structural transformation. To sustain its economic growth, Tanzania will increasingly need to broaden the range of goods and
services it produces. The role of government in the process of structural transformation is not to identify new growth opportunities, but rather to support the identification and exploitation of opportunities by the private sector. This effort will require scaling up of investment in higher education, with the availability of skilled
labor already being a constraint to economic growth. FDI and the import of technology are the primary sources of new technology for Tanzania. However, a strengthening of Tanzania’s research and development systems, especially in agriculture,
also has an important role to play in the adaptation and dissemination of new technologies. Finally, greater access to ICT is an important tool to accelerate the acquisition of technology and knowledge. In addition, microeconomic evidence supports
a direct link between greater use of ICT, especially cell phones, and the productivity of farms and rural enterprises. In addition to economywide support, there is
also some scope for more direct support at the sector and firm levels. An example
of such support would be the establishment of a matching grant scheme for the introduction of business activities that are new to Tanzania.
• Develop an urban strategy. Urban areas play an important role in the economic
growth process. Thus, an important challenge is not only to sustain the good performance of Dar es Salaam, but also to enhance the role of regional urban centers
as hubs of economic activity. Such an urban strategy would define the role of urban areas in Tanzania’s economy, as well as the necessary investments and an appropriate institutional and fiscal framework that would allow the implementation
of such an urban strategy.
12
ROBER T J. UTZ
Making Growth Pro-Poor
Making growth pro-poor highlights reforms that would accelerate growth of the agriculture sector; expand income-generating opportunities in micro-, small, and mediumsize enterprises; and strengthen the capacity of the poor to participate in and contribute
to economic growth:
• Ensure that reforms benefit rural areas. To date, the effect of reforms undertaken
has been visible primarily in urban areas, especially Dar es Salaam, while rural areas have seen much less systemic improvement in growth performance and poverty
reduction. The book highlights five areas in which reform programs should scale
up the focus on rural areas. First, improved access to markets is central to increasing real incomes of the rural population. Such access requires investments in road
infrastructure and in storage and market facilitation (standards and business climate).The second area is financial sector reform. Despite the overall progress made,
rural areas remain largely cut off from access to financial services, which, in turn,
has been identified as a key constraint to both farm and off-farm activities in rural
areas. The third area is public expenditure reform. In this area, the increases in the
overall resource envelope have accrued primarily to central government agencies and,
to a much lesser extent, to local governments. Progress in the development of a
sound intergovernmental fiscal framework is a necessary precondition to strengthening the development, operation, and maintenance of local infrastructure and delivery of local services, which, in turn, directly affect rural growth and poverty
reduction. Fourth are government policies and expenditures to support agriculture.
Here the book suggests that public expenditures on research and extension or irrigation can play an important role in supporting the sector. However, scaling up
the public support for agriculture needs to be grounded in a careful analysis of the
effectiveness of expenditure programs. Finally, a better integration of rural areas in
the growth process will require an effort to draw effectively on local knowledge in
the development and implementation of regional and district growth strategies.
This effort will require an increased focus of Tanzania’s decentralization program
on economic growth, in addition to the provision of social services.
• Encourage micro-, small, and medium-size enterprise activities. Microenterprises,
mostly in the informal economy, not only are an important source of income for
many Tanzanians, but also are an important entry point for Tanzanians into entrepreneurial activities. The primary focus should be on facilitating and supporting such
activities. Facilitating the transition to the formal sector is important, but the move
should be voluntary unless the primary motive for being in the informal sector is
clearly tax evasion.
• Devote greater attention to the effect of social expenditures. The book highlights
that the substantial increase in public expenditures since the late 1990s has directly
benefited the poor to only a limited extent. This situation calls for a revision of
spending priorities and targeting approaches to ensure that public expenditures do
benefit the poor.
OVER VIEW
13
Managing Policies and Resources for Shared Growth
Managing policies and resources for shared growth means strengthening institutions
to develop and implement a growth strategy and to harness both public finances and
natural resources toward the objective of sustained shared growth:
• Strengthen the capacity for the implementation of Tanzania’s reform agenda. As highlighted throughout the book, Tanzania has made great strides in establishing a
vastly improved economic and incentive regime for economic activities. However,
in many areas where appropriate policies and regulations are in place, their effectiveness is hindered by limited implementation capacity. Enhancing implementation capacity will rely on the continued implementation of public sector reforms,
but the increased use of the private sector, when appropriate, is an important way
to realize reform objectives. Examples range from an increased role of the private
sector in the provision of agricultural support services to the contracting-out of capacity at the National Audit Office.
• Strengthen the management of the growth process. The book highlights the importance of developing and strengthening institutions that are able to coordinate the
formulation and implementation of a shared-growth (pro-poor) strategy in Tanzania. This effort includes the ongoing strengthening of the budget process to examine and prioritize investments in infrastructure. Given the large regional differences
in productive potential, strengthening institutions that are able to respond to these
differences will be critical.
• Strengthen analytic underpinnings and participation in the design of growth policies. The NSGRP suggests a very welcome greater focus on economic growth, supported by a scaling up of expenditures that would support accelerated growth,
ranging from increased infrastructure investments to subsidies for agricultural
inputs or credits to targeted segments of the economy. In addition, the government
is implementing a range of specific programs, such as Tanzania’s Mini Tiger Plan
2020, the Property and Business Formalization Programme, and the National Economic Empowerment Policy. For these measures to be effective, they must be
grounded in a solid analytic basis that supports the choice and prioritization of
specific strategies and expenditure policies. Strong processes for stakeholder inputs,
adequate governance arrangements for expenditure programs at the sectoral level,
and a strong monitoring and evaluation system are of central importance. Although
these issues have received significant attention in the social sectors, they are yet to
be fully developed for growth-enhancing expenditure programs.
• Ensure the effectiveness of government interventions through appropriate governance
arrangements. The book highlights a range of government interventions and supports the government’s proactive efforts that complement the focus on creating
an enabling environment for private sector activities. Recent government interventions—such as targeted credit guarantee schemes, export processing zones,
and targeted agricultural subsidies—are innovative efforts with the potential to foster growth, but they also carry significant risks. These risks include the potential for
14
ROBER T J. UTZ
governance problems that could make such interventions ineffective or even counterproductive. The book suggests a range of measures that would improve the likelihood of success of government interventions.
• Pay greater attention to the management of natural resources. Tanzania’s natural
resource endowment could be an important source of growth and poverty reduction. Governance of natural resource use, as well as the backward and forward
links to other activities, must be strengthened if Tanzania is to benefit from the exploitation of its natural resources. Moreover, governance arrangements must be
improved for the sustainable exploitation of renewable resources such as fish or
forests. Strengthening governance can minimize the impact of negative externalities
such as commercial fishing and mining on their artisanal counterparts. Finally, improved governance should aim at an equitable sharing of natural resource rents.
Issues for Further Study
Finally, it is important to highlight a set of issues that are raised in the book but that
need further analytic work to inform policy:
• A better understanding of private sector consumption and saving behavior, because
private saving has remained relatively low and has thus limited the domestic accumulation of assets
• A better understanding of population dynamics and their effect on economic growth
• A better understanding of the relatively large movements in the real exchange rate
and their effect on economic performance and trade
• A better understanding of economic developments at the regional and district
levels.
PART I
Poverty Reduction and
Growth: Recent Performance
and Prospects
1
A Decade of Reforms,
Macroeconomic Stability, and
Economic Growth
Robert J. Utz
P
er capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth was negative in Tanzania during
the first half of the 1990s, but it has accelerated subsequently and reached 4 percent in recent years. Looking at long-term trends (figure 1.1), we see that 1985 was a
turning point in the secular trend in Tanzania’s economic performance, when Tanzania embarked on a market-oriented reform program. Tanzania’s economic performance since 1985 provides a strong endorsement for the policies pursued since then
by successive governments. The reversal of the negative long-term trend and the gradual acceleration in growth are consistent with the gradual broadening and deepening
of reforms that has taken place and the cautious but steady private sector response to
those reforms. The temporary slump in economic growth during the early 1990s was
caused by a weakening of macroeconomic policies. This slowdown highlights the
fragility of growth in poor countries such as Tanzania and the importance of sustaining macroeconomic stability, a cornerstone of Tanzania’s growth strategy.
In the mid-1990s, Tanzania resumed its reform course with a clear and sustained
commitment to macroeconomic stability through sound fiscal and monetary policies
as the foundation for economic growth. Macroeconomic stabilization was accompanied by wide-ranging structural reforms, including privatization of state-owned enterprises, liberalization of the agriculture sector, efforts to improve the business environment, and strengthening of public expenditure management (box 1.1). Those reforms
have resulted in sustained high growth.
With an average growth rate of 5.2 percent between 1998 and 2003, Tanzania’s
performance was close to that of South Asia (5.4 percent) and South East Asia (5.6
percent) (table 1.1). However, though Tanzania was able to catch up to the South and
East Asian nations with respect to real economic growth, a relatively wide gap remains when growth is measured on a per capita basis. That gap reflects different rates
of population growth. On a per capita basis, Tanzania grew by a respectable 2.7 percent. However, South and East Asia grew by 3.6 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.
17
18
ROBER T J. UTZ
FIGURE 1.1 Annual Growth of Real GDP at Factor Cost, 1960–2005
(a) Real GDP
14.0
12.0
annual growth (%)
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0
⫺2.0
⫺4.0
⫺6.0
60 963 966 969 972 975 978 981 984 987 990 993 996 999 002 005
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
year
19
GDP factor cost
polynomial trend (GDP factor cost)
(b) Real GDP per capita
3.0
2.5
2.0
annual growth (%)
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
⫺0.5
⫺1.0
⫺1.5
⫺2.0
⫺2.5
60 963 966 969 972 975 978 981 984 987 990 993 996 999 002 005
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
year
19
GDP factor cost per capita
polynomial trend (GDP factor cost per capita)
Source: Author’s calculations, based on United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
BOX 1.1
19
Overview of Structural Reforms in Tanzania
Financial Sector
During the past decade, the financial sector has seen significant change. From being the sole
preserve of state-owned financial institutions, it has gone through a process of privatization
and has been opened up to new entrants. The two largest state-owned banks have been successfully privatized: a 70 percent stake of National Bank of Commerce and a 49 percent stake
of National Microfinance Bank. Those sales have contributed to increased efficiency and
competition in the banking sector and to narrowed interest spreads and a fairly rapid increase
in credit to the private sector. Financial sector reforms also involved the strengthening of the
legal and regulatory framework, including for microfinance, as well as a strengthening of supervision by the Bank of Tanzania. The recent establishment of a credit rating agency is a
further step in enhancing the efficiency of financial intermediation in Tanzania. The main challenges for the sector include further reduction in interest spreads and enhanced access to credit
by the private sector, especially in rural areas. The government has prepared a comprehensive plan—the Action Plan for Second-Generation Financial Sector Reforms—and has begun
implementing it.
Parastatal Sector
Tanzania has been aggressively implementing its privatization agenda. The privatization of
manufacturing and commercial parastatal entities was virtually complete by 2000 and a
solid success.
The reform and development of public-private partnerships in the infrastructure sector
proved much more difficult. At the end of the 1990s, Tanzania launched the privatization
of its infrastructure enterprises. By 2003, five key infrastructure enterprises had some form
of private participation:
•
•
•
•
•
Tanzania Electricity Supply Corporation (TANESCO)
Tanzania International Container Terminal Services (TICTS)
Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA)
Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL)
Air Tanzania, the national airline
However, by early 2007, only the private sector participation in TICTS was still in place and
considered to be successful, whereas private sector participation in DAWASA and in Air
Tanzania had been dissolved and that of TANESCO was not renewed as a result of performance. As for the two railroads, Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) was under negotiation, and negotiations regarding Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) had not yet started,
as was the case for the harbor authority (Tanzania Port Authority, or TPA).
Trade Policies and Institutions
Reforms of trade policies have taken place mainly in the context of regional agreements, including those of the South African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC). Tanzania adopted the common external tariff (CET) of the EAC in January 2005
and lowered its average tariff from 13.8 percent to 12.3 percent; however, it further raised the
dispersion of protection. The lowering of the maximum rate of the CET from the current 25
percent to 20 percent, as is expected to happen by 2010 in accordance with the Customs
Union Protocol, should help correct some of the dispersion of protection. On the export side,
the main issue pertains to export taxes. International experience has shown that export taxes
and bans have generally failed to achieve industrial development objectives, have led to informal trade, and have frequently hurt smallholders, who receive lower prices as a result.
(continued)
20
ROBER T J. UTZ
BOX 1.1 (continued)
Factor Markets: Labor and Land
The revision of land and labor legislation is complete, with most of the emphasis on the reform of institutions. The main challenge now is to implement the new legislation. In the
case of land reform, the implementation process is expected to be lengthy and costly.
Infrastructure: Power Sector and Transportation
The establishment of the executive agency, Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS),
with responsibility for the trunk road network has been a major step forward for the transportation sector. However, a clear separation of the responsibilities of the Ministry of Works,
TANROADS, and the districts is needed. The overlap of responsibilities hampers effective
road maintenance and development activities. The current formulation of a new Road Act
offers a real opportunity to establish a more appropriate policy and institutional framework
and to provide the basis for accelerated infrastructure development.
Detailed work on the restructuring of the power sector has been carried out, but the implementation of the restructuring has been delayed, partly as a consequence of developments in the international energy market. A drought-related energy crisis in 2006 focused
attention on structural weaknesses in the sector. Reform of the policy and institutional framework for the power sector is essential to ensure the effectiveness of future investments in the
sector.
Public Institutions Interfacing with the Private Sector
Red tape, corruption, and overly burdensome regulatory and licensing requirements are
among the main constraints to private sector development in Tanzania. The government has
started reviewing regulations, focusing on removing obstacles and reorganizing the most
important tasks of government. In practical terms, this effort requires (a) harmonization of
local government taxation to remove excessive tax burden on private enterprise, (b) streamlining of work permit procedures, (c) review and amendment of licensing legislation to reduce the cost of business establishment and continuation, (d) review and revision of exportimport procedures to reduce time costs and corruption-related costs, and (e) design and
implementation of a program for enhancing access to commercial courts by small and
medium enterprises. Tanzania has reformed the legal framework for regulatory institutions.
The effectiveness of those newly established regulatory institutions, especially given the current oversight arrangements, needs to be closely monitored.
Sectoral growth rates have accelerated across the board from 2000 to 2005 (table
1.2). Industry has been the most dynamic sector. The construction sector grew by an
average of 10 percent during that period. This strong performance is partly attributable to public investment in infrastructure, but investment in residential and business
structures has also increased. Gold mining expanded rapidly as several gold mines
started production. However, its overall contribution to economic growth remains
small. The manufacturing sector has started to recover, growing at an average of 7 percent per year from 2000 to 2005.
Growth of agriculture averaged 4.8 percent from 2000 to 2005—which is more
than 1 percentage point higher than during the period from 1995 to 1999. Within
agriculture, fishing was the most dynamic sector. However, crops remain the mainstay
21
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
TABLE 1.1 Real GDP Growth Rates, 1988–2003
(percent)
Annual real GDP growth
Country/region
Annual real per capita GDP growth
1988–93
1993–98
1998–2003
1988–93
1993–98
1998–2003
Côte d’Ivoire
0.3
13.0
⫺0.3
Ghana
4.6
4.3
4.4
⫺3.1
9.7
⫺1.8
2.0
1.5
Kenya
3.1
2.5
2.4
1.0
0.1
0.0
⫺1.2
Tanzania
3.6
Uganda
6.0
3.0
5.2
0.4
0.1
2.7
7.6
5.8
2.1
4.7
3.1
Country
Region
East Asia and Pacific
8.6
7.7
5.6
6.9
6.4
4.6
Latin America and the Caribbean
2.1
3.6
1.2
0.2
1.9
⫺0.3
South Asia
5.3
5.7
5.4
3.2
3.7
3.6
Sub-Saharan Africa
1.3
2.9
3.0
⫺1.4
0.3
0.6
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database.
TABLE 1.2 Sources of Growth and Production, 1990–2005
(percent)
Average annual growth rate
Type of economic activity
1990–94
1995–99
2000–05
Average contribution to growth
1990–94
1995–99
2000–05
Agriculture
3.1
3.6
4.8
1.5
1.8
Crops
3.2
3.9
4.8
1.1
1.4
1.7
Livestock
2.5
2.7
4.1
0.2
0.2
0.3
Forestry and hunting
2.8
2.4
4.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
Fishing
3.4
3.7
6.7
0.1
0.1
0.2
1.6
Industry
Mining and quarrying
Manufacturing
Electricity and water
Electricity
Water
Construction
2.3
2.0
5.4
9.0
0.3
0.9
11.8
14.8
15.2
0.1
0.2
0.4
0.4
4.6
7.3
0.0
0.4
0.6
4.0
5.7
4.4
0.1
0.1
0.1
4.5
6.3
4.5
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.8
1.9
3.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.2
3.5
10.3
0.1
0.2
0.5
Services
1.9
3.8
6.1
0.7
1.3
2.1
Trade, hotels, and restaurants
2.0
4.5
7.1
0.3
0.7
1.2
Transportation and communication
3.6
4.8
6.0
0.2
0.2
0.3
Financial and business
2.9
3.6
4.5
0.3
0.4
0.4
Finance and insurance
2.6
3.5
3.9
0.1
0.1
0.1
Real estate
3.0
3.7
4.8
0.2
0.2
0.3
Business
3.6
4.5
5.6
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.3
Public administration and other
1.9
1.6
4.1
0.2
0.1
Public administration
0.6
⫺0.2
2.8
0.0
0.0
0.1
Education
4.9
4.2
6.6
0.1
0.0
0.1
Health
3.9
3.6
5.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
Other
4.7
6.0
5.3
0.1
0.1
0.1
Less financial services (index measured)
5.7
3.4
3.2
⫺0.3
⫺0.2
⫺0.2
Total GDP (factor cost)
2.5
4.0
6.0
2.5
4.0
6.0
Source: Author’s calculations, based on United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
22
ROBER T J. UTZ
TABLE 1.3 Structural Change of the Tanzanian Economy, 1990–2005
(percent)
Average annual growth rate
Sector
Share of GDP
1990–94
1995–99
2000–05
1990
1995
2000
Agriculture
3.1
3.6
4.8
50
51
48
2005
46
Industry
2.0
5.4
9.0
16
15
17
20
Services
1.9
3.8
6.1
35
35
35
35
Total GDP (factor cost)
2.5
4.0
6.0
100
100
100
100
Source: Author’s calculations, based on United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
Note: Total may not equal 100 because of rounding.
of the Tanzanian economy and output grew by 4.8 percent during 2000 to 2005,
thereby contributing 1.7 percentage points to Tanzania’s overall growth.
The service sector grew by 6.1 percent, representing a significant improvement as
compared with the growth of the sector during the previous five-year period. Growth
was particularly strong in the areas of trade, transportation, and communication.
Sectoral growth patterns have resulted in modest structural change of the Tanzanian economy (table 1.3). The relatively fast growth of industry has led to an increase
by 2 percentage points in its contribution to GDP, and as of 2005 it accounts for 20
percent of GDP. Most of the increased contribution of industry to GDP is attributable
to the expansion of the mining and construction sectors. Gains in manufacturing were
more modest. Conversely, the share of agriculture has fallen by 2 percentage points from
48 percent in 2000 to 46 percent in 2005.
Rapid expansion of nontraditional exports, especially of gold and fish, plus a recovery of exports of manufactured goods, has led to rapid export growth (figure 1.2).
However, even though exports of gold rose from virtually nothing to about 5 percent
of GDP, their contribution to economic growth has been only around 0.4 percentage
point. There is concern that both the gold and fishing industries are reaching the limits of expansion of natural resource extraction, with only limited prospects of future
growth. The environmental impact of these industries is also a concern. Exports of agricultural products declined since the mid-1990s and started to recover only recently. Exports of manufactured goods have recovered in recent years, from about US$30 million in 1999 to US$156 million in 2005, which is only 23 percent higher than the
value of export of manufactured goods that had already been achieved in 1996. A
key challenge for the Tanzanian economy is thus to strengthen and diversify its
export base.
Improved Macroeconomic Fundamentals
Since 1995, Tanzania has successfully pursued a policy of macroeconomic stabilization. This policy has resulted in low inflation and accelerated economic growth. At the
core of Tanzania’s stabilization efforts is fiscal consolidation. In 1996/97, Tanzania
adopted a cash budget system, under which expenditures are strictly limited to available resources from domestic revenue and foreign aid. This system virtually eliminated net domestic borrowing. In parallel to the country’s regaining fiscal control,
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
23
FIGURE 1.2 Merchandise Exports: Traditional and Nontraditional, 1990–2004
(a) Traditional and nontraditional exports
1,400
1,200
US$ million
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
year
2000
traditional exports
2002
2004
nontraditional exports
(b) Nontraditional exports
800
700
US$ million
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1990
1992
1994
1996
manufactured goods
1998
year
2000
minerals
2002
2004
other exports
Source: Bank of Tanzania, various years.
donor assistance in the form of grants and concessional lending increased substantially.
Such assistance financed the increase in government expenditures from about 16 percent of GDP in 1997/98 to more than 24 percent in 2004/05 (figure 1.3).1
Tanzania’s tax system has undergone significant reform, including the replacement
of the sales tax with a value added tax in 1998, the elimination of nuisance taxes, the
removal of tax exemptions, the adoption of a new income tax act in 2004, and the rationalization of local government taxes. A program to strengthen tax administration
24
ROBER T J. UTZ
FIGURE 1.3 Government Finance, 1991/92–2004/05
(a) Total revenue and expenditure
30.0
% of GDP
25.0
total
revenue
20.0
15.0
total
expenditure
10.0
5.0
19
91
19 /92
92
19 /93
93
19 /94
94
19 /95
95
19 /96
96
19 /97
97
19 /98
19 98/
99 99
/2
0
20 00
00
20 /01
01
20 /02
02
20 /03
03
20 /04
04
/0
5
0
year
(b) Grants and fiscal deficit before grants
12.0
% of GDP
10.0
grants
8.0
overall
balance
before
grants
6.0
4.0
2.0
19
19
91
/9
2
92
19 /93
93
19 /94
94
19 /95
95
19 /96
96
19 /97
97
19 /98
19 98/
99 99
/2
0
20 00
00
20 /01
01
20 /02
02
20 /03
03
20 /04
04
/0
5
0
year
(c) Foreign and domestic financing of the fiscal deficit
5.0
4.0
% of GDP
3.0
foreign
(net)
2.0
1.0
domestic
(net)
0
⫺1.0
⫺2.0
19
19
91
/9
2
92
19 /93
93
19 /94
94
19 /95
95
19 /96
96
19 /97
97
19 /98
19 98/
99 99
/2
0
20 00
00
20 /01
01
20 /02
02
20 /03
03
20 /04
04
/0
5
⫺3.0
year
Source: Tanzanian authorities and International Monetary Fund staff estimates.
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
25
accompanied the reform and resulted in a gradual increase in domestic revenue from
11.3 percent of GDP in 1999/2000 to 13.3 percent in 2004/05.
Fiscal consolidation has provided the space for sound monetary policy, aimed at price
stability. Annual monetary growth was 30 to 40 percent during the first half of the
1990s, but it dropped to below 10 percent at the start of Tanzania’s stabilization program. In parallel, the rate of inflation declined continuously from about 40 percent in
1995 to around 5 percent in recent years. Monetary growth started to accelerate again
in recent years, mainly because of the large inflows of foreign aid, which were only partially sterilized. It is interesting to note that higher monetary growth did not result in
increased inflation, reflecting both the faster economic growth and the increased monetization and deepening of financial markets in recent years (figure 1.4). Nonetheless,
FIGURE 1.4 Money and Inflation, 1990–2004
(a) Monetary growth and the rate of inflation
40
annual change (%)
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
03
02
01
04
20
20
20
99
00
20
20
98
19
97
19
19
95
94
96
19
19
92
93
19
19
91
19
19
19
90
0
year
consumer price index
money supply
(b) Money and quasi money
35
30
% of GDP
25
20
15
10
5
04
03
05
20
20
20
01
00
02
20
20
99
year
Source: Bank of Tanzania, various years.
20
98
19
19
96
95
94
93
92
91
97
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
90
0
26
ROBER T J. UTZ
the money-to-GDP ratio is still low in Tanzania compared with that in other African
countries. M2, which is a measure of the money supply, stood at 21.6 percent of GDP
in Tanzania. In Kenya it was 40.0 percent, Mozambique 29.6 percent, and Uganda 19.0
percent.
Credit to the private sector has started to recover, but it is still low. Credit as a
share of GDP declined dramatically from about 35 percent to GDP in 1993 to 8 percent in 2003, but it recovered to 15 percent by 2005, as shown in panel (a) of figure
1.5. Most of this decline is due to the fiscal consolidation, which resulted in a reduction in credit to the public sector from 23 percent of GDP in 1993 to 0.2 percent in
2004. Credit to the private sector contracted from about 15 percent of GDP to only
3 percent in 1996. However, since then it has steadily recovered and stood at 11 percent of GDP in 2005. The tightening led to a significant increase in real interest rates.
Panel (b) of figure 1.5 shows that lending rates increased from 5 percent in 1993
to 15 percent by 2000, but they declined subsequently to 10 percent as the money
supply was allowed to grow faster.
Large foreign aid inflows have financed an increase in public sector investment during the past five years, but the ratio of private investment to GDP has been fairly constant since 1995. Following successful fiscal stabilization efforts in the mid-1990s,
which included significant cuts in public investment, capital formation declined to
16.3 percent of GDP in 1997. As shown in panel (a) of figure 1.6, it has recovered since
then, however, reaching 22 percent of GDP in 2005. This recovery is primarily due to
an increase in public sector investment from 3.2 percent of GDP in 1997 to 7.5 percent in 2005. While public sector investment increased, private sector investment fluctuated between 12 and 13 percent of GDP and only in 2005 increased to 14.4 percent.
The increase in public sector investment affected primarily investment in buildings
and other works. As panel (b) of figure 1.6 shows, investment in equipment fluctuated
between 7 and 9 percent of GDP since 1996, showing, however, a sustained upward
trend in recent years.
Since 1995, Tanzania has also benefited from significant inflows of foreign direct
investment (FDI). A survey of direct foreign investment (Bank of Tanzania 2004b) provides more detailed information on FDI. The value of the foreign investment stock was
estimated to have risen from US$1.7 billion in 1998 to US$2.6 billion in 2001. Manufacturing is the biggest recipient of FDI and accounts for about 34 percent of the stock
of FDI. Mining accounted for 28 percent and tourism for 8.1 percent of the stock of
FDI at the end of 1999. Agriculture, despite its importance and potential, accounts
for only 6.7 percent of the FDI stock in Tanzania.
Public investment has witnessed a dramatic shift from low-return investment by
parastatal enterprises to investment by the central government in public infrastructure.
During the first half of the 1990s, parastatal enterprises accounted for most of the public sector investment. The privatization of most parastatals has led to a virtual disappearance of this form of low-return investments. As panel (c) of figure 1.6 illustrates,
public sector investment is now almost exclusively investment by the central government. Such investment includes the rehabilitation of government facilities in all areas
and the expansion of the infrastructure for social service provision (in particular the
construction of classrooms, as well as investments in roads, water, and power).
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
27
FIGURE 1.5 Domestic Credit and Interest Rates
(a) Domestic credit
40
35
% of GDP
30
25
20
15
10
5
04
20
20
02
00
20
19
98
19
96
94
19
19
19
92
90
0
year
central government
private sector
other
(b) Real interest rates
20
real interest rate (%)
15
10
5
0
⫺5
⫺10
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
treasury bills
98
19
99 000
2
19
year
01
20
lending
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
savings
Source: Based on Bank of Tanzania, various years.
Domestic saving has shown a dramatic increase from ⫺5 percent of GDP in 1993
to almost 15 percent in 2005 (see figure 1.7). The increase in saving is almost entirely
the result of increased public sector saving. Between 1990 and 2005, public sector consumption declined from 18 percent of GDP to 7 percent. During that period, private
28
ROBER T J. UTZ
FIGURE 1.6 Capital Formation, 1995–2005
(a) Public and private capital formation
25
% of GDP
20
15
10
5
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
year
public sector
private sector
total
(b) Capital formation by type of asset
12
% of GDP
10
8
6
4
2
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
year
buildings
other works
equipment
(continued)
sector consumption increased initially from 83 percent of GDP in 1990 to 88 percent
in 1999, but it dropped subsequently to 80 percent by 2005. The difference between
savings and investment, which corresponds to the current account deficit, declined dramatically since the early 1990s.
In an international comparison, Tanzania’s savings rate is still low. The average
savings rate for Sub-Saharan Africa is 18 percent. However, the economic literature (for
example, Rodrik 2000) suggests that increases in the savings rate are typically the result of accelerated economic growth rather than being a driver of economic growth.
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
29
FIGURE 1.6 (continued)
% of GDP
(c) Public sector investment
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
central government
2000
year
2001
2002
2003
parastatals
2004
2005
institutions
% of GDP
(d) Private sector investment and foreign direct investment
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
year
private sector
foreign direct investment
Source: United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
Consequently, measures to stimulate saving have a lesser priority than those aimed directly at stimulating growth and investment.
Macroeconomic stabilization has also resulted in a slowdown of the depreciation
of the nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) and an appreciation of the real effective exchange rate (REER) between 1996 and 2001. Since 2001, both the NEER and
the REER have been depreciating, as panel (a) of figure 1.8 demonstrates, and the
2004 level of the REER is considered to be consistent with equilibrium in the external accounts (IMF 2004). The current account (exclusive and inclusive of current
transfers) and the overall balance of payments have improved significantly since 1993,
as shown in panel (b) of figure 1.8. The current account deficit (excluding grants)
has declined from 35 percent of GDP in 1993 to only 4 percent in 2002. The current
30
ROBER T J. UTZ
FIGURE 1.7 Savings and Investment, 1990–2005
30
25
% of GDP
20
15
10
5
0
⫺5
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
⫺10
year
investment
domestic savings
Source: United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
account balance after grants improved from a deficit of 26 percent in 1993 to 0 percent in 2002. Subsequently, partly on account of the absorption of increasing aid
flows, the current account deficit increased again to 12 percent by 2005. The improvement in the external accounts coincides with an extended period of strong appreciation of the REER, suggesting that the positive effect of overall macroeconomic stabilization and structural reforms outweighed the exchange rate appreciation.
Panel (a) of figure 1.9 shows that external debt declined dramatically during the
1990s, from more than 130 percent of GDP in 1990 to 60 percent in 2004. In parallel, debt service also declined from a peak of almost 40 percent of exports to 4 percent in 2004. Following implementation of the Enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiatives, Tanzania’s debt sustainability
indicators are well below the debt sustainability thresholds. The net present value of
debt-to-export ratio is estimated to be 64 percent in 2006. At the same time, as panel
(b) of figure 1.9 shows, gross international reserves increased more than threefold between 1997 and 2005 and stand now at US$2.0 billion or more than five months of
import coverage.
Determinants of Economic Growth in Tanzania
This section explores two questions. First, what has been the contribution of the main
factors of production—that is, capital per worker and education per worker—to the
recent growth performance? Second, what have been the demand-side factors that
triggered Tanzania’s growth acceleration? Growth accounting is a widely used method
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
31
FIGURE 1.8 Exchange Rate and Balance of Payments, 1990–2004
exchange rate (%)
(a) Real (REER) and nominal (NEER) effective exchange rates
250
230
210
190
170
150
130
110
90
70
50
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
year
2000
REER
2002
2004
NEER
(b) Balance of payments
20
% of GDP
10
0
⫺10
⫺20
⫺30
⫺40
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
year
2000
2002
2004
current account (excluding transfers)
current account (including transfers)
overall balance
Source: Tanzanian authorities and International Monetary Fund staff estimates.
to estimate the contribution of human and physical capital as well as total factor productivity to economic growth. The analysis requires estimates of the human and the
physical capital stock:2
• Human capital. Human capital is typically estimated on the basis of average years
of schooling. Between 1992 and 2001, average years of education among Tanzania’s adult population increased from 3.8 years to 4.2 years. According to Cohen
and Soto (2001), Tanzania’s average number of years of schooling in 2000 was
higher than that of Uganda (3.22), but lower than that of Kenya (5.80) and far
from that of South Africa (7.22).
32
ROBER T J. UTZ
FIGURE 1.9 Public and Publicly Guaranteed Debt and Debt Service, 1990–2005
(a) Debt and debt service
160
140
120
percent
100
80
60
40
20
0
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
year
debt (% of GDP)
debt service (% of exports)
2,500
10
2,000
8
1,500
6
1,000
4
500
2
months
US$ million
(b) Gross international reserves
0
0
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
year
2000
2002
2004
in US$ million
months of imports of goods and services
• Physical capital. The capital stock is estimated by using the perpetual inventory
method. After the capital stock is estimated for an initial period,3 estimates for subsequent periods are obtained by assuming a certain rate of annual depreciation4 and
by adding new investment. However, in many instances, the value of an investment
will not automatically add an equivalent amount to the capital stock.5 Among the
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
33
reasons for this discrepancy are poor investment decisions and overpriced investment cost. For Tanzania, it is likely that in the past government investment did not
add commensurately to the productive capital stock. Examples abound, such as
the Morogoro shoe factory, which never produced at more than 4 percent of its production capacity. Once the government decided to privatize such enterprises, their
sales value, if they could be sold at all, was typically low and in many cases negative. In the case of investments in infrastructure, the rate of depreciation quite likely
exceeded the commonly assumed rate of 5 percent on account of insufficient investments in maintenance and rehabilitation.
Thus, 1985, when Tanzania abandoned its socialist policies and started to introduce market reforms, might be an appropriate year for the reestimation of the capital stock.6 Given the paucity of data, we examine two scenarios. Under the first scenario, the actual capital stock in 1985 is assumed to be only 50 percent of the
estimated capital stock. Under the second scenario, it is assumed to be 75 percent.
With respect to the growth accounting exercise, a lower initial capital stock implies
reduced absolute amounts of depreciation and, thus, higher levels of net investment7 and additions to the capital stock. In turn, the share of growth attributed to
capital will be higher, and the share attributed to factor productivity will be lower,
with a lower initial capital stock. The contribution of education remains unaffected
by changes in the capital stock (see table 1.4).8
The growth accounting calculations suggest that the recent acceleration of economic
growth is primarily due to more rapid accumulation of physical capital and
increased factor productivity, as shown in figure 1.10. From 1995 to 1999, the ratio of
investment to GDP declined from 19.9 percent to 15.5 percent, and the contribution
of capital accumulation was negative. After 1999, both public and private sector investment increased significantly, reaching 22.2 percent of GDP by 2005. During that period,
private and public sector investment increased by 2.1 and 4.4 percentage points, respectively. However, national accounts data may not fully reflect the significant increase in
FDI that Tanzania has witnessed since the mid-1990s. Although there was virtually no
FDI until the early 1990s, by 2000 FDI was more than US$500 million, or about 5 percent of GDP. An investment report prepared by the Bank of Tanzania (2004b) shows
that most of the FDI flows go into mining (30 percent); manufacturing (31 percent); and
wholesale and retail trade, including tourism (14 percent), with agriculture receiving only
a small share (7 percent) of total FDI.9 The sectors that were the main beneficiaries of
TABLE 1.4 Decomposition of Tanzania’s Growth, 1995–2005: Depreciation of Initial
Capital Stock by 0, 25, and 50 Percent
(percent)
Contribution
Adjustment in capital
stock
Output per
worker
Physical
capital
Education
Factor
productivity
0
2.31
0.34
0.73
1.24
25
2.31
0.58
0.73
1.00
50
2.31
0.88
0.73
0.70
Source: Author’s calculations.
34
ROBER T J. UTZ
FIGURE 1.10 Decomposition of Economic Growth per Worker into Contribution
of Human and Physical Capital Accumulation and Total Factor
Productivity, 1985–2005
2.5
2.0
1.5
percent
1.0
0.5
0
⫺0.5
⫺1.0
⫺1.5
⫺2.0
1985–89
1990–94
1995–99
2000–05
years
capital
education
total factor productivity
Source: Author’s calculations.
FDI flows are also those that showed the highest growth rates in the past five years. The
FDI survey also shows the increasing importance of regional FDI flows from member
countries of the South African Development Community and the East African Community (primarily South Africa, but also Kenya). Such flows account for 42.2 percent of
total FDI flows in 2001, compared with 52.2 percent from Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development countries. In 2004, FDI had declined to about 2.4 percent of GDP, because the major investments in the mining sector had been completed
and privatization-related FDI had declined.
Recent investments in education have a relatively long gestation period before they
will lead to an effective increase in the human capital of Tanzania; hence, the contribution of human capital to growth is still small. However, if recent trends in expanding primary and secondary education are sustained, the contribution of human capital to growth is likely to increase.
The share of growth that cannot be explained by human and physical capital accumulation is labeled total factor productivity, but it contains a variety of different factors that contributed to growth. First, it covers the increase in land under cultivation
in response to improved incentives for agricultural production, which has been a major contributor to growth in the agriculture sector. It also includes increases in capacity utilization as a result of increases in aggregate demand. Enhanced efficiency of resource allocation and use is another important component of the observed increase in
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
35
factor productivity in Tanzania. Analysis of the manufacturing sector suggests that
increased productivity in the sector is the result of accelerated exit and entry of firms.
As older, inefficient firms leave, new, more productive firms enter the sector. All those
factors contribute to bringing Tanzania’s economy closer to its production frontier. Productivity increases that lead to an expansion of the production frontier, such as the adoption of improved technologies, have been of lesser importance, but a number of cases
in which new technologies have been successfully introduced demonstrate the scope
for future growth impulses. Such technologies include innovations introduced through
FDI but also the results of Tanzania’s agricultural research system.
To interpret the findings of the growth accounting exercise for Tanzania, one may
find comparisons to other countries useful. Table 1.5 compares the contribution of
capital, education, and factor productivity to growth in Tanzania with results obtained
for other regions. Several interesting facts are apparent from this table. First, average
growth rates varied significantly during the 1990s. The Asian economies performed
strongest, led by China, where output per worker grew by 8.8 percent. On the other
end of the spectrum, the African countries in the sample saw their output per worker
decline by 0.2 percent. The wide variation in growth rates is reflected in similarly large
variations in the contributions of capital and factor productivity. For the Asian
economies, capital formation clearly played an important role, and it appears that, in
general, faster growth of output per worker is associated with higher growth in capital per worker. On the other hand, the contribution of factor productivity seems to be
less clear cut. For example, in the case of China, almost 60 percent of the country’s
growth is explained by enhanced factor productivity, whereas in other East Asian
economies, only about 20 percent of growth is explained by increases in factor productivity. The contribution of education to growth shows less variability across regions.
The contribution ranges in a rather narrow band between 0.2 percent and 0.5 percent.
The increase in average years of education during the past decade is reflected in a
relative large contribution of human capital to growth. However, compared with the
TABLE 1.5 Sources of Growth, by Region, 1990–2000
(percent)
Contribution
Country or region
Tanzaniaa
Output per
worker
2.4
Physical
capital
Education
Factor
productivity
0.4 to 0.9
0.7
0.8 to 1.3
Africa
⫺0.2
⫺0.1
0.4
⫺0.5
China
8.8
3.2
0.3
5.1
East Asia (except China)
3.4
2.3
0.5
0.5
Latin America
0.9
0.2
0.3
0.4
Middle East
0.8
0.3
0.5
0.0
South Asia
2.8
1.2
0.4
1.2
World
3.5
1.2
0.3
1.9
Industrial countries
1.5
0.8
0.2
0.5
Source: Data for Tanzania, author’s calculations; other data, Bosworth and Collins 2003.
a. Data for Tanzania are for 1995–2005.
36
ROBER T J. UTZ
performance of other countries, Tanzania’s performance during the 1990s appears to
be plagued by several weaknesses. First, the contribution of capital formation seems
to be low, even when we allow for the fact that the initial capital stock may have been
lower than suggested by the commonly used estimates. In addition, the data also suggest scope for greater increases in factor productivity, although estimates for more recent years actually suggest that factor productivity has indeed increased in Tanzania
to levels achieved by other regions. However, it is likely that this recent upturn in factor productivity is the result of demand-side factors and efficiency gains from reforms
that have moved Tanzania closer to its production frontier; there is little evidence that
the increased factor productivity indeed represents technological change that would increase Tanzania’s productive capacity on a sustainable basis.
On the demand side, aid-financed public sector investment has provided an important stimulus for economic growth. These growth impulses have translated into growth
in consumption and also higher demand for imports (table 1.6).
Increased government spending has been an important engine of economic growth
(see box 1.2), contributing 3.8 percentage points to the overall growth of 6.8 percent
of GDP at market prices during the period from 2000 to 2005. Figure 1.11 shows
dramatically different trajectories for the growth rates of GDP at market prices, including and excluding government spending. Overall GDP at market prices shows the
familiar acceleration of economic growth in Tanzania over the past 15 years. However, GDP net of public sector expenditure shows a markedly different growth path.
There, growth during the period from 1995 to 2005 was 4.5 percent, compared with
4.8 percent during the first half of the 1990s. Most of the increase in government
TABLE 1.6 Sources of Growth: Expenditure, 1990–2005
(percent)
Average annual growth rate
Economic activity
1990–94
1995–99
2000–05
Average contribution to growth
1990–94
1995–99
2000–05
GDP (market prices)
2.5
3.8
7.0
Consumption
2.1
6.0
5.4
2.1
6.2
2.6
5.7
4.0
2.1
5.0
3.4
⫺0.3
7.3
10.9
0.0
1.2
2.2
5.8
⫺1.3
15.3
1.2
⫺0.3
3.5
⫺1.4
⫺2.1
9.1
0.4
0.4
⫺1.7
Private consumption
Government consumption
Gross domestic investment
Net exports
5.6
Exports of goods and nonfactor services
12.1
5.4
19.4
1.6
1.0
5.0
Imports of goods and nonfactor services
⫺3.2
⫺1.4
⫺15.0
⫺1.3
⫺0.6
⫺6.7
⫺37.4
⫺285.0
4.3
⫺1.2
⫺2.6
⫺0.4
Construction
2.1
⫺4.4
18.9
0.2
⫺0.4
1.8
Machinery and vehicles
9.9
1.0
12.5
1.0
0.1
1.6
20.5
⫺0.3
11.6
2.3
0.0
1.9
⫺11.5
⫺5.0
25.9
⫺1.0
⫺0.2
1.5
Statistical discrepancy
Investment by type of asset
Investment by sector
Private
Public
Source: Author’s calculations, based on United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
BOX 1.2
37
Government Spending and Economic Growth
Government spending affects economic activity both through its demand-side effects and
its supply-side effects. The magnitude and time pattern of demand-side effects depend on
whether there are unused capacities in the economy and whether changes in government
spending are temporary or permanent. In the case of excess capacity, increases in government expenditure add to economic activity directly through the added demand in the form
of government purchases, as well as through multiplier effects on private sector consumption. Empirical estimates of this demand-side effect for developing countries (Hemming, Kell,
and Mahfouz 2002; Schclarek 2003) suggest that these demand effects are typically larger
in developing than in industrial countries. If the increase in government expenditure exceeds
unused capacity, it is likely to exert inflationary pressures in the short run and—if increases
in government expenditure are considered to be permanent—to induce an expansion in the
productive capacity of the economy.
Public expenditures also affect aggregate supply. Government spending—especially government investment in economic infrastructure, human capital, or research and development—can increase the productive capacity of the economy. Whereas the demand-side effects
typically occur in the short term, supply-side effects have a longer gestation period. In addition, though demand-side effects affect only the level of economic activity, supply-side effects
have the potential to lead to a sustained increase in the growth rate.
Separate from the effect of government spending on economic activity is the effect of the
way government spending is financed. In general, higher taxation and domestic borrowing
have a negative impact on economic activity. The effect of donor financing—separate from
that of the associated increase in government spending—is primarily through its effect on the
exchange rate.
FIGURE 1.11 Growth Rates of GDP Inclusive and Exclusive of Government
Spending, 1990–2005
8.0
rate of growth (%)
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0
1990–94
1995–99
years
2000–05
GDP (market prices)
GDP (market prices, net of government spending)
Source: Author’s calculations, based on United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
38
ROBER T J. UTZ
spending is financed from increased aid inflows to Tanzania. In the national accounts
data, this situation is reflected in a widening of net exports during the period from
2000 to 2005.
Figure 1.12 presents the contribution of private and public expenditure to economic growth and shows a picture similar to that in figure 1.11. The contribution of
private expenditure to growth increased only from 4.5 percentage points during the
period between 1990 and 1994 to 5.3 percentage points during the period between 2000
and 2005. However, the direct contribution of government spending to economic
growth increased dramatically during that period. Public sector reforms during the first
half of the 1990s involved a significant reduction in the size of government and thus
slowed down growth of GDP. The period from 1995 to 1999 saw a slight recovery of
government spending, and the contribution to GDP growth was 1 percentage point.
The period from 2000 to 2005 saw a sharp increase in government spending, and its
direct contribution to overall GDP growth was 3.8 percent.10 The contribution of the
sum of net exports and unrecorded trade and the statistical discrepancy has been negative and increasing during the three periods. This finding suggests that the demandside impulses emanating from increased government spending have only partly translated into higher domestic production but have also contributed to increased imports
and a widening current account deficit.
Although exports have been rising rapidly, this effect has been more than offset by
the increase in imports (table 1.6). The increase in exports is primarily due to the rapid
expansion of gold production, which fostered large imports of capital goods and equipment. The net effect of the increase in gold production, as seen in the contribution of
mining to growth, was only 0.4 percentage point.
percent
FIGURE 1.12 Contribution of Private and Public Expenditure to Economic
Growth, 1990–2005
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0
⫺1.0
⫺2.0
⫺3.0
1990–94
1995–99
years
2000–05
private consumption and investment
public consumption and investment
net exports and statistical discrepancy
Source: Author’s calculations, based on United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
REFORMS, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
39
Conclusions
Successful macroeconomic stabilization and the implementation of a broad range of
structural reforms have resulted in a steady acceleration in economic growth during
the past decade. This achievement is a strong endorsement for continuation of the reform course with macroeconomic stability, clear definition of the roles of the public
and private sectors, market-determined prices, and openness of the economy as the
foundation for private sector–driven growth. Increasing inflows of foreign aid have supported Tanzania’s reform efforts and have contributed significantly to the recent growth
acceleration by stimulating domestic demand. However, the review of growth and
macroeconomic performance also highlights vulnerabilities that need to be addressed
if growth is to be sustained.
Most of the growth acceleration can be explained by demand-side effects of foreign
aid, as well as by greater efficiency of the economy. However, the growth effect of efficiency gains is likely to diminish over time, and aid inflows cannot be expected to increase indefinitely. Thus, an important element focus of future reforms needs to be on
strengthening the investment climate at the firm and farm levels.
Also, the fact that increasing aid inflows have provided an important demand-side
stimulus to the economy highlights the vulnerability of the economy to fluctuations in
aid flows and underpins the importance of using aid to strengthen the competitiveness
of the economy through investments in infrastructure and the implementation of reforms that would increase competitiveness.
In addition, the growth in exports is primarily due to increased natural resource exploitation—namely, exploitation of gold and fish—while exports of agricultural products and manufactured goods account for a declining share of exports. Diversification
of exports is thus critical with respect to the dynamic effect of greater integration into
international markets both as a driver of innovation and technological change and as
an important source for efficiency gains and scale effects achieved by producing for a
larger market.
Finally, reforms and the acceleration in economic growth have so far shown only
a limited effect on the lives of the poor. In the next chapter, we review the link between
growth and poverty and analyze Tanzania’s poverty profile with the objective of identifying reform strategies that would ensure pro-poor growth.
Notes
1. Developments in government finance are monitored and reviewed under the annual Public
Expenditure Review process.
2. Estimates of human capital are based on Bosworth and Collins (2003), who provide data
up to 2000 by averaging time series for years of schooling assembled by Barro and Lee
(2000) and Cohen and Soto (2001) and applying a rate of return of 7 percent to years of
schooling. Estimates of the capital stock are also drawn from Bosworth and Collins (2003).
3. Nehru and Dhareshwar (1993) provide estimates of the capital stock for a large number of
countries, including Tanzania.
40
ROBER T J. UTZ
4. We assume an annual rate of depreciation of 5 percent.
5. For a detailed discussion, see Pritchett (2000).
6. Even after 1985 until the mid-1990s, public sector investment and investment by parastatal
entities were relatively large. Therefore, it might indeed be appropriate to discount up to
50 percent of public sector investment during that period.
7. Net investment is gross investment minus depreciation.
8. This effect is purely a consequence of the underlying growth accounting methodology. It is
likely that a lower ratio of capital to qualified labor would imply higher returns to capital
and lower returns to qualified labor.
9. Shares represent the average distribution of FDI by sector, 1999–2001 (Bank of Tanzania
2004b).
10. To the extent that increased government spending fell on imports, the effect on growth is
reduced.
2
The Challenge of Reducing Poverty
Johannes Hoogeveen, Louise Fox, and Marianne Simonsen
D
uring the 1990s, the poverty headcount in Tanzania remained roughly the same
as a percentage of the population, but the severity of poverty seems to have been
reduced (box 2.1). According to the data from two household surveys (National
Bureau of Statistics 1993, 2002), the national poverty headcount declined from about
38 percent to 35 percent. However, because the 1991/92 survey had a small sample
size and the 2000/01 survey had some sampling issues, that difference is within the margin of error for the two surveys and, therefore, we cannot conclude with certainty
that poverty declined. The reduction in the severity of poverty at the national level shows
a 10 percent decline in the poverty gap (average distance of the poor to the poverty
line) and a 20 percent decline in the poverty gap squared (severity), but that difference
is not significant for the same reason (see table 2.1).
The modest decline in the national poverty levels conceals large regional differences in levels of poverty and changes during the decade, as can be seen in table 2.2.
At the strata level (rural areas, other urban areas, and Dar es Salaam), there was an
important decline in poverty in the Dar es Salaam region even as the population grew.
Disaggregating the data further into seven regional zones, other urban areas, and rural
areas,1 the picture becomes even more heterogeneous. In addition to that in Dar es
Salaam, a significant decline in poverty occurred in the southern highlands, in both
urban and rural areas (see table 2.2). In the northern highlands, poverty increased in
rural areas but remained constant in urban areas, whereas the opposite occurred in the
lake districts. In the case of the southern highlands, the decline in poverty was quite
a reversal in fortune. However, because of the small sample size of the 1991/92 survey, estimates of changes in poverty at the zone level are imprecise and should be interpreted with great care. The more precise changes in table 2.2 are in bold (that is they
are significant at the 5 percent level).
In sum, the extent of poverty reduction during the 1990s seems to be uneven, with
major gains in some areas and an overall worsening in others. Understanding the
sources of those differences and analyzing them could yield insights into the effects
on households of the economic roller coaster of the 1990s. Unfortunately, the data
41
42
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
BOX 2.1
Is Tanzania’s Poverty Line Too Low?
The Tanzania poverty line applied in 2001 was T Sh 7,253 per adult equivalent per 28 days
(December 2000 prices), which is equivalent to US$0.79 per capita per day, using the international purchasing power parity conversion. That figure is considerably less than the
US$1.08, or “dollar-a-day,” poverty line often used in international poverty comparisons. If
one were to calculate poverty in Tanzania using the dollar-a-day poverty line, then the
poverty line expressed in local currency would be T Sh 9,900 and the poverty incidence
would be around 57.5 percent, considerably more than the 35.6 percent used in Tanzania.
One can compare Tanzania’s poverty line with that used elsewhere in the region. Uganda’s
poverty line, for instance, is higher and equivalent to US$1.12 per capita per day. Application of that poverty line to Tanzania gives a poverty incidence of 59.8 percent. One can
safely conclude that Tanzania’s poverty line is low from an international and a regional perspective.
Source: World Bank staff calculations.
TABLE 2.1 Poverty Indexes, 1991/92–2000/01
(percent)
Poverty
headcount
Population share
Poverty gap
Poverty gap
squared
Location
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
Tanzania
100.0
100.0
38.6
35.3
11.8
10.4
5.3
4.4
Rural
82.1
79.0
40.8
38.6
12.7
11.5
5.8
4.9
Other urban
12.6
13.6
28.7
25.9
8.0
7.7
3.2
3.4
5.3
7.4
28.1
17.6
7.5
4.1
3.0
1.6
Dar es Salaam
Geographic zone
Coastal
12.8
12.8
40
34.7
11.8
8.7
4.8
3.2
Rural
10.8
10.7
44.1
36.7
13.1
9.2
5.4
3.4
Urban
2
2.1
17.9
24.9
4.8
6.2
1.7
2.4
10.1
11.0
20.2
36.1
3.0
10.9
0.9
4.7
Rural
9.3
9.4
20.4
38.7
3.0
11.9
0.8
5.2
Urban
0.8
1.6
18.4
20.8
3.7
5.3
1.3
2.0
35.1
37.4
37.0
39.0
12.3
12.9
5.7
5.8
Rural
31.3
32.9
39.6
39.8
13.3
13.0
6.2
5.9
Urban
3.8
4.4
15.2
32.7
4.4
11.5
2.0
5.5
Northern highlands
Lake
Central
9.4
8.3
48.8
42.4
16.1
11.8
7.6
5.0
Rural
9.0
7.3
49.5
44.8
16.5
12.5
7.8
5.4
Urban
0.4
1.0
34.5
24.1
9.5
6.2
3.6
2.3
15.3
14.0
46.6
25.8
15.9
6.0
7.8
2.1
Rural
11.0
11.2
48.2
28.0
16.9
6.6
8.8
2.3
Urban
4.3
2.8
42.7
16.9
13.2
3.7
5.4
1.3
Southern highlands
South
11.9
9.1
43.9
43.2
11.2
13.0
4.2
5.4
Rural
10.3
7.5
44.0
45.7
11.6
13.6
4.3
5.6
Urban
1.2
1.6
42.6
31.2
8.3
9.9
2.9
4.4
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface indicates that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVER TY
43
TABLE 2.2 Poverty Status in Tanzania, 1991/92–2000/01
(percent)
Population share
Poverty headcount
Location
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
Tanzania
100.0
100.0
38.6
35.3
Rural areas
82.1
79.0
40.8
38.6
Other urban areas
12.6
13.6
28.7
25.9
5.3
7.4
28.1
17.6
Coastal
12.8
12.8
40.0
34.7
Northern highlands
10.1
11.0
20.2
36.1
Lake
35.1
37.4
37.0
39.0
9.4
8.3
48.8
42.4
Southern highlands
15.3
14.0
46.6
25.8
South
11.9
9.1
43.9
43.2
Dar es Salaam
2000/01
Geographic zone
Central
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface indicates that the difference between the two surveys is significant at the 5 percent level.
quality is not adequate for that type of analysis. A new survey will be needed to provide a basis for such analysis. In the rest of this chapter, we usually show data disaggregated by the three strata (rural areas, other urban areas, and Dar es Salaam) only.
Economic Inequality, Poverty, and Growth
In the simplest terms, poverty reduction results from (a) an increase in per capita
household income and (b) the share of this increase that goes to the poor. That simple identity can be further disaggregated by region of the country or other relevant
household group. The change in income that goes to the poor is measured by the
change in share of the poor in total consumption, but it is also helpful to look at
the change in common measures of inequality, including the Gini coefficient and the
Theil index, the latter of which is decomposable and so is often the measure of choice.
In this section, we look at the role those two components of poverty reduction played
in the observed results.
The small growth in per capita consumption recorded in the household survey
data during the period from 1992 to 2001 is caused by a poor economic growth performance during that period (see figure 2.1). Real GDP grew at an average of 3.6
percent, which resulted in annual per capita growth of only 0.7 percent when combined with a high annual rate of population increase of 2.9 percent. We must note that
the household survey data provide only two snapshots in time and fail to represent
the full evolution of poverty between 1992 and 2001. What actually happened to average household consumption during that period? We do not know the answer, but
one way to estimate it would be to assume that it tracked economic growth during that
period. By applying macroeconomic growth data to the microlevel household survey
44
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
FIGURE 2.1 Simulated Changes in Poverty, 1992–2002
fraction below poverty line
0.45
0.40
0.35
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
year
mainland Tanzania
other urban areas
Dar es Salaam
rural areas
Source: Demombynes and Hoogeveen 2004.
data, we can simulate changes in consumption year by year.2 As noted earlier, income
growth varied substantially during that period. If poverty tracks that growth—
especially if poverty in the rural areas tracks growth in the agricultural sector—then
poverty most likely rose between 1992 and 1994 and then fell in the final years of the
decade. As with other analyses, the pattern shown in figure 2.1 suggests that national
poverty incidence is mostly determined by rural poverty incidence.
Table 2.3 suggests a widening poverty gap between urban areas—especially Dar
es Salaam—and rural areas. Between 1991/92 and 2000/01, the share of Dar es Salaam’s
population in the lower (national) quintiles declined, while the share of Dar es Salaam’s
population in the highest national expenditure quintile jumped from 23.5 percent to
43 percent. At the same time, in rural areas the share of the population in the lowest
quintiles increased marginally, while that in the highest quintile decreased. In other urban areas, inequality seems to have increased, because both the share of the population
in the lowest and that in the highest national quintile increased, while the share of the
population in the middle quintiles decreased. However, the extent to which the cost of
living in urban areas and that in rural areas have diverged may be less than these numbers suggest. The same holds true for changes across quintiles, to the extent that the consumption baskets by quintile differ significantly. Table 2.4 shows the increase in the
components of the consumer price index. Rent, which has increased by more than
600 percent, is an important component of urban consumption baskets, whereas clothing and footwear, furniture and utensils, or personal care and health, which showed more
modest price increases, are likely to claim a larger share in the expenditure baskets of
the rural population. Similarly, these items are likely to claim a larger share of the expenditure baskets of the poor population than of those of the better-off population.
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVER TY
45
TABLE 2.3 Distribution of the Population by Strata by National Quintile,
1991/92–2000/01
(percentage of population)
Dar es Salaam
Other urban areas
Rural areas
Quintile
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
Poorest
12.7
8.2
13.1
14.4
21.5
2000/01
22.1
2nd
16.5
12.2
16.6
15.6
20.8
21.5
3rd
22.8
17.3
19.1
14.9
20.0
21.1
4th
24.4
19.2
19.9
22.7
19.7
19.6
Richest
23.5
43.0
31.3
32.4
18.0
15.7
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
TABLE 2.4 Increase in Consumer Prices between 1991 and 2001
(percent)
Product
Increase
Food
221
Drinks and tobacco
363
Rent
614
Fuel and light
723
Clothing and footwear
63
Furniture and utensils
204
Household operation
87
Personal care and health
103
Recreation and entertainment
145
Transportation
340
Source: Bank of Tanzania 2004a.
The growth incidence curve is another way of representing that story. Figure 2.2
shows the growth rates of consumption for the entire distribution. The vertical line
represents the poverty line. The curve shows that growth was positive for poor and nonpoor households alike, which is indicated by the fact that the growth incidence curve
is above zero at all points. The flatness of the curve indicates that growth was evenly
distributed and not highly concentrated among either high-income or low-income
households. The slight rise at the far right of the curve is attributable to the larger gains
in Dar es Salaam, in particular among high-income households in the capital.
Reflecting the consumption changes noted above, the national measures of inequality—the Gini coefficient and the Theil index (see table 2.5)—changed modestly. We can
calculate those indices by region (with the same caveats as before). Not surprisingly,
in places such as northern highlands, where the rural areas suffered relative to the urban areas, inequality increased. For the country in general, which in 2000/01 had a Gini
coefficient of 0.34, the level of inequality is low compared to other African countries.3
The Theil index can be decomposed into within- and between-group inequality (see
Shorrocks 1984).4 Table 2.6 shows the share of the between-group inequality of total
46
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
FIGURE 2.2 Growth Incidence Curve: Nation as a Whole
annual growth in consumption per
adult equivalent (%)
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0
⫺1.0
⫺2.0
⫺3.0
0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
household consumption per adult equivalent (%)
growth incidence curve
95% confidence bounds
growth rate in mean
Source: Demombynes and Hoogeveen 2004.
TABLE 2.5 Gini Coefficient and Theil Index, 1991/92–2000/01
Gini
Theil
Location
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
Tanzania
0.33
0.34
0.185
2000/01
0.199
Rural areas
0.33
0.32
0.184
0.177
Other urban areas
0.34
0.35
0.201
0.214
Dar es Salaam
0.30
0.34
0.152
0.208
Coastal
0.34
0.30
0.204
0.165
Northern highlands
0.26
0.32
0.120
0.170
Lake
0.33
0.34
0.191
0.207
Central
0.30
0.34
0.161
0.185
Southern highlands
0.37
0.32
0.244
0.169
South
0.29
0.33
0.157
0.197
Geographic zone
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
47
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVER TY
TABLE 2.6 Share of Inequality Created by Between-Group Differences in Tanzania,
1991/92–2000/01
(percentage of total inequality)
Theil index
Group
1991/92
2000/01
Dar es Salaam, other urban areas, and rural areas
2.0
6.5
Geographic zones
2.8
5.2
Education levels
4.7
12.0
Household sizes
18.2
15.8
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
inequality for different groups of the population. Although the within-group estimate
contributes the bulk of the inequality for all groupings, the share of inequality between groups has also widened.5 Inequality between households classified by the education level of the head of household increased the most, with geographic inequality
also increasing. Inequality between geographic zones is higher than in Mozambique
but much lower than in Uganda. The widening inequality by education level of head
of households may reflect increased returns to education at the upper levels relative to
the lower levels, or it may be caused by factors correlated with education (for example, living in an urban area).
What has been the effect on poverty of the increase in inequality within and between
regions? The change in poverty can be decomposed into a growth component, an inequality component, and a residual component (Datt and Ravallion 1992). Table 2.7
shows such a decomposition for mainland Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, other urban areas, and rural areas. In that table, the growth impact refers to the change in the poverty
headcount brought by growth in household consumption per capita as reported in
the survey (in Tanzania, a reduction of 8.4 percentage points in the poverty headcount). The inequality impact is the change in the poverty headcount caused by the
change in the distribution of per capita consumption as measured by the household survey (an increase of 5.5 percentage points in the poverty headcount). If the change is
negative (for example, ⫺8.4 percentage points), it is a positive contribution to poverty
reduction (a reduction in the headcount).
Growth has clearly decreased poverty, but at the same time, higher inequality has
worked in the opposite direction. Outside of Dar es Salaam, both the consumption
growth and the inequality change are small, such that they almost cancel out one another. In Dar es Salaam, inequality increased, but household consumption growth occurred as well, and the poor benefited substantially from this growth. Thus, despite the
much larger increase in inequality in Dar es Salaam, poor households gained more than
in other areas where the inequality increase was more modest. In other words, although the rising inequality in Tanzania is somewhat of an issue, increasing overall income growth across the country in the poor households is an even greater issue. Income inequality does not seem to have been an impediment to growth in Dar es Salaam.
48
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
TABLE 2.7 Decomposition of Change in Poverty in Tanzania, 1991/92–2000/01
(percentage points)
Aspect of change
Other urban areas
Rural areas
Poverty 1991
38.6
28.1
28.7
40.8
Poverty 2001
35.4
17.6
26.0
38.7
Total change in poverty
⫺3.2
⫺10.5
⫺2.7
⫺2.1
Growth impact
⫺8.4
⫺18.4
⫺6.6
⫺5.3
5.5
12.4
4.0
2.7
⫺0.2
⫺4.5
⫺0.2
0.6
⫺2.5
Inequality impact
Residual
Tanzania
Dar es Salaam
Urban-rural decomposition
Change in poverty in Dar es Salaam
⫺0.6
Change in poverty in other urban areas
⫺0.3
Change in poverty in rural areas
⫺1.7
Total intraregional effect
⫺2.6
Population-shift effect
⫺0.4
Interaction effect
⫺0.2
Type of employment
Change in poverty in farming and fishing
⫺2.0
1.1
⫺0.2
Change in poverty in paid employment
⫺0.4
⫺7.9
⫺0.9
0.2
Change in poverty in self-employment
⫺0.6
⫺5.8
⫺0.9
⫺0.2
Change in poverty in family employment
0.1
⫺0.2
0.2
0.0
Change in poverty in noneconomic activity
0.0
0.1
⫺0.1
0.1
Total intrasectoral effect
⫺2.9
⫺12.6
⫺1.8
⫺2.5
Population-shift effect
⫺0.6
0.6
⫺0.8
⫺0.7
0.4
1.5
⫺0.2
1.2
Interaction effect
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Alternatively, the change in poverty can be decomposed into regional composition
effects. There are intraregional effects, population-shift effects, and interaction effects
(see Huppi and Ravallion 1991). Those effects are depicted in the second part of table
2.7. During the period from 1991/92 to 2000/01, poverty declined substantially in Dar
es Salaam and other urban areas. That decline attracted people from rural areas, resulting in a 4.0 percent population growth rate in other urban areas, compared with
2.7 percent in rural areas. Despite those population inflows and the substantial urban
poverty reduction, only 0.4 percentage point of the total drop in national poverty of
3.2 percentage points (12 percent) can be attributed to a shift in the population from
poorer rural areas to wealthier urban sectors. This finding suggests that the majority
of migrants are nonpoor. As nonpoor move from rural to urban areas, the urban-rural
poverty gap widens. Nonetheless, rural-urban migration may indirectly promote
poverty reduction, as in facilitating stronger rural-urban links. However, migration itself is not a major contributing factor. Most of the poverty reduction during the decade
has happened within those areas.
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVER TY
49
Finally, table 2.7 also shows the power of a rural poverty reduction strategy for Tanzania. Declines in poverty in Dar es Salaam have had only a minor effect on national
poverty rates because only 7.5 percent of the population lives there. The slight income
growth for the rural poor had a large effect on overall poverty in Tanzania, accounting for one-half of the drop in the national poverty rate. The same circumstances apply to households engaged in farming and fishing, because they are a large share of the
population and their income is low. However, the last section of table 2.7 shows that
the movement of households out of agriculture has also played a strong role in poverty
reduction and is likely to remain important in the future. Nevertheless, acceleration in
national poverty reduction can be achieved only through an accelerated decline in
poverty in rural areas.
The analyses in this section suggest that a successful poverty reduction strategy
would include increases in rural income levels, an urban growth strategy, and facilitation of rural-urban migration.
Nonmonetary Poverty Measures
The measurement of poverty using consumption data can be imprecise, and it does not
adequately capture other dimensions of poverty, such as insecurity and vulnerability.
Therefore, analysis of nonmonetary indicators is helpful. Two types of analysis were
performed:
• Analysis of food share and food security
• Analysis of change in reported assets and housing conditions.
Normally, if income is increasing, then households would purchase more nonfood
items with the marginal income, whereas if poverty is going up, the food share would
increase. Food share did go down among both the poor and the nonpoor during the
period between the surveys (see table 2.8), suggesting increasing welfare, and the food
share declined the most in Dar es Salaam, where poverty fell the most. Another important dimension is perceived food security. Unfortunately, such information is available
TABLE 2.8 Food Share by Strata and Poverty Status, 1991/92–2000/01
(percent)
Food share of total household expenditures
Indicator
1991/92
2000/01
Tanzania
74.7
72.4
Dar es Salaam
72.7
58.7
Other urban
70.3
65.0
Rural
75.5
70.5
Nonpoor
74.7
67.9
Poor
74.6
70.8
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface indicates that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
50
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
only for 2000/01. Table 2.9 shows that perceived problems with satisfying food needs
are highly correlated with actual poverty status.
Table 2.10 presents household asset holdings by quintiles in Tanzania across the
years. In all areas and in all quintiles, data show some increase in assets, another indicator of increasing welfare. Only one asset (chair) in the poorest quintiles had a significant decrease. However, because some assets are held by very few households (for example. fishing nets), the increase is hard to interpret. But indices of consumer durables
did go up, especially ownership of bicycles, radios, and stoves in all quintiles and ownership of motorcycles and televisions in the highest quintile. The quality of housing also
improved (see table 2.11). When measured at the national level, the share of households
without a foundation or without a durable roof went down substantially. Quintile analysis shows improvements across the spectrum. The disaggregation by regional strata suggests improvements, but outside of Dar es Salaam, the results are not significant.
In sum, the monetary and nonmonetary data are in broad agreement: welfare appears to have improved, but by a larger margin in Dar es Salaam than in the rest of
Tanzania. We now look at the economic characteristics of households to learn more
about how the growth process affected households.
Economic Characteristics of the Poor
Developing effective antipoverty programs requires going deeper into the economic characteristics of the poor. What is the ratio of dependents to earners? What are the human capital assets of earners in poor households? How do earners fare in the labor market? Beginning with the demographic analysis, earners in poor households clearly
support more people than in higher-income households. Poor households have more
children, and large households are a disproportionate share of the poor. Households
that have four or more children have a 50 percent poverty rate, which is much higher
than the national rate of 35 percent (table 2.12). The number of widowed heads of
household has more than tripled, rising from 2.5 percent to 7.8 percent, and those
households are also more likely to be poor (table 2.13). Female hardship has also increased (table 2.13), but it does not seem to be linked to poverty. Heads of households
remain primarily uneducated: 37 percent have no education, and another 6 percent have
adult education only. Less than 3 percent of the poor have any postprimary education,
TABLE 2.9 Households’ Perceptions of Problems with Satisfying Food Needs in
Relation to Actual Poverty Status, 2000/01
(percent)
Problems with satisfying food needs
Share below the poverty line
Never
26.3
Seldom
36.2
Sometimes
39.1
Often
47.2
Always
46.7
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
TABLE 2.10 Household Asset Holdings by Quintiles, 1991/92–2000/01
(percent)
Poorest
Asset
1991/92
2nd
2000/01
1991/92
3rd
2000/01
1991/92
4th
2000/01
1991/92
Richest
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
Farming
Fishing net
2.8
2.6
2.2
3.0
4.1
1.8
3.6
2.4
5.4
2.1
42.0
52.0
47.7
47.8
47.4
46.5
49.9
42.1
42.2
34.7
Stove
15.2
23.7
16.7
28.2
21.5
34.8
27.9
45.1
34.4
61.9
Heater
24.2
20.9
18.9
24.5
18.6
22.9
18.5
23.0
18.0
24.4
Chair
82.6
65.4
83.4
74.1
83.9
81.4
86.4
81.8
87.7
86.1
Table
55.7
51.7
61.1
61.7
66.0
66.8
71.3
74.1
79.1
85.8
25.1
38.1
29.3
41.6
29.0
46.5
27.3
42.2
33.2
42.5
1.8
0.3
0.1
0.6
1.0
0.5
2.2
1.2
1.2
2.6
Livestock
Appliances
Furniture
Transportation
Bicycle
Motorcycle
Electronics
1.5
2.4
4.3
3.5
2.8
4.8
5.0
7.1
7.1
16.1
26.0
40.8
37.0
50.4
37.7
55.9
45.1
61.3
54.3
74.8
Telephone
0.1
0.2
0.4
0.2
0.5
0.8
0.6
1.1
1.6
5.7
Television
0.0
0.4
0.0
0.5
0.1
1.8
0.2
3.2
0.5
10.1
Sewing machine
Radio
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
51
52
TABLE 2.11 Housing Quality, 1991/92–2000/01
(percentage of population)
Tanzania
Construction
Dar es Salaam
Other urban areas
Rural areas
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
Foundation
Concrete
18.3
25.2
64.3
82.2
34.1
41.2
13.8
18.3
Stones or other material
15.4
18.2
19.6
9.3
33.2
30.1
12.8
17.1
No foundation
65.7
56.2
16.1
8.2
32.6
28.4
72.8
64.3
Earth
83.7
77.3
14.6
7.3
48.6
42.8
92.0
88.1
Concrete
14.7
21.5
84.0
90.7
49.9
56.3
6.3
10.7
Durable
28.8
38.2
98.2
97.5
69.7
79.1
19.7
27.2
Nondurable
70.3
61.2
1.6
2.2
29.1
20.2
79.4
72.1
Floor
Roof
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVER TY
53
TABLE 2.12 Poverty by Number of Children Age Five or Younger, 1991/92–2000/01
(percent)
Poverty
Age (years)
Population share
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
0
32.0
30.8
36.8
32.9
1
39.8
32.3
35.6
32.7
2
45.3
40.5
18.0
23.2
3
42.3
44.5
5.4
6.8
4 or more
53.4
50.1
4.2
4.4
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
TABLE 2.13 Poverty by Civil Status of Head of Household, 1991/92–2000/01
(percent)
Poverty
Head of household
Population share
1991/92
2000/01
Never married
13.3
20.7
1991/92
3.8
2000/01
5.5
Married
40.2
36.3
87.6
81.6
Divorced
29.0
28.8
3.7
5.1
Widowed
37.3
40.0
2.5
7.8
Female
35.3
34.8
15.1
24.4
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
but the share with some or complete primary education has risen during the past
decade (table 2.14).
The economic activities of the very poor have remained virtually the same during
the period, while those of the nonpoor have undergone a structural change. For approximately 80 percent of households in the lowest two quintiles, the head of household works in farming or fishing, as they did in 1991 (see table 2.15).6 Meanwhile, the
highest quintile showed a large shift into paid employment and self-employment and
a shift away from unpaid nonagricultural family labor and agricultural labor. The
middle and top quintiles register an increase in self-employment, and—especially in the
top quintile—movements into paid employment. In Dar es Salaam, the heads of households have mainly moved out of paid employment and into self-employment, probably as a result of the government sector restructuring. In other urban areas, net paid
employment7 was constant, but the self-employed sector—most of such businesses
are without employees—grew to be almost as large as the farming and fishing sector.
That sector most likely absorbed much of the government and parastatal sector layoffs, as well as new entrants and those who left farming (10 percent of the urban
heads of households outside of Dar es Salaam). However, without panel data drawn
from surveying the same households, it is difficult to know how this transition really
happened.
54
TABLE 2.14 Level of Completed Schooling of Head of Household by Quintile, 1991/92–2000/01
(percentage of heads of household)
Poorest
2nd
3rd
4th
Richest
Schooling
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
No primary
34.1
37.9
30.8
32.4
28.5
25.5
23.6
20.3
19.1
12.0
Some primary
51.3
52.1
52.9
56.4
54.1
62.8
57.2
63.8
59.5
61.4
Completed primary
3.8
2.0
3.8
2.9
4.2
2.6
4.2
2.4
6.0
3.4
Some secondary
0.7
0.3
1.0
1.3
0.8
1.2
2.1
2.0
3.3
3.8
Completed secondary
0.4
0.7
0.7
2.0
2.4
2.6
3.5
3.8
4.4
8.4
Post secondary
0.6
1.0
0.5
1.0
2.9
2.1
2.8
3.1
3.9
9.0
Adult education only
9.1
6.0
10.3
4.0
7.2
3.2
6.6
4.5
3.8
2.0
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
TABLE 2.15 Employment of Head of Household by Quintile and Strata, 1991/92–2000/01
(percentage of heads of household employed)
Farming and fishing
Indicator
1991/92
Paid employment
2000/01
1991/92
Self-employment
2000/01
1991/92
Family employment
No economic activity
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
Quintile
Poorest
84.0
81.2
2.9
4.5
3.0
5.3
4.9
2.9
5.2
7.5
2nd
87.2
77.8
3.6
7.0
3.0
8.3
4.9
2.9
1.2
4.8
3rd
79.0
76.0
6.8
7.8
6.4
9.5
4.5
2.2
3.3
5.2
4th
73.5
69.0
9.4
13.5
8.0
11.7
6.2
2.9
3.2
4.4
Richest
66.1
53.2
11.9
22.7
9.0
19.5
9.5
1.9
3.6
3.3
3.9
6.8
65.0
41.7
28.2
40.4
1.6
3.6
1.2
7.2
48.0
34.8
29.7
25.6
18.3
31.2
1.5
3.3
2.3
4.6
Strata
Dar es Salaam
Other urban areas
Rural areas
87.6
83.4
6.8
5.8
3.1
5.1
0.0
1.0
2.1
3.8
Tanzania
78.1
72.1
12.7
10.6
6.3
10.8
2.7
1.4
2.0
4.1
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
55
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVER TY
Because we have no data on farming or self-employment income, we use the consumption per capita of the household as a proxy. Table 2.16 shows the change across
the years in average household per capita consumption according to the sector in
which the head of household is employed and the location. The differences are striking; the regional differences in poverty performance emerge again as a notable correlation with poverty reduction. In Dar es Salaam, where poverty fell, all types of households, except farming and fishing, had real consumption growth per capita, with the
most growth occurring in the paid employment and self-employment households—more
than 80 percent of all Dar es Salaam households. In those sectors, Dar es Salaam
households began, on average, behind other urban areas, but during the decade, they
not only caught up to but passed their counterparts elsewhere (tables 2.17 and 2.18).
In Dar es Salaam during that period, the informal self-employment sector was not a
stagnant poverty trap for most households.
In other urban areas, the picture is different. Households headed by someone in paid
employment (about one-fourth of households) realized substantial gains, but these
TABLE 2.16 Change in Average Consumption per Adult Equivalent by Employment
of Head of Household and by Strata, 1991/92 and 2000/01
(percentage change)
Employment
Tanzania
Farming and fishing
Paid
Self-employed
Family
Dar es Salaam
Other urban areas
Rural areas
7.1
⫺6.3
7.8
7.3
28.2
60.0
17.8
19.2
18.3
64.5
7.2
5.7
⫺19.2
17.6
⫺5.7
n.a.
15.9
25.5
44.4
7.3
No economic activity
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: n.a. ⫽ not applicable, because family employment is mainly an urban category. Family employment comprises unpaid family helpers whose work is in nonagriculture and, for 1991/92, houseworkers in an urban area.
TABLE 2.17 Average Consumption per Adult Equivalent by Employment of Head
of Household, 1990/91–2000/01
(constant Tanzanian shillings)
1990/91
Employment
Tanzania
Dar es
Salaam
2000/01
Other
urban
areas
Rural
areas
Tanzania
Dar es
Salaam
Other
urban
areas
Rural
areas
Farming and fishing
3,681
3,820
3,895
3,663
3,954
3,581
4,199
3,928
Paid
4,971
4,404
5,735
4,810
6,373
7,045
6,754
5,733
Self-employed
4,857
4,046
5,665
4,608
5,745
6,655
6,074
4,871
Family
4,964
4,420
5,220
n.a.
4,011
5,201
4,921
3,162
No economic activity
3,292
3,976
2,912
3,331
3,815
4,989
4,206
3,573
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: n.a. ⫽ not applicable, because family employment is mainly an urban category. Family employment comprises unpaid family helpers whose work is in nonagriculture and, for 1991, houseworkers in an urban area.
56
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
TABLE 2.18 Index Number of Average Consumption per Adult Equivalent by
Employment of Head of Household, 1991 Tanzania Basis
(constant Tanzanian shillings)
1990/91
2000/01
Tanzania
Dar es
Salaam
Other
urban
areas
Rural
areas
Farming and fishing
1.0
1.0
1.1
Paid
1.0
0.9
1.2
Self-employed
1.0
0.8
Employment
Tanzania
Dar es
Salaam
Other
urban
areas
Rrual
areas
1.0
1.1
1.0
1.1
1.1
1.0
1.3
1.4
1.4
1.2
1.2
0.9
1.2
1.4
1.3
1.0
Family
1.0
0.9
1.1
n.a.
0.8
1.0
1.0
0.6
No economic activity
1.0
1.2
0.9
1.0
1.2
1.5
1.3
1.1
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: n.a. ⫽ not applicable, because family employment is mainly an urban category. Family employment comprises unpaid family helpers whose work is in nonagriculture and, for 1991, houseworkers in an urban area.
gains were only one-third of those received by similar households in Dar es Salaam.
The fastest-growing and largest sector, self-employment households had a very small
gain (on an annual basis, almost nothing). We are not surprised that the poverty reduction performance was much better in Dar es Salaam than in other urban areas. In
other urban areas, the high inflow into the self-employment sector from agriculture and
the low average consumption gains for that sector during the period suggest that the
labor force shift was more likely caused by a push from other sectors than a pull and
that the sector has a substantial low productivity and subsistence component. In Dar
es Salaam, however, some pull elements into the self-employment sector may be present, given the income gains.
In rural areas, households did equal to or better than other urban areas in selfemployment and in agriculture, whereas consumption in households headed by a
self-employed person grew slower than in other urban areas. But because they started
out behind the other sectors, even households in paid employment remain vulnerable to poverty, and those in the other sectors are highly vulnerable. Within all areas,
the ratio of average household consumption in agriculture households compared with
nonagricultural households widened, again highlighting the need for a rural poverty
strategy.
If we consider the labor force as a whole, the shifts in employment patterns mirror
those of heads of household, with some differences by gender (see table 2.19). Both
genders moved out of agriculture, but women moved proportionately more. Nonetheless, women are still more likely to be employed in agriculture than men. Men still dominate the paid employment and self-employment sectors, but women were able to
move into those sectors. The main difference with heads of households is that the
whole labor force has a higher share working as family employment, which is to be
expected.
Households normally have several earners and several sources of income. One way
to get a snapshot of this is in table 2.20, which shows the sector of employment of the
spouse compared with the sector of the head of household. In general, agricultural
57
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVER TY
TABLE 2.19 Share of Labor Force by Employment and Gender, 1991/92–2000/01
Share of all
(as a % of total
labor force)
Employment
Share of males
(as a % of total
labor force)
Share of females
(as a % of total
labor force)
Share of females
(as a % of sectoral
labor force)
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
81.3
71.5
77.5
70.0
84.8
72.8
55.0
55.1
Paid
7.9
6.8
12.7
10.4
3.6
3.8
24.2
55.1
Self-employed
5.5
8.9
7.4
11.9
3.7
6.4
36.0
38.7
Family
5.2
12.8
2.3
7.9
7.7
17.1
78.9
71.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
n.a.
n.a.
Farming and fishing
Total
2000/01
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: n.a. ⫽ not applicable. Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent
level. Totals may not equal 100.0 because of rounding.
TABLE 2.20 Employment of Spouses Compared with That of Heads of Household,
1991/92–2000/01
(percent)
Employment of head of household
Employment
of spouse
Farming and fishing
Paid
Self-employed
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
97.8
94.1
52.1
41.7
47.3
39.3
Paid
0.5
0.6
13.2
12.3
6.3
3.3
Self-employed
1.0
2.3
8.4
10.9
8.3
18.4
Family
0.5
3.0
26.3
35.1
37.9
39.0
Farming and fishing
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
households have diversified, whereas nonagricultural households have moved the other
way. The dominant trend in 1991 was for the spouse to work in agriculture while the
head of household worked in a nonagricultural occupation. That situation has shifted
as spouses have moved out of agriculture and into mostly nonagricultural family
work—but also into self-employment if the head of household is self-employed. That
shift may help explain the consumption gains of those households. Consistent with those
trends, the number of households with a business has risen (table 2.21). But this trend,
too, has left the bottom two quintiles behind. From the cross-section data, we cannot
tell whether a household that added a business tended to move out of poverty or
whether only those households not in poverty could afford to add a business.
In sum, where economic growth has occurred, the labor market has responded. In
the self-employment sector, where supply equals demand, activity has increased, as well
as incomes. Does the income growth represent simply an expansion because the demand for intermediate and final goods and services has changed, or is it explained by
productivity increases (more capital, for example)? This analysis cannot answer those
questions. However, we see clearly that earnings do not seem to have increased in areas with low growth and that policy needs to focus on those areas.
58
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
TABLE 2.21 Main Type of Business by Quintiles, 1991/92–2000/01
(percentage of households)
Type of business
No business
Agriculture
Wholesale and retail
Other
Year
Poorest
2nd
3rd
4th
1991/92
67.3
60.7
55.4
53.8
Richest
55.4
2000/01
66.2
56.8
55.6
54.1
49.3
1991/92
20.9
21.7
30.4
27.2
25.5
2000/01
15.4
22.2
22.2
20.9
22.3
1991/92
9.6
13.7
11.2
16.1
13.8
2000/01
6.4
8.5
8.9
13.3
16.8
1991/92
2.3
3.9
3
2.9
5.3
2000/01
12.0
12.6
13.3
11.7
11.7
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
Explaining Household Consumption
Up to this point, we have relied primarily on bivariate analysis. We now turn to multivariate analysis to isolate the separate effects of independent variables on household
consumption. The main advantage of such analysis is that it allows us to isolate the
effect of a specific variable while holding all other (observable) factors constant. For
example, households in Dar es Salaam are less likely to be poor than households in rural
areas. Simultaneously, the level of education is also higher in Dar es Salaam than in
rural areas (see table 2.22).
Regression analysis allows us to separate those two effects. Our regression analysis compares the determinants of the log of consumption per capita in rural areas and
other urban areas. We regress log per adult-equivalent real consumption on a set of explanatory variables (compare with Datt and Joliffe 1999). The coefficients should be
interpreted as the percentage change in per adult-equivalent real consumption resulting from a marginal change in the explanatory variable. We did three separate regressions by regional strata because, although most of the explanatory variables are significant in both regressions, the coefficients are different, and, overall, tests of significance
confirmed a different structure at the 99 percent confidence level. The regression results are presented in table 2.23.
TABLE 2.22 Average Years of Education of Head of Household, 1991/92–2000/01
Location
1991/92
2000/01
Tanzania
4.0
4.9
Dar es Salaam
7.4
7.8
Other urban areas
5.8
6.5
Rural areas
3.5
4.3
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget
Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Bold typeface signifies that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level.
TABLE 2.23 Regression Results, Determinants of Consumption for Households, and Coefficients in Levels (Regional Dummies Included),
1991/92–2000/01
(log of household consumption expenditure per adult equivalent)
Dar es Salaam
Indicator
1991/92
Other urban areas
2000/01
1991/92
Rural areas
2000/01
1991/92
2000/01
0.0
Age of head of household
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
⫺0.0
Age of head of household squared
0.0
0.0
⫺0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Age of head of household missing
ⴚ0.5
0.0
⫺0.2
⫺0.2
⫺0.4
⫺0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Household members ages 0⫺9
ⴚ0.1
ⴚ0.1
ⴚ0.1
⫺0.1
⫺0.1
⫺0.1
Household members ages 10⫺14
ⴚ0.2
ⴚ0.2
ⴚ0.2
⫺0.2
⫺0.1
⫺0.1
Household members age 60 or above
ⴚ0.2
ⴚ0.1
ⴚ0.1
⫺0.1
⫺0.0
⫺0.1
Female household members ages 15⫺59
ⴚ0.2
ⴚ0.1
ⴚ0.2
⫺0.1
⫺0.1
⫺0.1
Male household members ages 15⫺59
ⴚ0.2
ⴚ0.2
ⴚ0.2
⫺0.1
⫺0.1
⫺0.1
Some primary education
⫺0.0
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Completed primary education
⫺0.0
0.4
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.3
Household members squared
Some secondary education
0.0
0.3
0.1
0.3
0.2
0.4
Completed secondary education
0.0
0.4
0.3
0.4
0.2
0.5
0.6
0.2
0.6
0.3
0.5
0.2
Adult education only
⫺0.0
0.3
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
Paid employment
⫺0.0
0.1
0.0
0.1*
0.1
0.1
Self-employment
⫺0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Family employment
⫺0.1
0.0
⫺0.0
0.0
1.3
0.0
No employment
⫺0.1
0.0
⫺0.2
0.0
⫺0.1
⫺0.1
Postsecondary education
Constant
Number of observations
R squared
9.4
1,123
0.4
8.9
1,225
0.3
9.1
1,487
0.3
8.8
13,364
0.3
8.9
2,209
0.2
59
Source: Based on Household Budget Survey 1991/92 (National Bureau of Statistics 1993) and Household Budget Survey 2000/01 (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
Note: Regional dummies are included. Bold typeface indicates that the difference across years is significant at the 5 percent level. The regressions include psu specific effects.
8.8
7,547
0.2
60
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
With respect to demographics, household composition affects consumption even
though consumption is measured in per adult equivalents. The net effect of more
household members is negative independent of age, but it is generally less negative in
rural areas.8 Furthermore, the negative effect of more adult male members is larger than
the effect of more adult female members in all three areas in all years, although it
seems stronger in Dar es Salaam. The age of the head of household has no effect, either in 1991/92 or in 2000/01.9
Education in general leads to significantly higher consumption in all areas compared with no schooling, which is the excluded category.10 Furthermore, more education leads to even higher consumption, which is extremely positive given the recent policy of providing free primary schooling. However, returns may change if the level of
education changes for the population in general. In 1991/92, the effects of schooling
were higher in other urban areas and rural areas as compared with Dar es Salaam. That
relation changed in 2000/01, though, when the effects were more comparable across
areas and even higher in Dar es Salaam for primary schooling and postsecondary
schooling.11 In all areas, the marginal effects of schooling have risen during the decade,
which is consistent with our findings on inequality.
The 1991/92 results on the influence of type of employment are puzzling because
there are no significant differences in returns to different types of employment in Dar
es Salaam, whereas self-employment leads to significantly higher consumption in other
urban areas and in rural areas. Not surprisingly, paid employment increases consumption in rural areas. That pattern changes in 2000/01. Now, both paid employment
and self-employment lead to significantly higher consumption, and the returns are almost twice as high in Dar es Salaam compared with other urban areas and rural areas. Furthermore, no employment reduces consumption in rural areas, and family employment increases consumption in other urban areas. No employment increases
consumption in Dar es Salaam, but those households may depend on transfers. In
general, this set of variables usually measures a range of nonobservable household
characteristics that are related to income earning power, and thus they can be hard to
interpret and should be viewed with some caution.
Overall, Dar es Salaam seems to have benefited from substantial increases in returns
to education. The combination of higher levels of schooling in general and a much larger
concentration of paid employees and self-employed workers in the capital area helps
explain why Dar es Salaam fared much better in 2000/01 compared with other areas.
Conclusions
The household budget survey of 2000/01 showed only a modest reduction in poverty
during the 1990s, reflecting the relatively poor growth performance during that period.
Those poverty estimates do not yet capture the effect of high economic growth recorded
since 2001, but poverty simulations suggest that they are likely to have had a significant effect on poverty. However, that effect can be confirmed only with the new household budget survey that was launched in 2006/07.
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING POVER TY
61
Nonetheless, even during the 1990s, poverty reduction occurred in some regions of
Tanzania. The experience of those regions, especially Dar es Salaam, suggests that significant poverty reduction is possible. It also suggests that the reforms of the 1990s and
the flow of foreign aid they triggered have, for the most part, benefited the bettereducated, better-capitalized areas such as Dar es Salaam.
At the same time, that experience has also shown that when the private sector is
able to create jobs, there is spillover to the nonwage sectors. In the language of the
1970s, growth did trickle down in Dar es Salaam, and it seems to have happened because of the economic links between the formal and informal sectors in terms of the
demand for goods and services provided by the informal sector. Even though the
growth process brought more inequality to Dar es Salaam, poverty reduction was not
hampered. On the contrary, in other urban areas, where inequality was reduced only
slightly, growth did not take place. So growth was more pro-poor in Dar es Salaam,
despite the inequality increase. We do not argue that growth needs inequality or even
that inequality is good. We simply point out that some increase in inequality can be
tolerated along with growth. Tanzania’s challenge will be to maintain the pace of
growth and poverty reduction in Dar es Salaam and similar areas (for example, southern highlands), while adopting new strategies and measures to reach the rest of the
country.
Notes
1. The seven geographic zones are coastal (Morogoro, Pwani, and Tanga), northern highlands (Arusha and Kilimanjaro), lake (Kagera, Kigoma, Mara, Mwanza, Rukwa, Shinyanga,
and Tabora), central (Dodoma and Singida), southern highlands (Iringa, Mbeya, and
Rukwa), south (Lindi, Mtwara, and Ruvuma), and Dar es Salaam.
2. The approach followed is the one developed by Datt and Walker (2002) and Datt and others (2003). That approach was used by Demombynes and Hoogeveen (2004) to investigate
the pattern of growth in Tanzania during the 1990s.
3. In 1997, the Gini coefficient for Mozambique was 0.40. In 1999, the Gini coefficient for
Uganda was 0.43. In 1997, the Gini coefficient for Kenya was 0.45 (World Bank 2005a).
4. The decompositions are implemented using Stephen P. Jenkins’s Stata program, ineqdeco.
Given the survey comparability problems discussed earlier, this analysis should be considered as only indicative.
5. The within-group estimate is calculated as the difference of 100 percent and the betweengroup estimate reported in table 2.4.
6. The survey records a decrease of farm activities in the middle quintile and an increase in “no
activity.” However, we suspect that those differences reflect a change in coding.
7. Net paid employment is government-private employment.
8. As consumption is measured as household consumption divided by household size and
household size also appears on the right-hand side of the regression, the negative sign could
very well be the result of a measurement error in household size.
9. A different model specification with age dummies did not give any economically and
statistically significant effects either. We included in earlier estimated models a dummy for
62
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN, LOUISE FOX, AND MARIANNE SIMONSEN
female heads of households, for civil status variables, and for raising of a foster child, along
with interaction terms between those dummies. The dummy for female heads of household was not significant despite the specification, and the same was true for civil status. But
prevalence of a foster child was significantly positive, indicating that households with foster children are those that have the economic means to do so. However, given the endogeneity of that variable, we did not use it in the final results.
10. We include the type of schooling instead of just years of schooling to allow for nonlinear
effects of education.
11. We reject the simple model with no variation in returns to education across areas and
years.
3
Spatial Dimensions of Growth and
Poverty Reduction
Philip Mpango
T
his chapter summarizes regional patterns of economic growth and poverty reduction in Tanzania, using regional gross domestic product (GDP) data, poverty measures, and other socioeconomic indicators for the period from 1992 to 2003. The
main objectives are to highlight cross-regional1 variations in incomes, to identify the
most common barriers to economic growth, and to suggest regional policy options for
improving economic growth performance.2 Understanding the causes of the geographically uneven distribution of economic growth and the skewed income distribution is
vital for at least two reasons. First, such understanding is considered to be the key for
unlocking secrets of how to kindle growth of regions lagging economically and sustain growth in regions that are better off economically. As Krugman (1991) stated, if
we want to understand differences in national growth rates, a good place to start is by
examining differences in regional growth. Second, extreme economic gaps among different regions are potential flash points for social and political instability. Consequently, the challenge of advancing the kind of growth that creates benefits throughout society has figured prominently on the development agenda in many countries
and continues to do so.
Overall Regional Income Patterns
Mainland Tanzania is characterized by highly uneven distribution of economic activity and incomes across its 21 administrative regions3, with Dar es Salaam dominating
all other regions. From 1992 to 2003, about 52 percent of the annual national GDP
was produced in only six regions: Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Iringa, Mbeya, Mwanza, and
Shinyanga (map 3.1). The Dar es Salaam region alone, which is home to less than 8
percent of Tanzania’s population, contributes about 18 percent of Tanzania’s GDP, equal
to the combined contribution to national GDP by the bottom six regions (Pwani,
Dodoma, Lindi, Kigoma, Mara, and Mtwara).4
In terms of ranking per capita GDP over time, the top five regions for the period from
1996 to 1999 were Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Rukwa, Iringa, and Ruvuma (figure 3.1a).
63
64
PHILIP MPANGO
MAP 3.1 Main and Least Contributors to GDP, by Region
Mara
Kagera
Mwanza
Arusha
Shinyanga
Kilimanjaro
Kigoma
Tabora
Tanga
Singida
Dodoma
Dar es Salaam
Rukwa
Morogoro
Mbeya
Coast
Iringa
Lindi
main contributors to GDP
Ruvuma
Mtwara
least contributors to GDP
Source: Mpango 2005 (background study).
Those regions with the lowest GDP per capita were Kigoma, Dodoma, Kilimanjaro,
Tanga, and Mara. However, the ranking changed during 2000 to 2003 (see figure
3.1b). The Mtwara and Mwanza regions replaced Rukwa and Ruvuma among the
top five regions for per capita GDP. Similarly, the Coast, Tabora, and Kagera regions
joined the ranks of those with the lowest GDP per capita, while the Mara, Kigoma, and
Tanga regions made marginal gains. The reversals in the regional ranking of average
GDP per capita reflect in part the new investment in mining, fishing, and related services around Lake Victoria; the improvement of the cashew nut industry in Mtwara;
and the collapse of the coffee industry in Kagera, Kilimanjaro, and Ruvuma. See also
box 3.1.
The dominance of Dar es Salaam is attributable to three major factors. First, Dar
es Salaam is the de facto seat of government and therefore has the highest concentration of political power, resources, and related support and ancillary activities. Second,
the city is Tanzania’s major port and the commercial and financial capital, and therefore it is more connected to the global economy. As a port, it is the main conduit of
export and import trade not only for Tanzania but also for the neighboring countries
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
FIGURE 3.1 Average GDP by Region, 1996–99 and 2000–03
00
0,0
00
20
0,0
00
25
0,0
00
30
0,0
00
35
0,0
00
40
0,0
00
45
0,0
00
15
0,0
10
50
,00
0
0
regions
(a) Ranking in 1996–99
Kagera
Kigoma
Dodoma
Kilimanjaro
Tanga
Mara
Coast
Lindi
Morogoro
Mbeya
Tabora
Singida
Mwanza
Shinyanga
Tanzania average
Mtwara
Ruvuma
Iringa
Rukwa
Arusha
Dar es Salaam
GDP per capita (T Sh)
region
(b) Ranking in 2000–03
Kigoma
Kagera
Dodoma
Tabora
Coast
Kilimanjaro
Singida
Tanga
Morogoro
Lindi
Mara
Mbeya
Shinyanga
Ruvuma
Tanzania average
Rukwa
Mwanza
Arusha
Iringa
Mtwara
Dar es Salaam
0
100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000
GDP per capita (T Sh)
Source: National income accounts.
65
66
PHILIP MPANGO
BOX 3.1
Regional Differences in Coping with External Shocks
In recent years, Tanzania suffered from declining international coffee prices. The price paid
to growers of Arabica coffee in Tanzania declined from a peak of US$1.36 in 1997 to less
than US$0.24 per pound in 2004 (see International Coffee Organization Web site,
http://www.ico.org). However, the impact of this external shock on growth performance
differed significantly across regions.
A study by Gresser and Tickell (2002) indicates that declining international coffee prices
have had adverse consequences on smallholder coffee farmers in Kilimanjaro. These consequences include farmers exiting from growing coffee or turning to food crops and horticulture, as well as farmers migrating to towns and mining centers. Likewise, coffee traders gave
up or closed their business. However, for some regions (such as Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, and
Shinyanga), the decline in real incomes, caused by productivity decline for the major cash
crops, was partly mitigated by substitution from coffee to other crops and new opportunities, by business and trading in other regions, and by disposal of assets. In addition, there was
growth of other sources of income, particularly from new investments in mining, in fish processing, and in related services around Lake Victoria. In this regard, it seems plausible that
the coffee-producing regions in the southern highlands zone did better than the northern highlands because the agricultural economy of the former is more diversified, with a wide range
of agricultural sources of income (tea, pyrethrum, coffee, maize, potatoes, beans, paddy). In
contrast, the northern highlands zone is dominated by coffee and has relatively fewer alternative crops. Therefore, a key message here is that the composition of production and the
responses of the population to new challenges (including changes in relative prices) and opportunities have had a strong bearing on the relative growth performance of different regions.
of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia.
Third, Dar es Salaam has the country’s highest concentration of manufacturing and service industries and very little of traditional low-productivity agriculture.
In general, there are many reasons behind the observed spatial inequalities in Tanzania, including economic and noneconomic factors. Noneconomic factors relate
mainly to historical reasons, especially colonial legacy as well as culture. For example,
the colonial administration designated some regions, such as Kigoma, Mtwara, and
Rukwa, as labor reserves. Following independence, some investments in human capital development, such as schools and hospitals, were directed to such regions. Also,
because of differences in opportunities, some regions such as Kilimanjaro have developed a stronger entrepreneurial culture than others.
Regarding economic factors, variations in regional incomes in Tanzania are driven
in part by the concentration of nonagricultural economic activities. The major contributors to national GDP by region also have the highest concentration of manufacturing; mining and quarrying; production and distribution of electricity, gas, and water;
trade; tourism; and financial and business services. For instance, in addition to Dar es
Salaam, other regions that are among the top five both in terms of contribution to national GDP and in terms of shares in manufacturing value added, number of industrial
establishments, and employment are Mwanza and Shinyanga. The opposite is true of
the poorer regions, where more than two-thirds of employed people earn a living from
traditional low-productivity agriculture, livestock rearing, and fishing (see table 3.1).
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
67
TABLE 3.1 Distribution of Industrial Establishments, Workers, and Value Added,
2000 and 2004
(percent)
Region
Establishmentsa
Workers
(2000)b
Workers
(2004)c
Value added
(2000)d
Value added
(2004)e
Arusha
9.3
6.8
6.6
4.3
Coast
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
43.4
25.9
33.5
41.6
59.0
Dar es Salaam
7.3
Dodoma
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.6
0.3
Iringa
2.9
15.4
13.2
4.2
2.8
Kagera
4.8
1.8
1.8
2.6
1.8
Kigoma
0.4
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.1
Kilimanjaro
4.4
8.1
7.9
6.4
3.4
Lindi
1.0
0.1
0.1
0.6
0.1
Mara
2.7
0.8
0.1
4.4
0.0
Mbeya
3.2
3.6
3.4
3.3
6.1
Morogoro
2.9
14.3
11.6
4.3
2.9
Mtwara
0.6
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
Mwanza
7.2
5.0
6.8
9.2
2.2
Rukwa
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
Ruvuma
1.9
2.6
0.0
0.8
0.4
Shinyanga
2.9
2.9
2.9
6.0
0.9
Singida
0.4
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.6
Tabora
1.0
1.2
1.9
2.8
2.1
Tanga
10.7
10.2
9.5
8.3
9.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Mainland Tanzania
Source: United Republic of Tanzania 2003a, 2004a.
Note: Totals may not equal 100.0 because of rounding.
a. The number of establishments was 525.
b. The number of workers in 2000 was 84,589.
c. The number of workers in 2004 was 89,826.
d. Value added in 2000 equaled T Sh 441,482 million.
e. Value added in 2004 equaled T Sh 701,057 million.
The importance of nonagricultural activities in regional economies is also clearly reflected in many other socioeconomic indicators. For example, 46 percent of electricity sold in mainland Tanzania is consumed in Dar es Salaam. The other major consumers
of electricity—Arusha, Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Morogoro, Iringa, Mwanza, Mbeya, and
Shinyanga (arranged in descending order of usage)—are also the major centers of industrial activity. By contrast, the poorer regions (Kigoma, Rukwa, Lindi, and Coast)
together consume only 1.5 percent of the total quantity of electricity sold in the mainland. Analogously, the regional distribution of projects registered by the Tanzania Investment Centre from1990 to June 2002 indicates that 58 percent of the total number
of investment projects was for the Dar es Salaam region alone. Other regions that attracted a significant number of new projects were Arusha (11 percent), Mwanza (7 percent), and Tanga (4 percent). Most of the projects were in manufacturing (43 percent),
agriculture and livestock development (7 percent), construction (7 percent), services (6
percent), and tourism (5 percent). Similarly, the revenue collection pattern also reveals
68
PHILIP MPANGO
that about 85 percent of total tax revenue comes from Dar es Salaam, although that
figure also reflects Dar es Salaam’s role as the main entry point for imports and the related customs payments. Other regions that are the main contributors to total tax revenue include Arusha (3.2 percent), Tanga (2.8 percent), Mwanza (2.4 percent), and Kilimanjaro (2.1 percent). Analogously, more than 50 percent of local government
authorities’ own revenue is collected by local government authorities in Arusha, Dar
es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, and Mwanza. The pattern described above reflects the
fact that concentration of secondary activities (manufacturing and so forth) tends to
generate a wide range of supporting services as well as forward and backward links.
Climate and uneven natural resource endowments have also had a strong bearing
on economic growth of different regions. That fact is perhaps most borne out by the
recent growth of mining, concentrated around Arusha, Mbeya, Mwanza, and
Shinyanga, and tourism, centered in Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, and Morogoro.
Similarly, differences in agricultural production (crops grown, volume, farm productivity, and relative unit prices) have played an important role in shaping regional
growth patterns in Tanzania. Basic agricultural statistics show marked regional differences in the crops cultivated, largely dictated by climatic conditions. For example,
only three regions—Mara, Mwanza, and Shinyanga—produce about 88.6 percent of
Tanzania’s total annual yield of cotton. Analogously, Arusha, Kagera, Kilimanjaro,
Mbeya, and Ruvuma together produce more than 90 percent of Tanzania’s total yield
of coffee. The Mtwara region alone accounts for two-thirds of the total national
cashew nut production. Similarly, Arusha, Iringa, Mbeya, Rukwa, and Ruvuma are the
main producers of legumes, maize, paddy, and wheat, just as Arusha, Dodoma, Mara,
Mwanza, Shinyanga, Singida, and Tabora account for more than three-fourths of the
total number of cattle, goats, and sheep in the country (figure 3.2). Significant variations also exist in individual crop-yield per hectare across regions and even within a
particular region. In general, income levels are found to be extremely low in regions
where smallholder agriculture and livestock keeping are the dominant economic activities, where the cultivated area for each crop and the average farm size are small,
and where productivity is very low. Most of the regions that contribute least to national
GDP also have very low productivity for all the major food crops compared with the
regions that contribute more. Evidence also exists that major producers of traditional
export crops have suffered extreme drops in real income in part because of a decline
in world market prices, average farm size, and farm productivity or population pressure. However, for some regions, such as Mwanza, Shinyanga, and recently Mtwara,
the decline in real incomes (mainly from export crops) was mitigated in part by the
growth of other sources of income, particularly from new investments in mining, fish
processing and related services, and the cashew nut industry.
The unequal contribution by regions to national income is also reflected in the
poverty headcount ratios in the 1991/92 and 2000/01 household budget surveys.
The ratios indicate that poverty is more severe in rural Tanzania than in urban areas.
The data also suggest that during the 1990s, poverty fell in the southern highlands but
increased in the northern highlands (see chapter 2 and table 3.2).
The observed regional income diversity in Tanzania also involves, at least in part,
demographics. Generally, regions that lie at the bottom or top of the scale for GDP per
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
69
FIGURE 3.2 Average Maize and Paddy Yield per Hectare, Fiscal Years
1995–2001
kilograms
(a) Maize
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
Lin
di
Co
ast
Mb
ey
a
Irin
ga
Ru
kw
Kig a
om
a
Ru
vu
ma
K il
im
an
Mo jaro
rog
oro
Tan
zan
Ma
ia
ra
av
era
ge
Tan
ga
Tab
ora
Mw
an
za
Ka
ge
ra
Ar
ush
Sh
iny a
an
g
Mt a
wa
r
Sin a
gid
a
Do
do
ma
0
region
(b) Paddy
3,000
kilograms
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
Kil
Mb
ey
a
im
an
jar
o
Ar
ush
a
Ru
k
w
Mo
a
rog
oro
Mw
an
za
Tan
Ru
zan
vu
m
ia
a
av
era
ge
Tan
g
Kig a
om
a
Tab
ora
Mt
wa
r
Sh
iny a
a
Co
ng
ast
a
/D
Irin
ar
g
es
a
Sa
laa
m
Lin
di
Ka
ge
ra
Ma
r
Sin a
gid
a
Do
do
ma
0
region
Source: Data from Statistical Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
capita also have the lowest or highest working age group, respectively. No clear relationship exists between the level of poverty in a region and the net migration flows between regions.
Regional growth patterns in Tanzania are influenced by changes in government
policies, particularly those related to fiscal and trade regimes. A recent study using evidence from the 2000/01 household budget survey (Fan, Nyange, and Rao 2005) indicates that Tanzania can improve the effects of public expenditure on growth and
poverty through better regional targeting. Specifically, investment in rural roads is
found to have a larger effect on per capita incomes in the western, central, and southern areas of Tanzania and much less elsewhere. Data on actual expenditure by region
for 1999/2000 to 2003/04 indicate that although recurrent expenditure (dominated by
expenditure on social sectors) has been relatively more evenly distributed across the
70
PHILIP MPANGO
TABLE 3.2 Regional Population Dynamics
Population
distribution
(% of total
population)
Region
Population
growth rate (%)
Net
migration
(no. people)
Population
density
(people per
sq km)
2002
Average
household
size
(no.
people)
1988
2002
1978–88
1988–2002
1988 census
1988
Dodoma
5.5
5.1
2.4
2.3
⫺101,085
30
41
2002
4.5
Arusha
6.0
3.8
3.8
4.0
141,724
20
35
4.5
Kilimanjaro
4.9
4.1
2.1
1.6
⫺124,383
83
104
4.6
Tanga
5.8
4.9
2.1
1.8
⫺52,168
48
61
4.6
4.6
Morogoro
5.6
5.2
2.6
2.6
30,437
17
25
Pwani
2.8
2.6
2.1
2.4
⫺103,912
20
27
4.4
Dar
6.0
7.4
4.8
4.3
500,621
977
1793
4.2
Lindi
2.9
2.4
2
1.4
⫺49,831
10
12
4.1
Mtwara
3.9
3.4
1.4
1.7
⫺98,689
53
68
3.8
Ruvuma
3.5
3.3
3.4
2.5
⫺15,219
12
18
4.8
Iringa
5.3
4.5
2.7
1.5
⫺120,198
21
26
4.3
Mbeya
6.5
6.2
3.1
2.4
46,999
25
34
4.2
Singida
3.5
3.2
2.5
2.3
⫺63,880
16
22
5.0
Tabora
4.6
5.1
2.4
3.6
66,370
14
23
5.9
Rukwa
3.1
3.4
4.3
3.6
38,305
10
17
5.1
Kigoma
3.8
5.0
2.8
4.8
⫺102,923
23
45
6.9
Shinyanga
7.8
8.4
2.9
3.3
6,763
35
55
6.3
Kagera
6.0
6.1
2.7
3.1
⫺5,980
47
72
5.2
Mwanza
8.3
8.8
2.6
3.2
⫺33,504
96
150
5.9
Mara
4.3
4.1
2.9
2.5
⫺39,878
50
70
5.5
Manyara
Mainland Tanzania
—
—
100.0
100.0
—
3.8
—
13
23
5.2
3
3.1
n.a.
26
38
4.9
Source: United Republic of Tanzania 2002a.
Note: — ⫽ not available; n.a. ⫽ not applicable.
regions (rightly so), development expenditure has been skewed and has been mainly
in line with donor support preferences for the various regions. For example, although
11 regions out of 20 together claimed more than two-thirds of actual annual recurrent
expenditure by region, more than 70 percent of annual regional development expenditure was spent in only 7 out of the 20 regions. The biggest beneficiary (Kagera) received about 27 percent annually, while the smallest beneficiary (Rukwa) received
only 1 percent. Furthermore, with only a few exceptions (Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro), regions that received less than 2 percent each of total annual development expenditure also had the highest basic-needs poverty rates.
With regard to trade policy, one could argue that during the era of the control
regime (1967–86), Dar es Salaam (and a few urban centers), as the headquarters of most
of the parastatals, did benefit more from parastatal sector operations compared with
peripheral regions with smaller branches. Restrictions also most likely forced private
firms to locate in Dar es Salaam, where they could easily maneuver with the controls.
By contrast, trade liberalization and removal of trade monopolies did create a window
of opportunity for growth of other geographic zones, particularly in the southern
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
71
highlands. That window is partly supported by the reemergence of an active private
sector in crop and food grain marketing and distribution (for example, cashew nuts
in the coastal zones), as well as new private investment in the tea sector, which is dominant in the southern highlands and is much less affected by a decline in world market prices compared with coffee, which is the main export crop of the northern zone.
The pattern of economic growth in Tanzania also reflects in part the differences in
the level of human capital development (see table 3.3). The average levels of education and of general skills available in a region are critical because they are fundamental to private sector development. In particular, the level of human capital development
dictates the capacity of individual regions to learn and adopt better land-use systems
and new farming practices, to introduce new high-value crops, or to venture into other
business opportunities as they emerge.
The general level of education is also paramount to the extent that it affects the quality of leadership in a region down to the village level. Indeed, though it is rather common to find village and district council chairpersons who are retired senior civil servants (permanent secretaries, teachers, and so forth) in the relatively well-to-do regions,
finding them in the poorer regions is a quite rare occurrence. It is also interesting to
note that the formation of effective and operational civic development forums has begun taking root in regions with a better human capital base (Iringa, Kilimanjaro,
TABLE 3.3 Selected Indexes of Human Capital Development, by Region
Number of
secondary
schools (2004)
Mean monthly
consumption
per capita
(T Sh thousand,
2000)
Life
expectancy
at birth
(years, 1988)
Adult literacy
rate (% age 15
and above)
Total net
enrollment
rate (2004)
Dar es Salaam
91
93.1
87
21.9
50
Arusha
78
91.9
107
10.3
57
Rukwa
68
87.9
33
6.7
45
Ruvuma
84
99.3
48
9.6
49
Iringa
81
99.1
82
11.2
45
Shinyanga
55
86.3
51
8.0
50
Mwanza
65
99.5
75
8.1
48
55
Region
Singida
71
85.0
35
6.9
Mbeya
79
99.3
104
12.6
47
Tabora
65
68.2
41
10.4
53
Morogoro
72
81.9
58
10.0
46
Lindi
58
84.1
19
9.5
47
Coast
61
94.5
40
10.5
48
Mtwara
68
94.2
41
12.4
46
Mara
76
100.0
59
8.0
47
Kilimanjaro
85
100.0
160
11.2
59
Tanga
67
97.9
83
9.3
49
Dodoma
66
76.3
50
8.5
46
Kigoma
71
77.2
38
7.3
48
Kagera
64
86.8
70
9.0
45
Source: Ministry of Education and Culture 2004; United Republic of Tanzania 2003b.
72
PHILIP MPANGO
Mbeya, and Ruvuma). These development forums are aimed at building consensus
among stakeholders of a particular region on binding constraints and articulation of
a shared strategy for faster progress. Similarly, the current drive in some regions to form
community banks to deal with the problem of lack of financial capital is seen to be much
stronger in regions that have, among other things, a better education base (Dar es
Salaam, Kilimanjaro, and Mbeya). Basic education statistics and poverty indicators for
Tanzania largely conform to the regional variations in incomes. Overall, Dar es Salaam,
Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, Mwanza, and Ruvuma still rank as the top five regions in terms
of human capital development, whereas Coast, Dodoma, Kigoma, Lindi, and Mtwara
generally lie at the bottom of the spectrum.
Evidence shows the emergence of regional growth poles other than Dar es Salaam.
Regional per capita incomes in Tanzania have tended to vary significantly over time.
That variation is revealed in part by gaps between the top five and bottom five regions
in terms of the average GDP per capita and the coefficients of variation of GDP per
capita for the 20 regions of mainland Tanzania. For the period from 1980 to 2003, the
coefficients of variation constructed for the 20 regions of Tanzania suggest that income
differential relative to the national average has declined over the past two decades
(figure 3.3). On average, although the per capita income of the top five regions doubled between 1992 and 2003, that of the bottom five regions increased slightly faster
(two and one-half times). The apparent convergence of regional per capita incomes in
Tanzania is driven by a combination of factors including sustained macroeconomic reforms, rural-urban migration, remittances, and the emergence of other regional growth
poles—Arusha, Mbeya, Mwanza, and Shinyanga—because of new investments, particularly in mining, fish processing, transportation, tourism and related services, manufacturing, and high-value crops. Those new growth poles have generally recorded positive net migration in recent years.
coefficients of variation of GDP per capita
FIGURE 3.3 Interregional Output Disparities, 1980–2003
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
1975
1980
1985
1990
year
Source: World Bank 2000 and World Bank staff computations.
1995
2000
2005
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
73
Implications for Regional Policy
This chapter has highlighted significant income disparities among the 21 administrative regions of Tanzania. It has also pointed to the most formidable obstacles to growth,
some that are region specific and others that cut across regions. It is also quite apparent that the regions have different opportunities, some dictated in part by location
and climate, natural resource endowments, and even economic history. An important
question then follows: does regional policy have a role?
Given the substantial disparities in economic activities and incomes across the administrative regions of Tanzania and the fact that regional income convergence is far
from inevitable, region-specific interventions that are based on geographically differentiated growth strategies must evolve:
• Identifying and supporting growth opportunities that promise the greatest effect
on national growth and poverty reduction. An effective growth strategy must identify regional growth opportunities in order to provide adequate support through
the provision of adequate infrastructure. That identification implies a process in
which the various regions and districts compete for central government–funded
infrastructure investments and other public expenditure measures that would
facilitate the exploitation of growth opportunities. That identification also requires
adequate capacity at the central level to evaluate projects and proposals from the
various regions in order to allocate resources to those opportunities that have the
highest expected economic returns or the largest effect on poverty.
• Supporting measures by the local authorities. Local revenue collection and business
licensing requirements affect the local business environment. Strengthening the capacity and incentives of the local authorities to carry out their functions in a manner that supports economic growth would be important. In particular, those aspects should receive consideration in Tanzania’s decentralization program and
capacity-building efforts through the local government reform program, which to
date primarily focuses on service delivery. In addition, local authorities are also in
the best position to allocate locally available resources to expenditures that can
contribute most to a district’s economic development.
• Sharing growth through social service provision. Although different growth potentials of regions may lead to greater income disparities, public policy must reduce or
prevent the emergence of disparities with regard to access to social services, such
as education, health, and nutrition, or to water and sanitation.
Notes
1. Economic activity is unevenly distributed both across and within individual regions.
2. The concentration of economic activities around certain centers is also often associated
with other costs, such as traffic congestion and pollution.
74
PHILIP MPANGO
3. Until 2003, Mainland Tanzania was divided into 20 administrative regions: Arusha, Coast,
Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya,
Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanzan, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, and Tanga.
In 2003, Arusha was split into two regions: Arusha and Manyara. Zanzibar is divided into
five regions: North Pemba, South Pemba, North Unguja, South Unguja, and Urban West.
Most of the data used in this section refer to the 20 regions of Mainland Tanzania, combining Arusha and Manyara.
4. Regional GDP data for Tanzania could be overstating regional income disparities, in part
because production in the regions that contribute little to national GDP is largely for subsistence and is not fully captured in market-based GDP numbers. The purchasing power of
the shilling also tends to be higher in the poorer regions.
4
Outlook on Growth and Poverty
Reduction
Robert J. Utz and Johannes Hoogeveen
T
his chapter assesses the likelihood that Tanzania will achieve and sustain high
growth rates and reduce income poverty and other dimensions of poverty. We
start by reviewing various scenarios for growth and poverty reduction to illustrate the
relationship between economic growth and the achievement of Tanzania’s objective of
reaching middle-income status by 2025 and halving income poverty by 2010. We then
assess Tanzania’s growth targets against Tanzania’s historical growth performance
and also make a global comparison of growth performance. Policy-based growth projections indicate what growth rates seem feasible on the basis of the quality of Tanzania’s policies and institutions. Growth accounting is used to estimate the input requirements of sustained high growth in terms of investment in both human and physical
capital. This chapter also examines the implications of sustained high growth for structural transformation. The discussion of sectoral growth rates provides the basis for an
assessment of whether macroeconomic growth projections are consistent with sectoral prospects for continued high economic growth.
Disaggregated poverty simulations are then used to project the effect of various
growth scenarios on income poverty and inequality. Although the main focus is on
income poverty, the chapter also reviews the prospects of reaching other National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP) and Millennium Development
Goal (MDG) targets, such as reduction in hunger and improvements in education
and health.
Growth Scenarios
We start the discussion with some simple illustrations of the effect of various growth
rates on per capita income and poverty levels in Tanzania. The scenarios we consider
are annual growth rates of real per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of 2 percent, 4 percent, 6 percent, and 8 percent. Figure 4.1 shows projections of per capita
GDP as well as associated poverty rates for these growth scenarios. Tanzania’s
75
76
ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
FIGURE 4.1 Projections of GDP Per Capita and Poverty, 2003–25
(a) GDP per capita
1,600
GDP per capita (US$)
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
25
20
24
20
22
20
20
20
18
20
16
20
14
20
12
20
10
20
08
20
06
20
20
04
0
year
(b) Poverty
share of population in poverty (%)
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
year
2%
Source: Authors’ calculations.
annual GDP growth
4%
6%
8%
20
23
20
25
20
21
20
19
20
17
20
15
20
13
20
11
20
09
20
07
05
20
03
20
20
01
0
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
77
TABLE 4.1 Projections of Per Capita GNI and Share of Population below Poverty
Line, 2010–25
Average annual real GNI growth rate
Year
2%
4%
6%
8%
2010
Percentage below poverty line
GDP per capita (US$)
25
19
13
10
372
418
468
524
2015
Percentage below poverty line
GDP per capita (US$)
21
11
⬍10
⬍10
410
508
626
769
2020
Percentage below poverty line
GDP per capita (US$)
16
⬍10
⬍10
⬍10
453
618
838
1,131
13
⬍10
⬍10
⬍10
500
752
1,122
1,661
2025
Percentage below poverty line
GDP per capita (US$)
Source: Authors’ calculations.
Development Vision (Vision 2025) aims for the country to reach middle-income status by 2025.1 To reach the lower threshold for middle-income countries per capita—
gross national income (GNI) of US$765—Tanzania’s per capita income must grow
by at least 4.1 percent annually. If per capita GNI were to grow at only 2 percent annually, it would increase from US$330 to US$500 by 2025. If it grew by 8 percent
annually, GNI would reach US$1,661 (see table 4.1 and figure 4.1). The results of
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0
⫺1.0
⫺2.0
0
5
19
76
–8
0
19
81
–8
5
19
86
–9
0
19
91
–9
5
19
96
–2
00
0
20
01
–0
5
19
71
–7
19
66
–7
5
⫺3.0
19
61
–6
average annual growth in per capita GDP (%)
FIGURE 4.2 Average Annual Per Capita GDP Growth for Five-Year Periods,
1961–2005
period
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database.
78
ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
these calculations are quite sobering: they imply that even with growth rates significantly higher than Tanzania has achieved in the past, the country will still be relatively poor in 20 years.
We now turn to the question of what effect various growth scenarios have on
poverty. As shown in panel (b) of figure 4.1, with per capita GDP growth of 2 percent
annually, poverty would decline to 25 percent by 2010 and to 21 percent by 2015. This
growth rate would thus be insufficient to reach the NSGRP and the MDG targets of
halving poverty by 2010 and 2015, respectively. However, a per capita growth rate of
4 percent, which would result in a decline in poverty to 19 percent by 2010 and to 11
percent by 2015, would be consistent with achieving Tanzania’s poverty reduction
targets. The projections of poverty levels need to be considered with a grain of salt, especially for estimates in the outer years and in cases in which poverty has declined significantly. Inequality is likely to increase with faster growth, and the income elasticity
of poverty is likely to fall as poverty declines.
Review of Tanzania’s Growth Prospects in Historical and International
Contexts
It is informative to compare these growth scenarios with Tanzania’s historical growth
performance. Since independence, the average per capita growth rate has been a mere
0.7 percent; since the introduction of reforms in 1985, per capita growth has averaged
0.9 percent. The highest per capita growth rate that Tanzania has sustained over a fiveyear period was slightly higher than 4 percent (see figure 4.2). However, in most periods it was much lower.
International experience provides a more encouraging perspective on Tanzania’s
growth prospects. From 1994 to 2003, 9 countries were able to achieve an average
growth rate of per capita GDP of 6 percent or more, 12 countries achieved rates between 4 and 6 percent, and 64 countries grew at rates between 2 and 4 percent (see
figure 4.3). Thus, according to international experience, growth rates between 2 and
8 percent seem to be within the realm of the possible.
Our analysis of Tanzania’s growth performance in chapter 1 suggests that the recent acceleration in economic growth may be largely driven by the demand-side stimulus that emanated from the sharp increase in government spending during that period. Without that demand-side stimulus, average growth in the medium term may
revert to 4 to 5 percent annually (that is, the average growth rate of private sector expenditure during the past 15 years). However, with the consolidation of policy reforms, Tanzania may shift to a higher growth path. We review the potential effects of
these policy reforms below using policy-based growth projections.
Policy-Based Projections
Policies and institutions are important determinants of growth. This section uses
the estimated relationship between economic growth and various indicators of the
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
79
FIGURE 4.3 Average Per Capita Real GDP Growth in 185 Countries, 1994–2003
80
70
number of countries
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
⬎6
5
3
1
⫺1
⫺3
⫺5
⬍⫺6
average per capita real GDP growth (%)
1999–2003
1994–2003
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database.
quality of policies and institutions to assess Tanzania’s growth potential. Measures of
the quality of policies and institutions are provided by four independent sources:
• World Bank’s Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA)2
• Institutional Investor assessment3
• International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) assessment4
• Euromoney assessment.5
All suggest significant improvements between 1999 and 2006 (see table 4.2). According to the country ratings for 2006, the projections of per capita growth range between
3.8 and 5.0 percent, with an average for all four projections of 4.4 percent. If there are
further improvements in institutions and policies, the projections suggest that per
capita growth rates of more than 5 percent per year are even feasible.
Input-Based Projections
A complementary way to assess Tanzania’s growth prospects is to use the growth accounting framework and look at the likely development of the immediate determinants
of growth—human resources, physical capital, and total factor productivity.
80
ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
TABLE 4.2 Policy-Based Growth Projections
(percent)
Per capita growth
projections
Rating 1999
Rating 2006
Constant
CPIA
Source of projection
3.5
3.9
5.0
Improve ⴙ0.5
6.1
Euromoney
2.2
2.8
4.1
4.8
ICRG
3.8
4.1
4.6
5.1
Institutional
2.0
2.3
3.8
5.0
Average
2.8
3.3
4.4
5.3
Source: Authors’ calculations.
Note: The ratings of the various sources have been standardized for comparability on a scale from 1 to 6, with 6
representing the highest achievement. Improve ⫹0.5 represents the case were the rating in 2004 to improve by 0.5
point.
Contribution of Increased Investment in Human Resources
The average number of years of education of the workforce is used as the basic indicator of the quality of human resources in an economy. According to Cohen and Soto
(2001), in 2000 the average number of years of schooling in Tanzania (3.40) was
higher than that in Uganda (3.22) but lower than that in Kenya (5.80) and far from
that in South Africa (7.22) (figure 4.4). To assess possible progress in this indicator, it
FIGURE 4.4 Average Years of Schooling in Seven African Countries, 1960–2000
9
years of schooling
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1960
1970
1980
year
Ghana
Kenya
Malaysia
Mauritius
Source: Cohen and Soto 2001.
1990
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
2000
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
81
is useful to look at the experience of other economies. Countries such as Malaysia have
been able to increase average years of schooling by about 1.5 years per decade. Other
countries that have also invested heavily in education, such as Mauritius and Kenya,
have seen increases of about one year per decade. Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda have
seen much slower increases in average years of schooling. However, recent aggressive
efforts to expand access to education, if sustained, are likely to result in a rapid increase
in years of schooling over the coming decades.
In the following discussion, we look at the likely effect on economic growth of increases in schooling by 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 years per decade. Such increases would result in contributions to economic growth of 0.8, 1.4, and 2.1 percentage points, respectively (table 4.3). In interpreting these results, it is important to recognize that
number of years of schooling responds only gradually to increases in enrollment as
more educated, younger cohorts replace less educated, older cohorts. Thus, even
where a policy of universal primary education is in effect, the share of the population with no education will decline only gradually. Our scenario for low growth in
years of schooling (0.5 per decade) assumes that universal primary education is not
achieved and that increases in postprimary education are modest. The medium- and
high-growth scenarios (1.0 and 1.5 years per decade, respectively) assume that universal primary enrollment is achieved and that there is also a substantial increase in
postprimary education.
Contribution of Increases in Investment to Economic Growth
In the growth accounting framework, the relationship between growth and investment is more complex than in a simple incremental capital output ratio (ICOR)
model. Changes in the stock of capital depend on the rate of capital depreciation, the
share of GDP invested, and the level of GDP. For example, figure 4.5 illustrates that
for a given growth rate of output (4 percent) and investment ratio (20 percent), the
TABLE 4.3 Effect of Additional Years of Schooling on Economic Growth
Growth in years of schooling
Highest level of education reached
1992
2001
2011
(low)
None (% of population)
24.9
25.2
20
15
3.3
2.1
2
2
2
Primary 1–4 (% of population)
15.2
11.9
11
11
8
Primary 5–8 (% of population)
Adult only (% of population)
2011
(medium)
2011
(high)
15
50.7
54.6
58
58
55
Forms 1–4 (% of population)
3.9
4.6
6
9
11
Forms 5–6 (% of population)
0.3
1.4
2
3
5
Diploma or university (% of population)
0.2
0.4
1
2
4
Average years of education
3.8
4.2
4.7
5.2
5.7
Contribution to economic growth (percentage points)
n.a.
0.7
0.8
1.4
2.1
Source: Years of schooling are calculated based on Household Budget Survey figures and differ from data by
Cohen and Soto (2001) because of different methodology.
Note: n.a. ⫽ not applicable.
82
ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
FIGURE 4.5 Contribution of Capital Accumulation to Growth, 2005–25
3.0
contribution (%)
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
05
20
07
20
09
20
11
20
13
20
17
15
20
20
year
19
20
21
20
23
20
25
20
Source: Authors’ calculations.
Note: Assumes 4 percent growth in output per worker and 20 percent investment of total output.
contribution of investment to GDP growth increases over time. This result occurs because with increasing GDP the real amount of investment increases, even with a constant investment ratio.
Table 4.4 shows the projected contribution of investment to growth for various
combinations of overall growth rates and investment ratios. The higher the investment ratio and the growth rate are, the higher is the contribution of investment to
growth. For example, if output per worker is stagnant and the investment ratio is 18
percent, the contribution of investment to growth is 0.3 percent. In a high-growth, highinvestment scenario, the average contribution could be 2.7 percent. Of course, those
projections need to be considered carefully because investment spending does not automatically translate into an equivalent amount of productive capital. The composition of total investment (the mix of private and public investment) and the share of public investment used for directly productive purposes (such as infrastructure) are
important factors that affect the relationship between investment and its contribution
to economic growth.
TABLE 4.4 Contribution of Investment to Growth: Average over 10 Years for 0, 2, 4,
and 6 Percent Growth Rates
Investment as share of GDP
Growth rate
16%
18%
20%
0
⫺0.1
0.3
0.8
1.2
2
0.3
0.8
1.2
1.6
4
0.7
1.2
1.7
2.1
6
1.2
1.7
2.2
2.7
Source: Authors’ calculations.
22%
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
83
Contribution of Total Factor Productivity to Economic Growth
Enhancing factor productivity refers to obtaining more output from a given amount
of resources, whether human or physical capital. In the long run, there are essentially
two types of constraints on productivity:
• Policy-imposed constraints and distortions
• Knowledge constraints.
In the short run, productivity can also be constrained by demand, leading to underutilization of resources. However, in the absence of other constraints, either (a) such demand constraints would be temporary or (b) the economy would adjust appropriately.
Cross-country studies on factor productivity provide an indication of possible productivity growth rates for Tanzania in the long run. Some studies that look at the experience of Southeast Asian countries indicate that about half of such countries’ rapid
growth is attributable to productivity gains. More conservative estimates (Collins and
Bosworth 1996) nonetheless attribute between 0.8 and 2.0 percentage points of East
Asian countries’ growth of output per capita to increases in total factor productivity
(table 4.5). In assessing Tanzania’s growth potential, it appears clearly possible that
about 1.0 percentage point of growth per worker could come from productivity gains.
In the immediate future, the contribution of productivity gains to output growth can
be expected to be even higher, given the potential for more productive use of the existing capital stock.
Assessment of Growth Potential Based on Projected Factor Accumulation
and Productivity Increases
This section aggregates the individual projections of the potential contribution of physical capital accumulation, education, and total factor productivity to total growth.
We present three scenarios, using the lower and upper estimates of the contribution
of each factor as well as an intermediate estimate (see table 4.6).
The resulting aggregate output projections suggest that the policy-based projections of 4.4 to 5.3 percent (average annual growth) seem to be achievable, although
the input requirements—in terms of investment, education, and factor productivity—
are quite demanding. In interpreting the results shown in table 4.6, it is important to
note that even the low-growth scenario requires maintaining the performance of the
period from 1995 to 2004. Any reversals could result in much lower growth.
TABLE 4.5 Growth and Total Factor Productivity in Selected East Asian Countries,
1960–94
(percentage points per year)
Indicator
Indonesia
Korea, Rep. of
Malaysia
Thailand
Growth of output per worker
3.4
5.7
5.7
5.0
5.8
Contribution of total factor productivity
0.8
1.5
1.5
1.8
2.0
Source: Collins and Bosworth 1996.
Taiwan, China
84
ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
TABLE 4.6 Overall Input-Based Projections
(percentage points)
Contribution of factor of production
Factor of production
Low
Medium
Physical capital
0.3
1.2
High
2.7
Education
0.8
1.4
2.1
Total factor productivity
0.5
1.0
1.5
Total
1.6
3.6
6.3
Source: Authors’ calculations.
Note: Low ⫽ investment-to-output ratio of 16 percent at 2 percent output growth, increase in average years of
schooling by 0.5 year. Medium ⫽ investment-to-output ratio of 18 percent at 4 percent output growth, increase in
average years of schooling by 1.0 year. High ⫽ investment-to-output ratio of 22 percent at 6 percent output
growth, increase in average years of schooling by 1.5 years.
Sectoral Projections
Development and economic growth are characterized by structural transformation of
the economy. The share of agriculture typically declines, while that of industry and services increases. Table 4.7 shows the changes in the composition of GDP for a number
of countries, illustrating the potential magnitude of transformation possible over a
20-year period. Fast-growing countries such as Ghana, India, Indonesia, and Thailand
experienced relatively rapid structural transformation, while slow-growing economies
such as Kenya and Tanzania experienced a slower pace of structural transformation.
For Tanzania, we examine three scenarios. The baseline scenario projects current
sectoral growth rates. We compare this scenario with one that has a higher aggregate
growth and faster structural transformation and with one that has lower growth and
limited structural transformation (table 4.8).
Under the baseline scenario, the share of agriculture in GDP drops to 34 percent by
2025, while the shares of industry and services increase to 32 percent and 33 percent,
respectively. Comparing these sectoral projections with international experience suggests that they are consistent with the pattern of structural transformation observed
in other economies. However, it seems likely that industry and services will grow at
similar rates, which would imply a slightly higher share of services and a slightly lower
share of industry in GDP by 2025.
TABLE 4.7 Structural Transformation, Selected Countries, 1980–98
(percent)
Share in GDP
Agriculture
Country
Industry
Manufacturing
1980
1998
1980
1998
1980
Ghana
58
37
12
25
8
India
38
25
24
30
Indonesia
24
16
42
43
1998
Services
1980
1998
8
30
38
16
19
39
45
13
26
34
41
Kenya
33
29
21
16
13
10
47
55
Tanzania
45
46
18
14
12
7
37
40
Thailand
23
11
29
40
22
29
48
49
Source: World Bank 2000.
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
85
TABLE 4.8 Scenarios for Economic Growth and Structural Transformation
(percent)
Medium growth
(baseline)
Slow growth
Sector
Share in
GDP
Average
real
growth
rate
Share in
GDP
Average
real
growth
rate
High growth
Share in
GDP
Average
real
growth
rate
Share in
GDP
2025
2005
2006–25
2025
2006–25
2025
2006–25
Agriculture
45.6
3.3
40
4.8
34
5.0
26
Industry
19.7
4.8
23
9.0
32
10.7
32
Services
34.8
4.4
37
6.1
33
9.0
42
Total
100.0
4.0
100
6.3
100
8.0
100
Source: Authors’ calculations.
One of the key characteristics of structural transformation is that the industry and
service sectors have to grow faster than the agriculture sector. The underlying process
starts with an agricultural surplus, which is invested in the industry and service sectors; that higher productivity in agriculture allows the movement of labor from agriculture to other sectors.
Reaching the MDG and NSGRP Targets
It will be challenging for Tanzania to meet many of the various MDGs, and yet there
is room for cautious optimism in some areas (see table 4.9). Preliminary results from
the 2004 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) (National Bureau of Statistics and
ORC Macro 2005) suggest that considerable progress was made in the reduction of
malnutrition and child mortality. Policy simulations show that the income poverty
and hunger MDGs may be attainable if Tanzania is able to continue with its episode
of relatively high growth and with its improvements in the social sector.
Consumption Poverty
Will economic growth be sufficient to attain the MDG of reducing poverty by half by
2015 (or the more ambitious NSGRP date of 2010)? The likely path of poverty reduction can be determined by applying GDP growth rates to unit-record household consumption data taken from the Household Budget Survey (HBS). The growth rates are
taken from the medium-growth projections presented in table 4.10 but have been
adapted. They reflect the inability of the HBS to identify, without major assumptions,
a household’s sector of employment (beyond a rural-urban breakdown). Growth projections for agriculture, industry, and services were therefore adjusted to reflect a ruralurban breakdown.
To this end and under the premise that agricultural production in urban areas is small,
the urban growth rate is taken to be the average growth rate of the industrial and service sectors. Because rural income is generated from activities in agriculture as well as
86
ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
TABLE 4.9 MDG Baseline, Most Recent Estimate, and Target
Baseline
(%)
Most
recent
estimate
(%)
Target
(%)
Year of
baseline
Most recent
year
National poverty line
38.6
35.6
19.3
1991
2000
Dollar a day poverty line
61.1
57.5
30.6
1991
2000
29
22
14.5
1991
2004
51
91
100
1990
2004
Millennium Development Goal
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Reduce extreme poverty by half:
Reduce hunger by half
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Net enrollment in primary school
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Equal girls’ enrollment in primary school
1.01
0.99
1
1990
2004
Equal girls’ enrollment in secondary school
0.70
0.81
1
1990
2000
141
112
47
1991
2004
529
578
132
1996
2004
1999
2004
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Reduce mortality of children under
five years by two-thirds
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Reduce maternal mortality by three-fourthsa
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
Halt and reverse spread of AIDS
n.a.
7.0
Halt and reverse spread of malaria
21
36
2003
13
10
7
1991
2000
65
54
33
1991
2000
2
4
1
1991
2000
9
8
5
1991
2000
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Halve proportion without improved drinking
water in urban areas
Halve proportion without improved drinking
water in rural areas
Halve proportion without sanitation in
urban areas
Halve proportion without sanitation in
rural areas
Source: MDG table references.
a. Maternal mortality is a so-called low-frequency event. Low-frequency events are difficult to measure accurately in
surveys like the Demographic and Health Survey, which serve as sources for these estimates, as few cases of maternal mortality are registered. Consequently maternal mortality rates are associated with large confidence intervals,
and the observed maternal mortality rates of 529 in 1996 and 578 in 2004 are statistically not different.
activities in industry and services, the rural growth rate is determined as the residual
calculated from overall GDP growth, after allowing for the urban growth rate. The
shares of the contribution of each of the rural-urban sectors to GDP are from the
HBS, according to which 75 percent of consumption takes place in rural areas and 25
percent in urban ones. This approach results in rural growth rates that are substantially higher than the growth rates for agriculture alone. Compare, for instance, in the
medium- and high-growth scenarios, the agricultural growth rates of 3.7 percent and
5.0 percent with the rural growth rates of 5.0 percent and 7.4 percent. Per capita
growth rates are calculated by deducting the population growth rate of 2.9 percent—
this is the population growth observed between the 1988 and 2002 censuses, drawn
from the respective sector GDP growth rates.
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
87
TABLE 4.10 Scenarios for Economic Growth
(percent)
Average real growth rate
Sector
Share in GDP
Low growth
Medium growth
Agriculture
46.8
3.3
3.7
5.0
Industry
18.5
4.8
7.8
10.9
Services
34.8
Total
High growth
4.4
5.7
8.9
4.0
5.4
8.0
Rural
74.6
3.8
5.0
7.4
Urban
26.4
4.6
6.5
9.7
4.0
5.4
8.0
Total
Source: Author’s calculations.
Note: The share in GDP for agriculture, industry, and services is for 2003. The share in rural and urban GDP is from
the 2000/01 HBS and was calculated as the rural and urban share in total consumption.
Figure 4.6 presents poverty simulations for the medium- and low-growth scenarios.
For the medium-growth case, the figure also presents scenarios in which inequality
increases over and above any increases associated with the differential rural and urban growth rates. The horizontal line in figure 4.6 reflects the MDG and NSGRP objectives.
FIGURE 4.6 Projected Reduction in Consumption Poverty, 2001–15
40.0
35.0
poverty (%)
30.0
25.0
20.0
19.8
15.0
15
14
20
13
20
12
20
20
11
09
10
20
20
08
20
6
07
20
20
5
20
0
20
0
20
04
2
20
03
20
0
20
01
10.0
year
medium-growth scenario
medium-growth scenario, 0.5% annual increase in inequality
medium-growth scenario, 1.0% annual increase in inequality
low-growth scenario, unchanged inequality
Source: Authors’ calculations.
88
ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
According to the medium-growth scenario (the solid line in bold), the NSGRP
objective of 19.8 percent poverty incidence by 2010 will not be met. Yet the MDG objective of attaining the same level of poverty five years later, by 2015, is attainable.
The baseline scenario incorporates differential rural-urban growth rates, leading to
a worsening of inequality. The Gini coefficient increases from 0.337 in 2001 to 0.352
in 2015. If one assumes in addition that inequality increases further, not only the
NSGRP target but also the MDG target will be missed. This is illustrated by two lines
in the middle of figure 4.6; in them an autonomous increase in inequality of 0.5 percent and 1.0 percent per year, respectively, is added to the medium-growth scenario.
Under these scenarios, inequality rises to 0.377 and 0.402, respectively, by 2015. This
result is high—at least from the current perspective—but not unimaginable. For instance,
in Uganda inequality was 0.429 in 2000/01.
Even in the absence of additional increases in inequality, the NSGRP and MDG
poverty reduction targets will be missed under the low-growth scenario (represented
by the top line), underscoring the need for at least medium growth if the objective is
to attain at least the MDG poverty reduction target by 2015. The NSGRP target of
reducing poverty by half by 2010 can be attained only under a high-growth scenario.
Under that scenario, poverty would be reduced to 16 percent by 2010.
The projections are sensitive to changes in rural growth. Because the majority of the
poor live in rural areas, the national poverty incidence is driven by rural poverty. A small
change in rural growth therefore leads to a substantial change in national poverty.
Figure 4.7 illustrates what would happen to the medium-growth scenario if the composition of growth were different. It presents two scenarios: one in which rural growth
is 1 percentage point lower (4.0 percent), and another in which it is 1 percentage point
higher (6.0 percent). The overall GDP growth rate is maintained. For these scenarios
to occur, urban growth must be 9.5 percent or 3.5 percent, respectively. Under the scenario with lower rural growth, poverty declines by only approximately 1 percentage
point a year. In the higher rural growth scenario, the decline is much larger—almost
2 percentage points per year.
This analysis illustrates the sensitivity of poverty reduction to growth in rural areas. It also illustrates the sensitivity of these projections to modeling assumptions. For
instance, by taking GDP growth as a proxy for consumption growth, one ignores that
the two may not move in parallel. In the face of high-income growth, households
might change their propensity to save. And even if the propensity to save remains constant, GDP increases may not translate into income increases. GDP is measured in
constant prices—it is an index of the quantity produced—but real income is a composite of quantity and prices. When relative prices change, as is the case when terms
of trade change, one may observe GDP increases but no associated income increases
(Wuyts 2005). Likewise, if the relative purchasing power between rural and urban areas changes because relative prices of agricultural products fall compared with prices
of goods and services from urban areas, then increased rural GDP may not translate
into increased rural income.
Other changes may affect the pattern of poverty reduction as well. Migration from
rural to urban areas is likely to accelerate poverty reduction, just as increases in
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
89
FIGURE 4.7 Projected Reduction in Consumption Poverty under Alternative
Compositions of Growth, 2001–15
40.0
35.0
poverty (%)
30.0
25.0
20.0
19.8
15.0
15
14
20
13
20
20
12
11
20
09
10
20
20
20
07
08
20
06
20
05
20
20
04
03
20
02
20
20
20
01
10.0
year
medium-growth scenario
medium-growth scenario, with reduced rural growth
medium-growth scenario, with increased rural growth
Source: Authors’ calculations.
population growth rates diminish it. Despite these various uncertainties, what is very
clear from these simulations is that it will be difficult to attain the NSGRP and MDG
targets for poverty reduction and that enhanced rural income growth is a prerequisite
to achieving those objectives.
Malnutrition
Progress in poverty reduction is typically not only expressed by the reduction of the
fraction of people whose consumption falls below the poverty line, but also measured
by the reduction in the number of malnourished people. The reason is that consumption poverty and malnutrition are quite distinct aspects of human welfare that may well
respond differently to changes in income growth. Hence, the MDG for poverty and
hunger reduction aims not only at reducing consumption poverty by 50 percent but
also at reducing malnutrition, particularly the proportion of underweight children under five years of age. Underweight is a composite indicator for malnutrition, and it generalizes stunting (low height for age) and wasting (low weight for age). The under-five
malnutrition rate, in terms of weight for age, in 1991/92 was 29.0 percent, so the
MDG objective for Tanzania is 14.5 percent by 2015.
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ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
The NSGRP also explicitly aims at reducing the prevalence of malnutrition, taking
as its measurable outcome the reduction in stunting among children under five from
43.8 percent in 1990 to 20.0 percent in 2010. In this section, the focus is on attaining
the MDG on hunger reduction.
Income growth is clearly important for reducing malnutrition. Greater incomes at
the household level allow families to spend more on food, clean water, hygiene, and
preventive and curative health care. Greater incomes allow them to have more diversified diets and to obtain more effective child care arrangements. At the community level,
greater income eventually leads to better access to and higher quality health care, improved water and sanitation systems, and greater access to information. Higher incomes
also mean that the government can collect more revenues to spend on nutrition-improving programs. It seems therefore reasonable to expect that income growth contributes
to the reduction of malnutrition.
For the malnutrition simulations, the focus is on the MDG objective. It is assumed
that the malnutrition elasticities of real per capita income are 0.51 in the optimistic scenario and 0.30 in the conservative scenario (Mkenda 2004). These elasticities are determined on the basis of results reported by Haddad and others (2003) from their
cross-country study. Haddad and others’ (2003) findings are in the range of elasticities of demand for nutrients calculated by Abdulai and Aubert (2004a, 2004b) using
HBS data collected from two regions in Tanzania in 1998 and 1999.
For income growth, the growth scenarios from the previous section are followed—
that is, per capita GDP growth of 1.1 percent per year in the low-growth scenario, 2.5
percent in the medium-growth scenario, and 5.1 percent in the high-growth scenario.
Figure 4.8 clearly shows that an optimistic 5.1 percent growth rate of GDP per capita
and a malnutrition elasticity of per capita income of 0.51 (also optimistic) would reduce the prevalence of malnutrition from 22 percent in 1999 to about 17 percent in
2015. A simulation that uses the medium-growth scenario and the elasticity of 0.30
reduces malnutrition from 22 percent in 1999 to 20 percent in 2015, a rather marginal
decrease. This scenario seems to be more realistic, if a bit conservative, and suggests
that income growth alone cannot resolve the malnutrition problem in Tanzania. Furthermore, the simulation did not take into account the effect of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome). The disease is likely to
increase malnutrition because of the increase in the number of orphans and the decrease
in the effective household labor force.
The simulations suggest that income growth alone is not sufficient to attain the
MDG on hunger reduction. However, the drop in the prevalence of malnutrition between 1999 and 2004 from 29 percent to 22 percent (National Bureau of Statistics and
ORC Macro 2005) shows that large declines in the prevalence of malnutrition can be
attained in a relatively short period. The observed decline could be the result of much
higher income-nutrition elasticities than the ones used here, but this explanation seems
unrealistic. To attribute the observed decline in nutrition to income growth alone
would require an elasticity of 2.1. It is more plausible that the decline is the result of
a combination of income growth and nonincome factors such as more effective management of malaria, improved breastfeeding, and vitamin A supplementation. Between
1999 and 2004, the use of mosquito nets increased from 21 percent to 36 percent,
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
91
FIGURE 4.8 Projected Reduction in Malnutrition (Underweight), 2004–15
30.0
29.0
underweight (%)
25.0
20.0
15.0
14.5
10.0
15
20
14
20
13
20
12
20
11
20
10
20
09
20
08
20
07
20
06
20
05
20
20
04
5.0
year
slow growth/high elasticity
medium growth/high elasticity
slow growth/low elasticity
medium growth/low elasticity
fast growth/high elasticity
fast growth/low elasticity
Source: Authors’ calculations.
Note: The horizontal line at 14.5 shows the MDG objective of halving hunger by 2015. The horizontal line at
29.0 shows the MDG value in 1990.
vitamin A supplementation went from 14 percent to 46 percent,6 and the proportion
of children who are exclusively breastfed increased from 58 percent to 70 percent. At
an average GDP growth rate of 5.4 percent and an income-nutrition elasticity of 0.51,
about one-third of the decline in the prevalence of malnutrition between 1999 and 2004
can be attributed to income growth and the remainder to nonincome factors.
A study carried out by Alderman, Hoogeveen, and Rossi (2006) for the Kagera region also concludes that income growth in combination with nutrition interventions
is required to attain the MDGs. In this study, the effects of the availability of community-based nutrition interventions (a child feeding program) are measured after controlling for common determinants of nutritional status such as community factors,
individual and household characteristics (including log per capita consumption), and
possible endogenous factors of program placement (such as mean log per capita consumption/income of the village, nutritional status of parents, major disaster in the preceding 10 years, and the like). Results of the study show that both income growth and
the availability of a nutrition program significantly improve the nutritional status of
children by reducing stunting and underweight (table 4.11).
The projections carried out by Alderman, Hoogeveen, and Rossi (2006) show that
it is feasible to achieve the MDG on consumption poverty in Kagera (as it is nation-
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ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
TABLE 4.11 Reduction in Malnutrition in Kagera
(percent)
Reduction in malnutrition
Per capita
income
growth
Reduction in
consumption
poverty
No additional
interventions
Interventions
in 50% of
communities
Interventions in all
communities
Underweight
1.3
44.1
6.8
37.0
57.6
3.1
66.6
13.3
42.0
61.5
5.0
84.1
19.5
46.7
65.1
1.3
44.1
5.3
44.4
70.3
3.1
66.6
8.7
48.1
73.2
5.0
84.1
13.9
51.0
75.2
Stunting
Source: Alderman, Hoogeveen, and Rossi 2006.
Note: The simulations were done taking 1993 as the base year. Because the per capita income growth rate between
1993 and 2003 is known—0.7 percent per year—the effective growth rates required to attain the 1993–2015 mean
growth rates of 1 percent, 2 percent, and 3 percent for the 2003–15 period are, respectively, 1.3 percent, 3.1 percent,
and 5.0 percent. Shaded cells indicate that the MDG and NSGRP objectives are attained (that is, there is a 50 percent reduction).
ally) and that the MDG on nutrition cannot be achieved even under the highest income
growth scenario. Only when nutrition interventions are available in the majority of villages will it be possible to achieve the MDG on nutrition. Considering the difficulty
of covering all communities in the short term, the only solution for meeting the MDG
target is to focus on per capita income growth while initiating or expanding nutrition
interventions.
This analysis raises the question of whether further declines in the prevalence of malnutrition—beyond those attributable to income growth—can be expected and whether
the MDG on hunger reduction is attainable. There seems scope for a positive response
as long as nutrition interventions accompany income growth. Despite the noted improvements, only 36 percent of children under five slept under a mosquito net in 2004,
vitamin A supplementation can be further expanded, and 30 percent of babies younger
than two months are not exclusively breastfed. Given these data, there certainly seems
to be scope for further improvements. Furthermore, the evidence from Kagera suggests
that community-based nutrition interventions have considerable potential. Provided that
an additional effort in nutrition-related interventions is made, the MDG on hunger reduction seems attainable.
Other MDGs
Progress toward attaining the MDG on universal primary education has been impressive. As soon as universal primary education was introduced in 2001, net enrollment
rates jumped and are now close (91 percent) to the target of 100 percent enrollment.
Close to complete enrollment also implies gender equality in education. In primary
education, such inequalities are small (table 4.9), but in secondary education, gender
OUTLOOK ON GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
93
inequalities persist. These inequalities may be on the way out: in 2004, the girl-boy ratio in form I was 0.98, while it was 0.55 in form IV. However, further monitoring is
needed. Other non-MDG indicators, such as the woman-man prevalence of HIV/AIDS
(of 1.22), show that gender inequality persists.
Another encouraging fact is the observed reduction in child mortality from 141
per 1,000 in 1991 to 112 in 2004. This drop occurs after stagnancy in child mortality rates during the 1990s (it was 137 in 1996 and 147 in 1999) and appears to be a
reflection of improved malaria management (improved treatment as well as increased
use of bednets) and stronger health systems in general. The MDG target of 47 deaths
per 1,000 is ambitious, however, and meeting this objective will remain a challenge.
With respect to the reduction of maternal mortality, no progress has been made. The
data in table 4.9 even suggest an increase in maternal mortality rates, but the difference is not statistically significant. The lack of progress is reason for concern because
the MDG is ambitious (a 75 percent reduction) and maternal mortality rates are high
(578 per 100,000 births).
A recent blood sample survey suggests that the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS is 7 percent, which is less than was expected on the basis of tests performed on blood donors.
There is much variation in infection rates by age group, gender, and location. Women
(7.7 percent) are more affected than men (6.3 percent). Prevalence is 5.2 percent in the
20 to 24 age cohort but more than double that (10.9 percent) in the 30 to 44 age cohort. Prevalence rates vary from a low of 2.0 percent in Manyara and Kigoma to a high
of 13.5 percent in Mbeya and Iringa.
Finally, some limited progress was made in improving access to drinking water,
mainly because of increased access to protected wells and springs. Still, some 54 percent of all rural households do not have access to improved drinking water, and much
needs to be done to attain the MDG objective of 33 percent. As far as sanitation is concerned, almost all urban (96 percent) and rural (92 percent) households have access
to a toilet. In urban areas, one observes an increase in the fraction of households without a toilet from 2 percent in 1991 to 4 percent in 2000, possibly as a result of rapid
urbanization.
Conclusions
Our analysis of Tanzania’s historical growth performance suggests caution as to the
likelihood that recent high growth rates can be sustained or even further increased.
To the extent that the demand-side stimulus emanating from increasing government
spending disappears, growth may revert to the range of 4 to 5 percent per year, unless there is a marked improvement in Tanzania’s international competitiveness and
ability to diversify its economy. Policy-based growth projections provide a more optimistic picture and suggest that a per capita growth rate of about 4 percent should
be sustainable in the medium term, given Tanzania’s current economic policies and
institutions. Further improvements in policies and institutions are necessary to scale
up economic growth to the level of about 8 percent targeted in the NSGRP. On the
input side, achieving these growth rates requires continued investment in human
94
ROBER T J. UTZ AND JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
resources with greater concentration on secondary and tertiary education, building
on the significant achievements in recent years in expanding access to primary education. Sustaining higher growth also requires scaled-up private sector investment and
complementary investment in infrastructure. Although in the past gains in productivity have been primarily reform driven, in the future gains in productivity must
come more often from innovation and technological change.
Progress in reducing poverty depends critically on the pattern of economic growth.
Because poverty is concentrated in rural areas, a growth strategy needs to focus on rural
growth (although urban growth also is important), both by reducing urban poverty
and by providing opportunities for rural populations through migration. Achieving the
NSGRP target of halving poverty by 2010 requires a rural growth rate of at least 4.5
percent per year and an urban growth rate of about 10 percent.
Hunger is another important dimension of poverty. Economic growth alone is likely
to be insufficient to reach the NSGRP and MDG targets for reducing malnutrition. Additional interventions, such as micronutrient programs and community-based interventions, are necessary.
Notes
1. Middle-income economies are those with a gross national income per capita of more than
US$765 but less than US$9,386.
2. The CPIA is based on Bank economists’ and sector specialists’ ratings of 20 items in four
areas: management of inflation and current accounts, structural policies, policies for social
inclusion and equity, and public sector management and institutions.
3. Institutional Investor credit ratings are based on a survey of leading international bankers,
who are asked to rate each country on a scale of 0 to 100 (in which 100 represents maximum creditworthiness). Institutional Investor averages these ratings, attaching greater
weights to respondents with greater worldwide exposure and more sophisticated country
analysis systems.
4. The ICRG compiles monthly data on 13 political, 6 financial, and 5 economic risk factors
to calculate risk indexes in each of these categories, as well as a composite risk index. Political risk assessment scores are based on subjective staff analysis of available information.
Economic risk assessment scores are based on objective analysis of quantitative data. Financial risk assessment scores are based on analysis of a mix of quantitative and qualitative information. The political risk measure is given twice the weight of the financial and economic
risk measures.
5. Euromoney country risk scores are based on the weighted average of quantitative indicators in nine categories: political risk (25 percent), economic performance (25 percent), debt
indicators (10 percent), debt in default or rescheduled (10 percent), credit ratings (10 percent), access to bank finance (5 percent), access to short-term finance (5 percent), access to
capital markets (5 percent), and discount on forfeiting (5 percent). For items for which no
data are available, the rating is 0. This method might introduce a downward bias for countries such as Tanzania, for which data availability is often poor.
6. A nationally representative survey carried out by the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center
in July 2004 and implemented immediately after the vitamin A supplementation campaign
shows that vitamin A coverage for children between 6 and 59 months is 85 percent (TFNC
2004b).
PART II
Sectoral Perspectives on
Growth
5
Agricultural Productivity and
Shared Growth
Henry Gordon
A
t an average annual rate of 3.5 percent, Tanzania’s agricultural growth exceeds
the Sub-Saharan African average of 3.3 percent.1 Sub-Saharan Africa’s average
growth rate, although lower than the growth rates targeted by many African countries,
exceeded growth in other regions of the developing world between 1990 and 2003 (figure 5.1). However, with a population growth rate of 2.9 percent during the 1990s, agricultural growth was insufficient to make a significant difference in per capita incomes
and rural poverty.
Growth in Tanzania’s agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) accelerated over
the period, reaching an average rate of 4 percent for 1996 to 2003. Sectoral performance showed variation around the average, but the variation was considerably less
in Tanzania than in many of its neighbors, indicating a somewhat greater degree of protection against severe shocks. The growth was accompanied by structural and policy
changes that created new opportunities for producers and brought benefits to consumers. For example, Tanzanian grain and horticultural producers participate in regional markets to a much greater extent than in the past, when barriers to trade were
higher. Because of its growth and its increased openness to trade, Tanzania was able
to manage recent variability in weather with minimal assistance, avoiding the severe
food shocks that adversely affected its neighbors.
Agriculture has been a substantial contributor to overall national growth. Table
5.1 shows that between 1995 and 2003, primary agriculture directly accounted for 37
percent of the country’s very strong annual growth in GDP.2 Agriculture’s contribution
to growth is high even though it is not the fastest-growing sector. Why? Because its share
in the economy is large, and unlike tourism and the mineral sectors, it has a relatively
low share of intermediate inputs in gross value. Moreover, primary agriculture contributes indirectly to growth in other sectors by stimulating demand for supplies of goods
and services to farmers (agricultural transport, storage, and marketing, as well as consumer goods); by providing raw materials to processors; and by providing urban workers with food at affordable prices. Food takes a high share of urban household budgets, ranging from 58 percent in Dar es Salaam to 65 percent in other towns. Some but
not all of those secondary effects of farm growth are captured in the contribution of
97
98
HENRY GORDON
FIGURE 5.1 Average Annual Agricultural Growth, 1990–2003
4
annual growth (%)
3
2
1
0
⫺1
East Asia and Europe and Latin America Middle East
Pacific
Central Asia
and the
and North
Caribbean
Africa
South Asia
Sub-Saharan
Africa
region
Source: World Bank 2005g.
TABLE 5.1 Sectoral and Subsectoral Contributions to GDP Growth, 1995–2003
(percent)
National
accounts
components
Subcomponents
Manufacturing
Nonagricultural manufacturing
and services
Primary agriculture
Totala
Annual
growth
Share of
GDP
Contribution to
GDP growth
5.8
32
39
and services
Agribusinessa
5.8
19
23
Crops
3.8
36
28
Livestock
3.3
6
4
Forestry and hunting
3.1
3
2
Fishing
5.1
3
3
100
100
Source: Author’s computations from national accounts data with agribusiness shares taken from Jaffee and others
2003.
a. Numbers do not add because of rounding.
agribusiness to GDP growth, estimated at 23 percent.3 Together, primary agriculture
and agribusiness contributed roughly 60 percent to Tanzania’s growth in GDP between 1995 and 2003.
The positive performance of agriculture, particularly in the latter part of the period,
is all the more remarkable because it was achieved when global prices for major export commodities (coffee, cotton, cashews, tea, and tobacco) were low and when the
appreciation of the shilling was depressing producers’ incentives.
Despite the positive performance overall, Tanzania’s recent agricultural growth is
not sufficient to meet the ambitious goals embodied in the national poverty reduction
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
99
constant 2000 US$ per agricultural worker
FIGURE 5.2 Labor Productivity Levels in Tanzania and Comparators, 1990–2002
380
360
340
320
300
280
260
240
220
1990
1992
1994
Asia developing
1996
year
1998
Sub-Saharan Africa
2000
2002
Tanzania
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators data.
Note: Countries with incomplete data for series are excluded. Asia developing includes China and India.
Sub-Saharan Africa excludes South Africa.
strategy. The strategy sets a target of sustained agricultural growth of 5 percent per
year.4 Achieving this target requires a growth process that is quantitatively faster and
qualitatively different from that of the late 1990s, even though that period was relatively successful. As in much of Africa, growth in Tanzania has depended on expanding the area cultivated, but labor productivity increases have been insufficient to support faster growth and poverty reduction. As shown in figure 5.2, labor productivity
in Africa has trended up only since 1994, with Tanzania’s average level below that of
the Sub-Saharan Africa average. Tanzania’s 1.1 percent per year increase between
1990 and 2003 was lower than that recorded by some of its immediate neighbors, such
as Malawi (5.5 percent), Mozambique (2.3 percent), or Uganda (1.8 percent), as illustrated in figure 5.3.
At 1.1 percent, Tanzania’s labor productivity growth falls far short of the level
needed to reduce rural poverty. Given the country’s 2.3 percent annual increase in its
agricultural labor force, labor productivity must grow at least 2.7 percent per year to
reach a rate of 5.0 percent annual growth in agriculture.5 As figure 5.3 shows, such
increases are rare among the country’s regional neighbors.6
Tanzania’s experience and its strategy for agricultural growth should be seen more
broadly in light of global experience. Countries that have achieved sustained agricultural growth have done so by generating and adopting technological change, resulting in increased joint productivity of land, labor, and capital (total factor productivity). Whether the pattern of technological change has been labor saving or land saving
has depended on which factor is relatively scarcer.7 Countries with abundant land or
100
FIGURE 5.3 Labor Productivity Trends in Tanzania and Region, 1990–2003
(percentage change in agricultural value added per worker)
Botswana
⫺3.46
Kenya
⫺1.50
Burundi
⫺1.43
Congo, Dem. Rep. of
⫺1.26
Ethiopia
⫺0.52
Madagascar
⫺0.38
Swaziland
0.03
Seychelles
0.13
Congo, Rep. of
0.15
Lesotho
0.88
Tanzania
1.13
Comoros
1.14
Rwanda
Uganda
Zimbabwe
Zambia
Mozambique
South Africa
Malawi
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators data.
1.78
1.82
1.92
2.15
2.30
2.45
5.46
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
101
rapid expansion of off-farm work have expanded the area cultivated per worker by
adopting labor-saving technologies, typically involving improved machines, implements, and animal power. Given the relative abundance of land in Tanzania, a sectoral
growth strategy reliant on expansion of area could be considered consistent with the
resource endowment. It would follow the historic path of other land-rich countries, such
as Argentina, Australia, Canada, the Russian Federation, and the United States. In
those countries, labor productivity rose sharply as additional land was brought into
cultivation. Growth in those countries was accompanied by marked structural change
in farming and by rapid technological change, largely in mechanical technology, that
reduced labor requirements in agriculture.
Although several African countries have an endowment of land sufficient to follow
this course, few have done so successfully, at least on a widespread basis. In some
cases, the property rights regime constrained access to land; in others, mechanical or
animal draft innovations were limited by poor access to output markets, too limited
a range of appropriate and affordable technologies for farmers’ conditions, and thin
or nonexistent markets for long-term credit and for nonbank financial services such
as leasing.
A second path involves adopting technologies that increase the productivity of land.
Yield increases in crops were the defining characteristic of the Green Revolution in landscarce Asia, transforming the rural sectors between the 1960s and the 1990s. Those
increases were preceded by hundreds of years of investment in irrigation. The investment in irrigation complemented the new biological technologies and reduced the
risks associated with their adoption, while creating a homogeneous production environment more amenable to accepting “broad spectrum” seed packages. New breeds
of livestock and more efficient feeding regimes correspondingly increased the yield of
meat and milk per unit of land devoted to fodder. In Tanzania, as elsewhere in Africa,
increases in the productivity of land on the scale of the Asian Green Revolution have
been elusive, although some progress has been achieved in the uptake of improved
varieties of maize, beans, and cassava.
In either of the growth paths described above, the productivity of scarce factors
increases, raising the returns to and the value of those factors. A dynamic process of
adjustment starts whereby rural households invest in education, implements, technology, and land. Farm size and structure change in response to economic signals.
The agricultural growth process in the 1990s, with its modest increases in labor productivity and stagnant yields of most crops, derived largely from area expansion.8
Data from the 2002/03 agricultural sample survey suggest that between 1998/99 and
2002/03 there has been no further expansion of arable land under cultivation. Examples of labor-saving innovation exist—for example, land expansion through increased
use of animal traction in the land-abundant Rukwa region. However, a significant
portion of agricultural growth involved keeping up with population growth by expanding cultivated area using existing production methods. Had this growth path not been
an option, food security would have declined as the labor force expanded, rather than
holding its own or improving modestly. But for the sector as a whole, a more widespread pattern of technological change is necessary, one that is adapted to regionally
102
HENRY GORDON
varied factor endowments and to Tanzania’s extraordinarily diverse production environments. Moreover, land expansion using existing techniques carries environmental
costs as forests and wildlife areas are encroached on, as increasingly marginal land comes
into cultivation, and as fish stocks are depleted.
Tanzania’s agricultural growth path needs to combine features of the land-intensive
and labor-intensive models that conserve the resource base and thus, of necessity, will
differ from the experience of the 1990s. Because of the diversity of Tanzania’s endowments and agroclimatic conditions, growth paths deriving from better cultivation of
larger tracts will be optimal in more land-abundant parts of the country such as the
southern highlands, whereas those associated with high yields and intensive cultivation will suit such areas as Morogoro and Kilimanjaro. Where an increase in area per
worker is possible (for example, in relatively land-abundant areas such as Rukwa or
where growing urban centers draw workers away from farms), yield increases will be
less necessary. The converse applies to areas where land and off-farm jobs are scarce.
This situation exists because of an adding-up requirement: the change in labor productivity must equal the change in land productivity plus the change in area per worker.
Table 5.2 illustrates the trade-off, showing different combinations of change in land
per worker and change in land productivity that are required to meet a 2.7 percent rate
of increase in agricultural labor productivity.
Agriculture’s value added can grow not only through expansion of cultivated area
or increases in yield but also through changes in the composition of output that shift
production out of activities with low or negative value added into existing or new activities with higher profitability. Such a process underpinned Kenya’s successful smallholder-based growth in the 1970s and 1980s. Table 5.3 shows that such a process is
beginning in Tanzania, as production has shifted to nontraditional exports and importcompeting commodities.
A significant portion of the contribution of nontraditional exports to sectoral growth
derives from maize (a regional export) and pulses. These products are classified as
nontraditional exports simply because in the past they were produced largely for home
consumption and trade was of low volume and informal. The performance of maize
is particularly notable, because the decision to open the borders to trade in maize was
TABLE 5.2 Labor Productivity Growth: Contributing Factors
(percent)
Target yearly increase
in agricultural labor
productivity
2.7
Assumption regarding annual change in land
cultivated per agricultural worker
Required annual
increase in land
productivity
0
2.7
(no future growth in area per worker)
1.1
1.6
(future area/worker growth same as in past)
1.7
(future area/worker growth higher than in past
because of labor-saving innovations)
Source: Author’s calculations.
1.0
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
103
TABLE 5.3 Contributions of Subsectors to 5.3 Percent Growth in Agricultural Gross
Value of Production, 1995/96–2002/03
(percent)
Subsector
Growth rate
Share of agricultural
gross value
of production
Growth contribution
Crops
5.5
87
4.8
Livestock
4.2
13
0.6
Total
100
5.3
⫺6.9
7
⫺0.5
Nontraditional exports
7.5
40
3.0
Importables
6.5
26
1.7
Nontradables
4.1
26
1.1
100
5.3
Traditional exports
Total
Source: United Republic of Tanzania 2004a.
Note: Numbers may not sum because of rounding. Some readers will note that the 5.3 percent rate of growth in
this table differs from the 4 percent rate cited in chapter 1. Here the figure is based on a different sectoral aggregate, the gross value of production. The rate in chapter 1, which is the more widely cited agricultural growth statistic, is based on the growth rate of agricultural GDP, which nets out purchased inputs and covers a broader array of
products than does gross value of production.
very controversial, potentially exposing the country to vulnerability in a commodity
important to domestic food security. The growth in exports of maize has not brought
about domestic shortages, because supply has grown commensurately. Production of
fish from Lake Victoria is not included in the aggregate, but its inclusion would increase
further the contribution of nontraditional exports to sectoral growth. One nontraditional export crop, pyrethrum, had an impressive annual growth trend of 23 percent
over the period from 1995/96 to 2002/03, but because of its low share in the total value
of agricultural production, its contribution (measured in the table as rate of growth
times share in gross value of production) was small.
Import-competing commodities with high income elasticities constituted a surprisingly high share of sectoral growth,9 accounting for almost one-third. Examples of commodities with strong performance include rice and livestock products (milk and dairy—
especially yogurt and poultry). This finding illustrates the need for an approach to
supporting agricultural growth that recognizes the diversity of the sector. Maize is
clearly a dominant crop, accounting for more than 30 percent of the gross value of agriculture production, and it is singularly important for food security. Yet no single commodity or group of commodities can be preselected as the one that will deliver the desired sectoral performance. Traditional export crops must not be forgotten. Although
not performing well in recent years because of low global prices (particularly for coffee, cotton, and cashews), traditional crops have shown signs of revival since 2003 (particularly cotton and tobacco). This recovery may be due in part to the recent depreciation of the shilling in real terms. Finally, nontradables (bananas, potatoes) appear to
have a robust domestic market.
Assessment of the sources of Tanzania’s agricultural growth since 1990 thus leads
to the conclusion that although aggregate growth is commendable by regional and even
global standards, that growth has been of a magnitude and nature insufficient to meet
the country’s objectives for the future. Agriculture has not led national growth, even
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HENRY GORDON
though the sectoral endowment is quite favorable. Past growth derived in large part
from expanding the area under cultivation to meet growing domestic and regional
food demand. What technological change occurred has not been sufficiently widespread to induce higher sectorwide incomes. Improved opportunities for trade, particularly in cereals, have led to some increase in food security and some shift of area
away from products for household consumption toward products destined for markets. This change in the composition of output represents an important target of opportunity for the future. But income per worker has not yet increased appreciably,
and the gap in incomes between farming families and those in more dynamic sectors
has widened.
The lessons of the agricultural growth experience of the recent past have important
implications for the future. Expansion of cultivated area is likely to remain important,
but it cannot be the sole source of growth, because land and labor endowments vary
considerably between and within regions. Research and marketing strategies need to
be more location specific, and the decentralization of research and public administration is beginning to support this shift. Future expansion of area cultivated must be accompanied by greater investment in land improvements for both existing and newly
cultivated area. In areas with higher population densities and adequate market access,
more emphasis needs to be put on generating and adopting technologies that increase
land productivity. Shifts in the composition of output toward products with higher value
added will be important to drive growth—in some cases, the most important shifts.
These shifts will depend heavily on improving the outreach of agricultural markets, as
well as the capacity of farmers to coordinate among themselves to expand their marketing options and take advantage of economies of scale in transport and storage.
The imperatives of the growth process determine the priorities for public support.
Improvements in land require attention to land tenure issues and mobility of land
through functioning factor (especially land and labor) markets. Accelerated adoption
of technology requires public investments in its generation and dissemination through
support for effective agricultural research and advisory services, as well as publicprivate cost sharing for early phases of adoption. Shifts in the composition of output
require well-functioning markets and declining transaction costs. Costs of transportation and communications are important, but so is the quality of the business environment in rural areas, which either attracts or repels competitive enterprises that can interact profitably with primary producers.
To achieve ambitious sectoral targets for growth, the government needs to persevere with policy reforms started in the 1990s and complete the unfinished agenda
without regression or reversals. In addition, it is critical that the government rebalance
public expenditure to align with its objective of broad-based growth. Continued technological and financial assistance from development partners will be needed, as will
reductions in industrial countries’ farm subsidies, which distort international agricultural markets. The private sector must seize new opportunities opened in agricultural
production, trade, processing, and input supply and, in most cases, can be counted on
to do so if the business and regulatory environment improves.
These requirements underscore two enduring themes of Tanzanian agriculture that
provide a strong basis for future growth. First, farmers are a diverse group, not lim-
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
105
ited to the stereotypical image of the peasant household with hoe technology, providing its members with food and a small commercial surplus. Rather, a range of households operate in diverse farming systems, with varying degrees of market involvement.
Second, Tanzanian farmers—wherever they lie on the continuum between subsistence
and commercial orientation—have continually proven themselves resourceful, market
oriented, and eager to respond to market opportunities.
A successful tripartite partnership between the government, the development partners, and the private sector can nurture a growth process that is more protective of the
natural resource base than in the past and more effective in increasing labor productivity, the key indicator of improved farm incomes and poverty reduction. Government
policy actions and decisions on institutional reform and public expenditure set the
context in which the agricultural sector can grow to meet the high national expectations—or fall substantially short. Given the stated goal for sustained sectoral growth
of 5 percent per year, only an ambitious agenda of reforms and well-chosen public expenditure can be expected to succeed. More limited actions require amendment of the
growth and poverty reduction targets or entail recognition from the outset that they
will not be met.
Removing Constraints on Agricultural Growth
Although microlevel studies repeatedly emphasize the financial and economic profitability of farming in Tanzania, as well as the benefits associated with technology adoption,
the agricultural sector appears to be far from a productivity take-off. Yet there are signs
of real progress in the forms of market- and farm-level innovation and emerging institutions that can provide a foundation for accelerated productivity. The analysis of
sources of growth has documented some of the more visible factors. The tremendous
responsiveness of Tanzanian farmers to changing market conditions has accounted, in
part, for the good agricultural growth record recently, in the face of highly unfavorable prices for traditional exports.
Owing to the many farm- and market-level constraints on smallholder producers,
there is a vital, positive role for national government and local institutions in enabling agricultural growth and rural poverty reduction. Removal of constraints on agricultural marketing, processing, and farm productivity requires focus on the following:
• Improved implementation of land tenure and reforms
• Expansion of agricultural research effort, continued research and extension focus
on client responsiveness and engagement of farmers in the research process, and
strong emphasis on sustainable use of land and water resources
• Irrigation improvements
• Support for improved functioning of output and input markets and for associated
rural services, including finance.
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HENRY GORDON
Management of Land for Agricultural Growth
As shown in table 5.4, Tanzania is a large country, primarily rural, with only a modest proportion of land currently used for agriculture. Although land appears to be
ample, rural areas suffer from a frequency of disputes over land and insecurity of
tenure that one would expect to see only in a country with a higher density of settlement and, hence, greater competition for land. These circumstances derive in part
from the colonial legacy of land administration, in part from the disruptions of the villagization campaign of the 1970s, and in part from the subsequent delay in adjusting
land policy and administration to the needs of a changing market economy. Factors
limiting the mobility of farm families from areas of greater to lower population density may also be important.
To address the growing problems, the country passed the national land policy of
1995. The policy provides more expeditious access, enhanced security of tenure, and
better management of land as a natural resource. Implementation of the policy is defined under three main pieces of legislation: the Land Act, No. 4 of 1999; the Village
Land Act, No. 5 of 1999; and the Land Disputes Courts Act, No. 2 of 2002. Commonly referred to as the new land laws of mainland Tanzania, these laws replace the
Land Ordinance of 1953. Given the large-scale movement of people under the villagization program and the separation of households from their traditional lands, the
current law recognizes that land rights are confirmed through long-term occupancy,
use, and development of the land.
A plan of actions and investments to implement the laws was drawn up in 2005.10
Under the laws, all land is state property under the trusteeship of the president. It is
allocated for use under varying forms of tenure, foremost of which is the 99-year
TABLE 5.4 Land Use and Potential for Agricultural Land Expansion, Mid-1990s
Land use
Urban
Hectares
(million)
Share of total
land area (%)
0.065
0.1
Protected forest/woodland
13.838
15.0
Other protected (wildlife, national park)
13.291
14.0
Temporary crops
3.700
4.0
Pasture
6.150
6.5
Permanent crops
0.950
1.5
26.321
28.0
7.000
7.0
Rural protected land
Agricultural land currently used (10.8 million hectares)
Rural unprotected land—available but not used
Unprotected forest/woodland
Suitable for cropping but unused
Grassland/bushland not suitable for cropping; may be suitable
for grazinga (may include some water area)
Total land area
23.221
25.0
94.536
100.0
Source: FAO and World Bank 2001.
a. As much as 25 percent of potentially suitable pasture land is affected by the tsetse fly and cannot be used for
cattle at present.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
107
leasehold. The plan identifies separate actions for the three main categories of land: village land, urban land, and reserve land.
For village land, attention is focused on clarifying village boundaries to reduce conflicts over encroachment, surveying and demarcating plots within the village, distributing certificates of customary rights of occupancy, establishing village land councils,
and introducing formal working links and vertical-horizontal reporting relationships
between community-based organizations (CBOs), nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs), and district land offices. The program also seeks to set upper and lower limits on plot sizes, to prevent excessive fragmentation or concentration of village land
holdings.
The plan of action in the reserve lands aims at clarifying and demarcating boundaries of conservation areas, game reserves, and national parks to resolve concerns of
adjoining villages. Land rights for pastoral and nomadic peoples remain controversial;
the strategic plan for land states simply that nomadic livelihoods are not consistent with
sustainable and undisputed land rights. For all categories of land, the program outlines
a process of documentation, public education, staffing, and capacity building to provide adequate attestation of land rights and resolution of disputes.
The program emphasizes affirmation of existing land rights and reduction of conflict. This emphasis emerged from broad consultation with stakeholders leading up to
the formulation of the policy and legislation, and it clearly responds to immediate
needs. The framework supports transactions in rural land, in particular by clarifying
boundaries to prevent disputes that would otherwise stymie transactions. Little emphasis is accorded to detailed planning for the increased volume of transactions that can
be expected as the agricultural economy becomes more dynamic.
Although it calls for setting limits on the upper and lower sizes of holdings, the program does not address the practical details associated with limits. Will limits be uniform, or will they vary by locality? According to what criteria will they be set? How
will they be enforced? Upper limits on the size of holdings have been difficult to enforce. Where lower limits have been enforced, as in the restrictions on subdivision in
South Africa under apartheid, they have had negative economic and social effects and
have been difficult to reverse, even after a change in the political order that imposed
them. In Tanzania, the proposed restrictions on subdivision are intended to prevent trapping people on small and diminishing plots in an environment where land is relatively
abundant. Yet because land is abundant, legal restrictions on plot size may not be necessary if land markets can be made fluid enough and if resources can be made available to facilitate voluntary migration.
The program recognizes that some aspirants will not be able to get land in their own
localities if lower limits on plot sizes are introduced. It thus recommends establishment
of a voluntary resettlement program to accommodate those demands. Such a program
could be regarded as a homesteading program, open to any interested and qualified participant seeking to move where land is available for agricultural production. The program could be designed as a public-private partnership in which the public sector
makes land available; provides a right to conditional use for an initial period; assists
with costs of relocation; provides infrastructure to meet defined minimal standards
(roads, water, public services if not already offered); and leverages resources that the
108
HENRY GORDON
participant invests according to a formula for matching grants. Participants could
bring their investment as their share of the matching grant and commit to working the
land for a period of time, after which the right to conditional use would be converted
to a 99-year leasehold and would be recorded as such.
The land program document refers broadly to a national village resettlement scheme
without further elaborating on the scheme’s design. Such a program could successfully
draw on experience in Africa and in Latin America and would benefit from the other
activities foreseen under the land program. Those activities will assist in clarifying
which lands could be brought into the program on the supply side without compromising commitments to reserves or the rights of current users. Facilitating the mobility of land through transactions could forestall the need to set legal restrictions on
plot size and simultaneously serve the growth agenda.
Technological Change to Foster Growth: Generation, Dissemination,
and Adoption
Given the sustained rapid growth of the population, the limited creation of employment
outside agriculture, and the rapid increase in area farmed per worker (through outmigration or increased off-farm rural employment), it will be a challenge to achieve more
rapid growth in labor productivity. Sustained increases in labor productivity and rural
incomes therefore depend on more rapid technological change that is either labor saving or land conserving, depending on local endowments and marketing options.
A successful dynamic of technological change in the smallholder sector starts with
increased productivity in the products that farm households produce for their own consumption. Often a distinction is drawn between food crops and cash crops, but this
distinction is no longer helpful because most food crops now serve a cash crop function. Maize and cassava are often considered food crops, as opposed to cash crops such
as cotton and coffee. Yet maize and cassava have considerable importance as cash
crops because market demand exists for them in raw and processed forms.
As producers realize productivity gains in products for their own consumption,
they can sequentially reduce the area devoted to that consumption and increase the area
devoted to products for markets. This shift may mean simply marketing more of the
same product or taking advantage of opportunities to shift into products with higher
profitability. Increased productivity allows smallholders to move incrementally from
subsistence to commercial farming.
Higher profitability translates into higher earnings, with increased savings, investment in land improvement, and ability to finance inputs for profitable production in
the next season. Demand for locally produced nonfarm goods and services also increases—for tin roofs, pumps for water management, implements for conservation
tillage, and other items. The initial increase in productivity thus multiplies to support
greater dynamism in agriculture and local rural growth.
Three elements must be present in the technology system to trigger the initial round
of increased productivity:
• Researchers must have developed new varieties and production techniques that are
profitable under the conditions that smallholders face.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
109
• Producers must have information about the availability of the varieties and guidance on how to use them.
• Money must be available to cover the costs of early adoption of the new varieties.
All three elements—the varieties, the knowledge, and the financing—must be linked
in a way that provides access for smallholders.
Tanzania has invested in elements of the technology system with some success. Indeed, past investments in research and extension explain part of the recent good performance of the sector. During the early 1990s, agricultural services consisted primarily of centralized, supply-driven public services through the then Ministry of Agriculture
and Cooperatives (MAC).11 Crop and livestock services were integrated and organized around three main domains: research, training, and extension. Technical services
were handled separately.
As the 1990s progressed, shortcomings in the technology system became clear, and
adjustments were made in particular aspects. The technology transfer model inherent
in the Training and Visitation extension system was found to be unsustainable because of the high costs of service delivery. Extension approaches barely took into account the concerns, needs, and involvement of farmers. As a result, the majority of the
farmers either did not access the services or, if they did, often found them irrelevant.
Decentralization of research was initiated in the early 1990s with the establishment of
seven agricultural research zones. The farming systems approach was adopted in research operations to strengthen the link between researchers and farmers. That approach
was followed by the introduction of the client-oriented research management approach
in selected zones. Research for coffee, tobacco, and tea was privatized and funded
largely by a combination of direct donor support and a cess on producers. In 2000,
the former MAC was divided into three ministries: the Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Security (MAFS), the Ministry of Water and Livestock Development (MWLD), and the
Ministry of Cooperatives and Marketing (MCM). This division fragmented some of
the research efforts and introduced new requirements for coordination (for example,
livestock and crops for integrated farming systems were handled by different ministries, as were crops and investments in irrigation schemes). In 2005, the three ministries were consolidated into two, namely, the Ministry for Agriculture, Food Security, and Cooperatives (MAFSC) and the Ministry for Livestock Development (MLD).
Research undertaken in the 1990s addressed varietal improvements in the crop sector, new breeds in livestock, pest and disease management, improved management of
soil fertility, and reduction of postharvest losses. A summary of selected achievements
appears in table 5.5.
These and other research results were produced by the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), which comprises various public organizations—namely, the Department of Research and Development (DRD), the Tropical Pesticides Research Institute, several universities, and the Tanzania Forestry Research Institute—along with
private sector organizations, which include crop research institutes for tobacco, coffee, and tea. The DRD of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Cooperatives
is the lead institution of NARS. It is tasked with the public role of conducting, coordinating, and directing agricultural research in the country. The DRD operates a network of more than 50 research institutes and associated centers and substations, which
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HENRY GORDON
TABLE 5.5 Inventory of Technologies Coming Out of the Research System
in the 1990s
Innovation
Existing or pipeline technologies
Maize varietal improvement
Maize gray leaf spot–tolerant and high-yielding varieties (UH 615, UH 6303)
have been developed and adopted widely in high-altitude areas with severe crop loss.
Cassava
Cassava mosaic disease–tolerant clones have been developed. Cassava mealy
bug reduces yield by 80–100%.
Cassava postharvest losses
Improved processing equipment has been tested and recommended and is
now available.
Bean disease resistance
Improved varieties Uyole 94, Uyole 96, Uyole 98, and Kabanima are high
yielding and tolerate diseases.
Bean multiplication
Bean Improvement Program supports seed multiplication.
Bean maggot control
Combination of integrated pest management and cultivation techniques
reduces population of maggots and magnitude of loss.
Tomato seed development
Tanya and Tengeru 97 tomato varieties increase yields and incomes and
reduce dependence on imported seeds.
Cashew disease
Plant protection agents (sulfur, organic fungicide Anvil, Bayfidan, and Topas)
reduce powdery mildew disease; 20 clonal varieties have been identified as
potentially high yielding and tolerant of diseases and pests.
Banana pests
Nematodes and weevils are managed through application of plant protection
agents, varietal improvements, and cultural practices.
Deforestation in tobacco areas
Varieties suitable for fuelwood and enhancement of soil fertility have been
developed and introduced through agroforestry.
Cattle breeds
Dual-purpose Mpwapwa cattle have been introduced in pilot villages, and
milk production increased from 1–2 liters/day to 5–7 liters/day under
farmer management.
Goat breeds
Dual-purpose goats with live weights of up to 45 kg and milk yields of
1.5 liters/day have been introduced.
Newcastle disease for chickens
Thermostable vaccine (I-2) is available for control in rural areas.
Rice variety
Popular aromatic variety has been developed.
Source: World Bank 2004e.
cover the main areas of crops and livestock research in the country. The main research
effort comes from seven zonal research and development centers (ZRDCs), each comprising a lead station and associated centers and substations. The ZRDCs are located
in the seven agroecological zones and are responsible for both applied and locationspecific adaptive research and training. There are also a few institutes that are not under the zonal research setup and that undertake specialized research work. They include the Animal Diseases Research Institute in Temeke, Dar es Salaam, and the Tsetse
and Trypanosomiasis Research Institute in Tanga. These institutes have a national
mandate and are responsible for the design and evaluation of nationwide research
programs in collaboration with the zonal centers.
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Throughout much of the 1990s, with the support of several development partners,
including the World Bank, Tanzania’s agricultural extension program followed the
traditional and centralized model of training and visitation. By the end of the 1990s,
evidence emerged that the cost of the program was high and unsustainable and that
its effectiveness was limited. At the same time, commitments to decentralize service
delivery under the local government reform program made the traditional administrative framework for extension untenable. In December 2000, a new approach to extension was developed under the Vision and Strategy Outline to Year 2010 (MAFS 2001).
It involved an incremental shift to an extension service that is responsive to clients, pluralistic in the delivery of services, cost-effective, and sensitive to the gender mix in
Tanzania’s agricultural sector.
Several pilot activities helped to make the vision a reality. The pilot initiatives were
designed to test modalities for training, delivery of technical advice, and strengthening of support for marketing and economic decision making, as well as to provide
technical expertise. The period from 2000 to 2005 was a challenging one for the extension service, as staff at national and district levels sorted out the implications of decentralization and pilot efforts in alternative modalities of service delivery were designed
and implemented. Despite some institutional confusion and scarcity of resources because of mismatches between the fiscal and the administrative decentralization, extension continued to function and, together with the research establishment, contributed
to the growth in output over this period.
Farmer organizations, together with research and extension services, are key contributors to the technology system. MVIWATA (Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima
Tanzania), the country’s main farmer group network, has built an impressive organization up to the national level. Since its formation in 1993, MVIWATA has expanded
to cover 120 local networks with some 1,000 affiliated groups in more than 80 districts (representing some 50,000 to 70,000 households). A number of other groups operate at the community level, either independently or with NGOs. They have played
an active role in the generation and transfer of technology.12 Farmer groups improve
access to technology (for example, through experiential learning, as in farmer research
groups and farmer field school groups); to funding (for example, through credit and
savings groups); to crop processing and marketing (through commodity marketing
groups); to livestock production (through dairy or poultry groups); to gender-based
activities; and to member support in case of need (through indigenous and traditional,
religious, and culturally based groups).
The contribution of agricultural research, extension, and empowerment of farmers in the 1990s and early 2000s was positive but also limited by several factors. Services generally focused on increasing production through short-term technical packages, without paying sufficient attention to farmers’ circumstances, markets, and
sustainability. Despite various attempts to strengthen them, the links between research, extension, and training were weak, and collaboration between public and
private partners was limited. Disproportionate emphasis was placed on generating
and disseminating technology, and less on empowering farmers (in terms of both
skills and finance) to adopt the technology. As a consequence of weak links in the system, research did not always focus on technologies that had the greatest potential
effect on production systems. Technical breakthroughs did not yield good economic
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returns. And promising technologies remained on the shelf because of lack of knowledge or financing for adoption. Ruptured links in the technology chain reduced returns to investments in each of the elements. Moreover, the system was underfinanced—but given the somewhat depressed returns resulting from the institutional
deficiencies, underfinancing was an appropriate response.
Under the Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP), a major reform of
the institutional structure of the agricultural technology system has been designed and
is being implemented. The reform embodies the following guiding principles:
• Client and farmer empowerment. Through knowledge, control of funds, influence
on organizations, and institutional change, farmers acquire the capacity to analyze
their constraints and identify opportunities, articulate their needs, exchange knowledge, access the services they need, become active partners, improve their bargaining power, and have final jurisdiction over the disposition of funds provided to ensure that they receive the services they need and demand. Farmers’ organizations and
CBOs and networks are promoted and strengthened to become key development
partners.
• Demand-driven and market-led technology development and adaptation. Farmers
select, test, compare, and adapt appropriate technological, service, and market
options.
• Pluralism of providers of services and approaches. Diverse methodologies, processes,
and funding, as well as service providers, are supported. Public funding for the system remains important, but services can be provided by public extension workers,
NGOs, and private advisers.
• Subsidiarity. A constructive division of labor between the national, district, and local levels is maintained. At the national level, the extension service feeds knowledge
into the system through provision of training, identification of new approaches and
technologies, and preparation of materials. Service standards are also defined and
enforced at the national level. At the local level, organizations contract the most suitable service providers, both public and private.
• Focus on economics and natural resource management, HIV/AIDS and malaria, and
technical solutions. Agricultural service providers assist in issues related to economic decision making and management of soil, forests, and water.
• Transparency and accountability. Accountability is built in through performance contracts, performance monitoring, and the ability of farmers to choose their providers.
Farmers’ feedback on services is integrated into the periodic evaluation of service
providers.
The reforms in the system operate at the village and ward levels, the district level,
the zonal level (through the zonal agricultural research stations), and the national level
(through the line ministries). Financing is made available at each level, as, for example, through the competitive Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Funds.
At the village level, farmers are encouraged to organize into voluntary groups and
are empowered to articulate demand for—and control over—agricultural services. The
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113
interventions build on successful grassroots, bottom-up initiatives and operations,
such as MVIWATA groups, farmer field school groups, and the like. Farmer groups
will continue to access public services, while also contracting more private service
providers.
At the ward level, a Ward Farmer Forum will be established to aggregate, prioritize, and present demands for services. The ward extension team will typically
comprise one to three government extension staff members based at the ward or village level, as appropriate, depending on the degree of coverage of private and NGO
services. The extension staff will be trained to facilitate agricultural development, both
providing services directly according to their expertise and assisting groups in accessing other services as needed.
At the district level, each district council and administration develops a District
Agricultural Development Plan (DADP), to be funded in part through a conditional
grant called the District Agricultural Development Grant (DADG). The grant will pay
for locally financed services, for investment in local infrastructure of high priority
(such as roads and bridges to improve marketing), and for cost sharing for adoption
of new technologies. The staffing of the District Agricultural Sector Office will be revised to reflect the new functions. The role of the DADGs is very promising because
it brings together the administrative and fiscal architecture of the local government reform and institutional reforms in agricultural services.
At the national level, the agricultural sector line ministries are responsible for policy, regulatory, and planning functions. In the institutional restructuring to support
agricultural services and investment at the district level under the ASDP, the fragmentation of the line ministries at the national level is difficult to justify (because
core elements of their previous responsibilities have shifted to the district levels) and
is costly.
Irrigation to Raise Productivity and Incomes
Tanzania is well endowed with water, both on the surface and below it, but the country suffers, nevertheless, from water shortages because of insufficient capacity to store
and access water. Cumulatively, the lakes, wetlands, and aquifers provide huge natural
storage capacity. The country also has 2.7 million hectares of wetlands (in Usangu
and Malagarasi). Total renewable water resources are estimated at about 80 cubic
kilometers per year, of which 30 cubic kilometers per year is groundwater (FAO 2004).
Several hydrological studies indicate locations where water tables are shallow and water yield is potentially quite significant (JICA 2002). Some of the areas with high
groundwater potential include the following:
• Makutupora in the Dodoma region and Ruvu basin in the Coast region
• Sanya-Hale plain in the Pangani basin
• Arusha and the Karoo sandstone in the Tanga region
• Fault zones around Kilimanjaro
• Parts of Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya, Mtwara, and Lindi.
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The National Irrigation Master Plan confirms that abundant groundwater is available in several regions—for example, in the volcanic areas of northern and southern
Tanzania as well as in the sedimentary coastal basins (JICA 2002).
Tanzania’s ample water is matched by ample land suitable for irrigation. Of the 44
million hectares suitable for agricultural production, only 10 million are under cultivation and only 200,000 are irrigated. This fraction represents a mere 2 percent of the
cultivated area in the country. It is estimated that up to 2 million hectares could be irrigated. Approximately three-fourths of the area currently irrigated is farmed by smallholders in about 600 small-scale irrigation schemes, usually using diversions and furrows in one of the nine major river basins. Very little irrigation is drawn from
groundwater; this lack of activity is a promising area for future development, with direct and affordable benefits to the poor. Rice is by far the most important crop irrigated
in Tanzania, but sugarcane is also irrigated.
Irrigation is constrained by the affordability of the investments required and by the
profitability of their use. Even the relatively modest implements needed for localized
access to groundwater are more expensive in Tanzania than in, for example, India—
by a factor of about three (FAO 1997). Researchers from the United Kingdom’s Cranfield University found, “In Africa, the cost of a borehole drilled by a truck-mounted
rig can be extremely high, costing as much as 10 to 20 times the cost of the drilling
and pump in Asia. High unit costs mean that too few wells are drilled and communities and farmers remain dependent on international aid programs for this form of infrastructure development” (Carter 1999). And to compound the adverse impact of
high initial costs, producers face difficulties in accessing high-yielding varieties and
moving products to market. Irrigation and agricultural productivity are clearly intimately linked, and neither can advance substantially independently from the other.
A suitably designed groundwater irrigation system could reduce reliance on large
bodies of water, including rivers and lakes, and could promote more sustainable use
of locally sourced and managed irrigation systems. Surface water available varies with
rainfall, so open wells and borehole tubewells can be constructed to spread the availability of water throughout the growing season. Compared with large surface irrigation schemes—the design of which is driven by topography and hydraulics—groundwater development is often much more amenable to poverty targeting and is generally
less capital intensive.
Groundwater irrigation can complement irrigation using surface water. Integrating
groundwater extraction with rainwater harvesting and watershed management, along
with efficient water distribution systems, leads to reliable, cost-effective irrigation systems.
Groundwater can be extracted and distributed in three ways:
• Open wells. Over a broad part of the country groundwater development has concentrated mainly on shallow open wells for domestic purposes. The Ministry of
Agriculture estimated in 1996/97 that the cost of digging a well is about US$3,000.
• Borehole tubewells. Shallow tubewells can be drilled by hand with simple tools similar to soil augers, by power rotary drilling, or by a drilling method. Drilling a borehole, along with installing pumps and pipes, costs up to US$8,000 in Tanzania.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
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• Rainwater harvesting. Rainwater harvesting, which has received greater attention
in recent years, refers to the small-scale concentration, collection, storage, and use
of rainwater runoff for both domestic and agricultural use. Rainwater runoff can
be stored behind bunds or in tanks. In areas with vast terrain and gentle slope, it is
possible to construct small and medium tanks to collect and store water during
heavy rains for supplemental irrigation during the rainy season and full irrigation
during the dry season. These tanks can also help recharge aquifers, which feed into
open wells or tubewells. The average cost of a tank to store about 30,000 cubic meters of water is about US$4,000; that tank will irrigate about 2.5 hectares of paddy
or 5.0 hectares of fruits and vegetables.
These costs are very high. In South Asia, rapid groundwater development has supported a booming pump industry, which is characterized by both economies of scale
and intense competition. As a result, South Asia’s rural poor have benefited from low
costs for drilling and pumps. In Tanzania, however, pump irrigation development is
limited and the costs of drilling and pumping equipment are beyond the reach of smallholders. In Nigeria, by contrast, technical innovations reduced the cost of constructing shallow tubewells by about two-thirds between 1983 and 1990, with a commensurate increase in activity.
Tubewells and open wells are easy to manage and can irrigate up to 5 hectares. The
maintenance of the pump or well is local, and farmers have a direct stake in its upkeep
and usage. Individuals or groups of farmers can invest on their own initiative. Efficient
distribution methods such as hand or treadle pumps and drip irrigation can lift and
distribute water. Because pumping water, whether it is done manually or with electricity, involves direct costs to farmers, the expense encourages efficient use.
To promote the expansion of smallholder irrigation, poor farmers must have access
to cost-effective irrigation technologies that provide a rapid return on investment.
They must also have a reliable supply of improved crop varieties and other inputs, as
well as land tenure rights and markets to absorb increased production. Public and
private investments in the assessment of the supply and quality of groundwater, in the
regulation of groundwater extraction, and in technical support to farmers are needed
to enable groundwater irrigation—and thereby help reduce poverty. These efforts may
require institutional interventions to provide technical know-how, support agriculture research and extension, improve land tenure, and develop markets and infrastructure (table 5.6).
If smallholder groundwater irrigation is to be sustainable, watersheds must be well
managed to ensure adequate recharge. Groundwater recharge may also involve large
areas and several communities.
Access to land and security of tenure remain important constraints on the expansion of irrigation. The efforts noted above to implement land laws, enhance tenure, and
reduce conflicts over land all support the expansion of irrigated area. Expanding the
area irrigated before clarifying the tenure issues that now spawn conflict will increase
the level of conflict along with the value of the underlying asset.
In view of the importance attached to irrigation, the MAC formulated and
adopted the National Irrigation Development Plan in 1994, with support from
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TABLE 5.6 Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development of Smallholder
Irrigation Systems
Required conditions
Targets
Technical self-reliance
Capacity of Irrigation Department staff, local government authorities staff, and
extension workers
Farmers knowledgeable about water management and operations and maintenance
Appropriate choice of technology
Attention to environmental issues
Financial self-reliance
Rationalization of tax regime for small farmers
Better access to financial services, especially savings
Private firms active in supplying equipment and implements
Institutional and
organizational support
Clarity on roles and responsibilities of public servants at district and national levels
Strengthening and reform of Irrigation Section, zonal irrigation units, and local
government authorities
Legal attention to land tenure, water rights, and ownership of and responsibility for
irrigation infrastructure
Improved access to advisory services
Capacity to collect water fees and pay operations and maintenance cost
Investment climate to support growing constellation of small firms manufacturing
equipment and providing services
Source: ASDP Working Group 2 2004.
several development partners. The plan recognizes the deficiencies of past interventions and assigns highest priority to rehabilitation of and low-cost improvements to
existing schemes and traditional water harvesting systems. The plan stresses (a) according the highest priority to the rehabilitation or upgrading of existing irrigation
schemes; (b) upgrading traditional water harvesting technology where more intensive
irrigation is not possible; and (c) investing in new smallholder schemes in those regions where conditions are appropriate and traditional schemes do not exist.
The institutional support for smallholder irrigation development in Tanzania involves
key ministries, district authorities, agencies, and CBOs. MAC support for smallholder
irrigation is provided through zonal irrigation units of the Irrigation Department, and
through a limited number of irrigation technicians and agricultural extension staff
members in the districts. The units have limited planning, designing, and supervision
capacity. The Irrigation Department is expected to provide coordination and policy guidance through its headquarters, as well as specialized technical services on site selection,
survey and design of irrigation infrastructure, and supervision of scheme construction. The MWLD is responsible for collecting and analyzing hydrological data for the
development of water resources and for the issuance of water rights. However, its capacity to fulfill these functions at the district level is extremely limited. Private sector
involvement is expected to increase gradually and to concentrate on infrastructure
construction by contractors and artisans and capacity building of water user associations (WUAs) by specialized training institutions and NGOs.
The new water policy, formulated in 2002, is among the most advanced on the
continent, linking the various subsectors that use water (such as domestic supply,
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
117
irrigation, hydropower, and environment) with water resources management. A new
water sector development strategy, along with legislation and an institutional framework, is being finalized.
Policy reforms in several key areas are needed to underpin the expansion of irrigation. Administrative regulations and restrictions on marketing and trading irrigation
equipment should be simplified or removed. Procedures for importing irrigation equipment—drilling machines, pumps, and so forth—should be simplified (by reducing the
import duty, providing an import subsidy, and so on). Instruments such as microfinance
lending, matching grants, and joint ventures should include among allowable projects
the smallholder groundwater irrigation projects. To support the pursuit of additional
financing, the development partners and the government could join forces with NGOs
such as International Development Enterprises to enhance the supply of low-cost irrigation equipment (for example, treadle pumps and drip irrigation). Finally, actions
that affect the profitability of irrigated agriculture, such as the ongoing adjustment in
the real exchange rate, continued liberalization of trade, and reforms of crop boards,
will also accelerate the expansion of the area irrigated.
Irrigation presents a good array of opportunities for partnerships between the public and private sectors. Open well or tubewell investments are a private good that
should be the responsibility of the beneficiaries of the investment. The public sector role
should generally be limited to establishing a conducive policy and an institutional environment for investment. Direct subsidies for tubewell drilling and operation are best
avoided unless there is a compelling poverty reduction argument for the subsidies.
One-off matching grants may be useful in situations of great poverty and poorly functioning financial markets. Sharing investment costs between the private and public
sectors through public-private partnerships would reduce the often heavy burden on
the public budget. Models for private investment include direct investment in production (including investments by smallholder farmers), provision of irrigation services (including operation and maintenance of infrastructure), leasing of irrigation technologies, and infrastructure development.
Water management can best be structured when governments are responsible for the
main infrastructure and farmers are responsible for management and oversight through
local bodies, such as WUAs and distribution boards. In areas where groundwater irrigation predominates, WUAs are valuable for organizing hardware and infrastructure
maintenance. WUAs could hold community water rights and oversee water use among
their members. Aquifer management organizations under the umbrella of the river
basin committee or authority can complement effective local organizations for managing groundwater.
Many WUAs in Tanzania are comparatively new and still weak. Such associations
require significant investments in capacity strengthening and in defining roles and responsibilities. Transfer of irrigation management responsibility from the government
to WUAs can be done effectively only when accompanied by sufficient support for capacity building.
WUAs provide the mechanism for registering the demands and rights of all users
in a particular catchment. Under the new water policy, they are legally constituted
bodies, drawing their membership from the water users in a particular locality. They
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link with individual users and with irrigation organizations that represent their members. The role of catchment water user organizations is to manage the allocation of water resources at the local level and the equitable allocation of these resources during
droughts. They also assist in resolving local disputes. In areas where WUAs have been
formed, they have been extremely useful in finding solutions to water management
issues.
Agricultural Marketing and Producer Prices
Agricultural marketing and intermediary costs have decreased over time as policy reforms during the 1990s reduced price interventions and eliminated monopoly purchases by government bodies, allowing greater scope for private sector trade and investment.
Traditional Export Crops
Despite the increase in market entry and the investment associated with reforms, real
producer prices for traditional export crops did not increase significantly from the
prereform and early reform period (1987–94) to the period of most rapid reform
(1995–2002). The recent crop board study, which identified the various factors influencing producer prices, nonetheless documented a reform-induced increase in the producer’s share of the world price, ranging from 21 percent to 26 percent for the four
largest traditional export crops (coffee, cotton, tobacco, and tea). The reason producer price levels did not increase is that this gain was offset by a 26 percent appreciation in the real exchange rate and reinforced in some cases (tea and cotton) by smaller
reductions in the real world price. Sectoral policies thus had a significant positive effect on producer incentives, offsetting the negative effect of real exchange rate movements. The reforms changed the institutional environment in the marketing of traditional export crops, leading to an influx of private traders, increased direct payment
of cash to producers, and in some cases (cotton and coffee) a significant increase in private investment at the processor level. The chief negative effect was a disruption of input supply and financing.
Overall, the reforms helped producers cope with a challenging external environment.
A World Bank–supported survey in December 2004 analyzed the cost elements in
marketing four traditional export crops: coffee, cotton, tea, and cashews. Figure 5.4
shows that despite the improvement in the producer’s share of the border price, which
implies a narrowing of margins, marketing margins remain significant relative to final
prices, accounting for 30 to 50 percent of the border value. The results point toward
a variety of costs that might be reduced even further through improved public investment, policies, and public-private sector collaboration. Although the motivating hypothesis of the survey was that high transport costs drive a significant wedge between
producers and the border, the survey found great variability across crops and locations.
Because cost structures vary, so do the specific remedies for high or unstable marketing margins, and so will the role of public and private bodies in relieving constraints.
A variety of crops were analyzed, with farm-to-border marketing chains assessed for
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
119
FIGURE 5.4 Producer and Intermediary Returns as a Percentage of the Border
Price
% of border price
100
80
60
40
20
Coast
Mtwara
Kagera
Kilimanjaro
coffee
cashews
Sipungu
Itundu
Nyenze
Kishapu
Mowo
Lyamrakana
Kibwera
Chonyonyo
Chikundi
Chigugu
Kitomondo
Kizapula
0
Shinyanga
Tabora
cotton
tobacco
marketing margin (free-on-board producer price)
producer price
Source: Nyange 2005.
cashews (in Mtwara and Coast), coffee (in Kagera and Kilimanjaro), cotton (in
Shinyanga), and tobacco (in Tabora).
Reducing the large margins between the farm and the border will have a large positive effect at the farm level when markets are reasonably competitive, passing the
savings through to farmers. Similarly, an increase in the border price has a potentially
large positive effect on producers, because a given change in the border price represents a much larger percentage change in the farm price.
The components of marketing margins vary across crops and locations (figure 5.5).
Large items can include taxes and fees, the trader’s margin (trading revenue minus
out-of-pocket costs), the processor’s margin, transport, finance, or packaging materials. Is there scope for reduction in these items? In some cases, perhaps not: for example, packaging material costs may simply reflect the full import cost of the required materials. But for other items, it may be possible to reduce costs through public sector
investments (in transport or in power and water, which are particularly important for
processing) or policy (tax and regulatory). Clearly, the public sector role in improving
prices for farmers through cost-reducing measures, as well as the scope for such reductions, depends on local conditions and the specific crop under discussion. In many
cases, the specific remedy requires knowledge of the local cost constraint and of tradeoffs between the removal of the constraint and other objectives (such as tax revenue
needs). Thus, district-level growth strategies play an important role in identifying
market-level constraints on growth and possible solutions. In some cases, local
100
traders’ margin
90
taxes
80
fees and commissions
70
finance
60
percent
processing
50
packaging material
40
transport
30
20
Kilimanjaro
Kagera
arabica coffee
robusta coffee
Source: Nyange 2005.
Tabora
tobacco
Coast
Mtwara
cashews
Nyenze
Kishapu
Chikundi
Chigugu
Kizapala
Kitomondo
Sipungu
Itundu
Kibwera
Chonyonyo
0
Mowo
10
Lyamrakana
120
FIGURE 5.5 Cost Components of Marketing Margins
Shinyanga
cotton
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
121
bodies can address the problems on their own. But in many others, they need to collaborate with outside service providers and work with national or regional bodies.
The importance of large trading margins in some marketing chains requires special
comment. Large margins, especially important for cotton and tobacco, do not represent traders’ profits. They represent the traders’ revenue net of out-of-pocket costs, but
they do not subtract the costs of risk; the costs of time spent on coordinating, searching for, and collecting market information; and, more generally, transaction costs.
Those other costs, which are likely to be significant, must be accounted for in order
to assess the profits and rates of return to traders.
Public decisions or actions may be necessary to reduce transaction costs. Such a
reduction could occur through some combination of better market information, improved transport and communications, and better enforcement of contracts. Rural law
and order is a factor as well.13 Here too, knowledge of the local business environment
and the constraints on rural trade and investment are required. District growth strategies rooted in local consultations with farmers, processors, and traders are an important instrument for identifying constraints and strategies to remove them.
Transport costs were hypothesized in this study to be the most important cost element, but it is clear that although they are significant in some cases and require attention (as for tobacco, cashews, and cotton), they are not the primary cost factor. For
cashews, transport costs assume more importance in Mtwara than in Coast, but field
visits in Lindi and Mtwara indicated that processing improvements that enable the
export of value-adding cashew kernels are likely to be important as well. The importance of such innovations is not reflected in the current cashew marketing chain, because most exports are of raw nuts. But improved processing, packaging, and handling and expanded end uses are important avenues for increasing producer returns
in the future.
Producer margins (figure 5.6) are also crucially affected by labor costs. Producer margins are sometimes very high, but as with traders there may be nonpecuniary marketing costs that are hard to observe (for example, the search for a buyer). Furthermore,
discussion with the survey organizer indicated that because the farmer typically travels a considerable distance to sell at market, transport costs between farm and market are an important unaccounted-for component of the producer’s margin. In that
sense, the main hypothesis of this study regarding the importance of transport costs
is valid, but for farm-to-market transport rather than for transport from district markets to the border.
Sustained 5 percent growth is feasible but will require renewed and increased attention to the reform agenda and to the public sector’s role in supporting traditional export crops. Exports are likely to diversify, and the relative importance of the present
“big five” may decline, but traditional exports could be important future contributors
to growth and smallholder income. The challenge is to raise productivity in the face
of increasingly demanding international markets.
What must be done? For coffee, potential exists to meet the increased demand for
lower-quality robusta as well as specialty coffees. Getting ahead in international cotton markets requires cotton of consistently good quality, high yields, and high ginning
ratios. For cashews, improved farm productivity, product quality, and value addition
122
FIGURE 5.6 Cost Components of Producer Margins
100
gross margin per acre
75
other physical inputs
pesticides
percent
50
packaging
25
other labor
0
weeding labor
⫺25
Kilimanjaro
Kagera
Tabora
arabica coffee
robusta coffee
tobacco
Source: Nyange 2005.
Coast
Mtwara
cashews
Nyenze
Kishapu
Chikundi
Chigugu
Kizapala
Kitomondo
Sipungu
Itundu
Kibwera
Chonyonyo
Mowo
Lyamrakana
⫺50
spraying labor
Shinyanga
cotton
harvesting labor
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
123
at the processor level are central to improving market share. Furthermore, as local processing capacity grows, more cashews will be sold into the competitive and remunerative global market for kernels, rather than the more restricted market for unprocessed
nuts, as at present. Improving tea exports requires a continued focus on quality in order to capture the significant price premiums for higher-quality tea.
New acts passed in 2000 and 2001 for coffee and cotton enhanced the regulatory
and discretionary powers of crop boards. The new acts responded to concerns that traditional exports had weakened during the final years of the 1990s and reflected a desire to take strong measures to set things back on course. Crop boards were empowered to inspect, monitor, register, regulate, and license varieties, producers, traders,
grades, standards, processors, storage facilities, and exporters. The tea industry was
not subject to further regulation. New regulatory measures for cashews were introduced
under the Cashew Act of 1994, its amendments in 1997, and related regulations of
1996.
The additional regulatory powers were introduced largely to address a perceived
need to enhance competition, promote fair trade, improve quality, and augment value.
In pursuit of those objectives, crop boards have applied buying rules; introduced a
“one-license rule” to maintain the integrity of the coffee auction; announced indicative prices for cashew, tea, and cotton; and required that growers be registered. The
Cashew Board applied resources from the development fund to revive processing factories in an effort to improve access to global markets for kernels. The factories subsequently closed because they were not viable in the specific circumstances of the investments.
Vertically integrated firms that were engaged in purchasing, processing, and exporting emerged following liberalization. Firms specializing only in purchasing primary
products have limited scope to manage risks and access capital through prefinancing.
Yet regulations that require traders to give a two-week notice of any downward changes
in price weaken their ability to manage risks. Vertical integration can be understood,
therefore, as an institutional response to conditions in the markets. The one-license rule,
which was introduced to enhance competition and maintain the integrity of coffee
auctions, has served, perversely, to reduce competition. Because coffee buyers cannot
export, the number of coffee buyers has declined. More than 50 percent of coffee
transactions took place with only one buyer in the market during the 2004 season.
Producer organizations have also emerged and grown since the passage of the acts.
They include farmer groups, cooperative societies not affiliated with the cooperative
unions, cashew groups, and tea associations. Most important among them are groups
of coffee producers, which were initiated by private companies and NGOs to bring together smallholders. These groups empower producers, but they need technical and organizational support, either from public or private advisers or from contractual arrangements with vertically integrated firms. Farmers in groups are better able than individual
farmers to access and understand information about prices, technology, and risks and
to participate directly in markets.
Information and institutional arrangements that help farmers process information
are particularly important, given the widespread suspicion of traders and the history
of stable panterritorial prices under the previous marketing regime. Many producers
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perceive the normal fluctuations of prices inherent in open market economies as attributable to the machinations of traders or others acting to manipulate markets. Information about the movement of prices over space and time is particularly important because producers are still gaining experience with regard to expectations of price
behavior. The management of price movements and expectations was among the original functions assigned to the crop boards, and the growth of producer organizations
allows other entities to take on this role.
Price setting (in various forms) that seeks to inform producers of prices that they
should expect has not helped them understand price movements or make informed
decisions. Producers seem to have little access to information on the global price
movements that ultimately determine their opportunities. A systematic effort to make
market intelligence available to producers and to assist producer groups in marketing would be a constructive step toward integrating Tanzanian producers into global
markets.
Restrictive regulations, particularly in the coffee sector, have prevented organizations
from evolving to meet the needs of changing conditions in the market. For example,
coffee exporters cannot make investments upstream in central pulperies or buy unprocessed cherries from growers to improve quality and cater to niche markets. Such
restrictions also have hampered investments that are necessary to improve quality. In
addition, the cost of entry into crop buying is high, resulting from regulations and the
tendency to use buyers to collect taxes—a cashew buyer must deposit cesses, levies, and
taxes on 100 tons before getting a buying permit. This high cost prevents potential buyers who have limited resources from entering the market. Removing restrictive regulations and reducing the costs of entry will encourage more agents to enter markets and
new forms of exchanges to emerge, thus enhancing competition. The role that producer
organizations can play in countering the monopsony power of traders and the potential to enhance competition by facilitating their development—rather than restricting
the scope of activities of traders—are still not adequately recognized.
Quality management remains a key issue that institutions seeking to improve marketing opportunities must address. Although quality is specific to the products and even
to individual lots, it also has an element of public good through its link with reputation. When a country’s coffee or cashews are known to be of higher-than-average
quality, international agents seeking high-quality specialty and niche products are
more likely to invest in the country than if their quality is perceived to be low. Investment in quality can thus lead to higher unit values and to improved prospects for
growth. Regulations on grading and quality premiums have been introduced under the
assumption that the individual actions of firms may damage reputations or that the firms
may not act in ways that build or maintain reputations. This assumption is based on
the perceived decline in quality following liberalization.
The quality of cotton lint appears to have begun a long decline before liberalization;
the decline in premiums for cleanliness began in the 1980s. More recent evidence is not
conclusive. The quality of cotton exports to Europe appears to have declined marginally, but that decline may be a response to the demand for cotton for a broader range
of purposes. The quality of coffee does not appear to have declined. An examination
of the class of mild arabica coffees produced in the north zone and sold at the Moshi
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
125
auction for four years before and four years after liberalization suggests that coffee quality in terms of class alone remained roughly constant, with estates producing higherquality coffee than other producers. For more recent years, available information suggests that it is primarily estates that produce coffee falling into the top five classes and
that the proportion of their coffee that is of highest quality varies considerably from
year to year. Fewer concerns exist about tea and cashew quality. In the case of cashews,
the concern is largely about producers not being compensated for quality rather than
any decline in quality. And in tea, the quality has improved.
There has been a decline in grading practices. For coffee, the extent of adoption of
improved grading practices is mixed. Exporters who established large buying operations indicated that it was difficult to enforce grading because they bought coffee
through agents. For cashew nuts, proper grading to assess kernel outturn requires cutting tests, which are rarely done. Traders seem to rely more on regional differences in
outturn rates, mixing nuts from different regions to achieve the quality required by importers. For tea, some factories insist that at least 80 percent of tea leaves have two
leaves and a bud. The requirement that tea leaves be processed within four hours is
apparently rarely followed, but the situation has improved since privatization.
Whether quality problems exist in a sector depends on the unique aspects of the crop,
the nature of the commodity market, and the industry structure. For each of the crops,
cultivation and processing practices have clear and measurable effects on quality, but
relative effects may differ, with implications for when quality differentiation should take
place. For coffee and cotton, producers’ practices largely determine quality, with secondary processing having marginal effects. Any loss of incentives for producers would
have serious consequences for quality, because damage by producers is irreversible. Secondary processing has a greater effect on the quality of tea and cashews (kernels), although the source and quality of green tea leaves are major determinants of tea quality. Reputation for cotton may be associated with the country as a whole, whereas for
coffee, it may be associated with an agroclimatic niche; for cashews, with processors;
and for tea, with individual factories. Finally, excess processing capacity may be an important factor in making firms bid up the price of poorer grades of products.
The current institutional structure in the cotton sector is such that it is not feasible
for one or more firms to offer a premium for quality and thereby enhance the quality
of their exports. The growth in processing capacity may have led to a situation in
which the processing of large quantities of low-quality cotton is superior to other processing alternatives. There are clear indications that this situation does not exist in other
sectors, although one sees multiple strategies in operation in coffee. The presence of
farmer groups that can directly capture quality premiums in the market also ensures
that quality differentiation does not disappear. The incentive structures and strategies
of some firms suggest that the private sector markets Tanzanian coffee, cashews, and
tea in ways that enhance reputation.
Regulating grading practices has not been effective, because it is difficult to enforce
and may be counterproductive when done without understanding the level of quality differentiation that markets are likely to support. A better strategy would be to pilot market activities that support a greater level of quality differentiation and to reduce constraints on coordination among buyers that may prevent them from dealing
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effectively with quality issues. Examining ways to create more distinct levels of quality would help further this process.
Access to and use of inputs affect the costs of production and the quality of products. Plant protection is critical for coffee, cotton, and cashews. Application of inorganic nutrients is widely practiced only in tea production, and even there levels of application may not be optimal. Surveys of coffee and cotton producers indicate that only
about 13 percent of the growers use inorganic fertilizers. The use of pesticides is somewhat higher but perhaps not high enough, considering the level of incidence of disease
in coffee. Among producers of the four crops, only smallholder tea producers have significant access to credit. Cashew producers often can obtain credit for fumigation.
Smallholders producing cotton and coffee report little or no access to credit.
Although access to credit is recognized as an important contributor to successful outcomes, the crop boards have appropriately refrained from getting involved directly in
the provision of credit. A number of emerging innovations show promise in improving the supply of inputs. Groups of coffee farmers and independent societies are exercising strong voluntary control over members to produce high-quality coffee; to market collectively; and, in turn, to gain access to credit markets. Contract farming in
cotton allows the ginner to offer credit and extension services to individuals who can
offer collateral. Agents familiar with borrowers are employed to recover credit (say,
for cotton) and, hence, serve to inculcate a culture of discipline in repayment. Outgrowers producing tea under contract to processors receive credit as part of the contractual
relationship. The coffee vouchers and cotton passbooks are each prepayment schemes
under which a portion of the growers’ sale is retained for inputs for the following season; however, these schemes are reported to be problematic for a number of reasons.
In an environment in which contract enforcement is difficult, the innovative credit
arrangements that have developed involve self-selected groups that are capable of exercising control over their members or personal relationships and the social capital that
may exist in communities. In most cases, the private sector has organized producers
and developed relationships that are informal but effective to give them access to information and inputs and to gain greater control over supplies and quality. Vertically
integrated firms that can better manage risks and gain access to resources at reasonable costs appear to have incentives to enter into contract farming arrangements. They
need flexibility to fashion relationships and make exchanges in ways that may not be
feasible under many of the current crop acts, as noted earlier.
The crop acts authorize the establishment of industry development and input funds,
supported by contributions from producers, to organize supply of inputs and undertake development activities deemed necessary. Cotton and cashew boards have operationalized them. The funds are managed by trustees, who are less accountable
to stakeholders than are the boards. The funds are also centralized. Some of the
programs (such as passbooks) were introduced recently and are therefore difficult to
evaluate, but problems associated with centralized decision making and organization
of supplies are apparent. The programs would benefit from greater responsiveness to
the needs of producers and from stronger participation by traders and private input
suppliers.
Research remains underfunded and not fully able to meet the needs of the sectors,
particularly with regard to developing suitable varieties and organizing the supply of
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127
planting materials. Industry support to privatized coffee and tea research institutes is
not adequate to fulfill their mandates. Planting material is supplied at subsidized
prices in all cases. The acts give boards the authority to control the import of varieties in order to safeguard product quality and reduce the chance of disease or pest
outbreaks, but the boards and partners in the private sector have not succeeded in identifying successful strategies for ensuring the commercial supply of plant material.
Scarce resources that go into extension for these commodities are used mostly for regulatory rather than advisory purposes.
These findings have significant implications for regulations and for the activities of
boards. Since these recommendations were put forward, the government of Tanzania
has been moving toward greater specifics on the reform timetable. However, to date
much of the government’s reform emphasis has been on financing issues rather than
on clearer delineation of public and private sector functions. More specifics are needed
on redefinition of board functions; measures to increase accountability; and reduction in the number, cost, and scope of licensing requirements. These issues need to be
clarified and agreed on before amendment of the boards’ respective acts.
Nontraditional Agricultural Exports
Past agricultural growth was maintained in part because farmers substituted other
production activities for traditional export crops. The export of nontraditional products, including horticultural products, maize, rice, and beans, has played an important role. The contribution of these products to Tanzanian exports is undervalued
because a significant portion occurs as informal cross-border trade. Greater attention to the development of these regional exports would heighten appreciation of their
income-raising and stabilizing roles, while increasing the benefits that flow to smallholder farmers, who are actively engaged in this trade not only as producers but
frequently as traders. Fortunately, a base of donor support in these areas has facilitated expansion of the trade. This support, along with strategic infrastructure planning and research system support from local government, will be essential to future
development.
Tanzania’s horticultural and floricultural exports consist of a broad-based but small
trade with Europe, as well as a growing trade with neighboring countries—especially
Kenya—in onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and oranges. A background study (Sergeant
2004) on horticulture for the recent Tanzania Diagnostic Trade Integration Study
(World Bank 2005f) calculates that in 2004/05 officially recorded exports to Europe
totaled US$24.4 million. The exported items included cut roses, flower cuttings, bean
seeds, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Unofficial exports to Kenya of oranges, onions,
and tomatoes are estimated at US$37 million over the same period.
Horticulture can reduce poverty through existing links with small farmers or potential links through the expansion of outgrower schemes. Seasonal employment in
larger production facilities oriented to the European market is also significant. It is estimated that more than 7,000 workers, mainly women, work seasonally in vegetable
packing operations, floriculture greenhouses, and bean seed preparation units. The
informal trade with Kenya has even more direct links to small, resource-poor farmers,
many of whom are actively engaged in trading (box 5.1).
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BOX 5.1
Organization of the Marketing Chain for Oranges and
Onions
Orange Marketing and Competitiveness
Most of the oranges imported into Kenya originate from Tanga and Morogoro. Tanzania’s
competitiveness in Kenyan markets is due in part to the absence of greening disease, a problem that affects Kenya’s higher-elevation growers. In addition, Kenyan producers face tighter
land constraints, and orange production competes with more profitable export crops.
Government provision of new planting material in the Muheza district, in the Tanga
region, helped establish significant orange production in the 1970s. More recently, the
Development Alternative Inc. Private Enterprise Support Activities project has helped farmers form marketing associations that streamline the marketing chain, with farmer associations now selling straight to Nairobi-based traders. Over time, farm-gate prices have almost
doubled as farmers’ marketing options have increased, and the bargaining power of local
traders has declined. The project continues to document and assess the effect of taxes and
fees levied during transport to the border, which appear to be a continuing constraint on
the trade.
The Marketing Chain for Onions
Tanzanian exports now account for a significant portion of the Kenyan onion market. Tanzania exports throughout the year, mainly from Mang’ola in the Arusha region. The marketing chain includes rural brokers who, for a fee, introduce wholesale traders to farmers who
have onions for sale. The trader buys the crop from the farmer, packs it, and hires transport
to the Arusha market, where the produce is unloaded and sold by the wholesaler. Some efficiencies could perhaps be achieved by having the Nairobi trader work directly with the Tanzanian trader who buys from the farmer, rather than through the Arusha market. This approach would save handling costs, market fees, and the wholesaler’s margin and would
allow a greater portion of the sales price to be returned to the farmer. Reducing the number
of times that onions are handled would also improve quality further. During interviews,
traders stated that there was a law or rule that all produce destined for Nairobi had to be
traded through the Arusha market. This information needs verification.
The Mang’ola onion producers have not yet received support from a donor-funded project, but their competitiveness is based on both their proximity to Nairobi and their higher
yields, which are probably due to a lower incidence of fungal diseases in Tanzania’s drier production areas. Tanzanian producers also have a quality edge in the Nairobi market: farmers
grade the onions, and the better ones are exported. Farmers and traders note that their competitive position could be improved further by improvements in onion seed quality and an
increase in the range of seed varieties.
Source: Sergeant 2004.
Future potential for export growth varies by commodity. The regional horticultural trade with Kenya is based on a true comparative advantage; however, it could
be threatened if Kenyan orange and onion production shifted to more suitable areas.
The challenge for the Tanzanian industry is to strengthen its competitive position. The
government and donors have taken specific actions to facilitate orange production
and marketing, whereas the onion trade has emerged more spontaneously. But both
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129
appear to have been helped by the general regulatory environment and infrastructure
planning in northern Tanzania. As the Tanzania Diagnostic Trade Integration Study
(World Bank 2005f, Vol. 2, 36) noted, “Improved infrastructure and fewer regulations
in Tanzania may be one key reason that it is able to export more successfully to Kenya
than Kenya is to Tanzania. Unlike Kenya, Tanzania has continued to tarmac roads to
its border posts. Tanzanian authorities have made issuance of trade permits administratively easy and cheap . . . whereas in Kenya, procedures for issuing permits and import brokerage are complex and only known traders can clear goods.” Box 5.1 indicates that future efficiencies are possible, but they depend on continued efforts—some
of which would benefit from government attention, including infrastructure and support for farmer marketing initiatives, as well as reducing constraints on output and input access.
Concerning exports bound for Europe, demand prospects are good, but Tanzania’s
future competitive position depends on continued reform of the regulatory environment and upgrading of infrastructure, along with continued diversification into production of seeds and cutting materials for export.14 Interestingly, market participants
do not list access to finance as a significant constraint. Specific steps to improve competitiveness include improving customs efficiency (that is, more speedy recovery of
value added tax payments for exporters and payment of duty drawback); increasing
access to air freight capacity from Kilimanjaro International Airport; improving the supply of skilled middle managers and supervisors; and establishing an open regulatory
environment for seeds, equipment, and other inputs. Some agrochemical products
used and approved in Kenya cannot be imported because they are not approved in Tanzania, thus putting Tanzania at a disadvantage because it cannot always use the safest,
most effective, or cheapest agrochemical inputs.
Horticulture is not the only nontraditional export that requires increased attention. Over the past decade, cross-border trade in staple foods between the countries
of eastern and southern Africa, with Tanzania as a crucial balance wheel, has become
an increasingly important base of food security for regional consumers and source of
income for smallholding producers. The Regional Agricultural Trade Intelligence Network, a donor-funded project that monitors informal cross-border flows, reports that
in 2004 Kenya imported 88,000 metric tons of maize and 18,000 metric tons of rice
from Tanzania, while importing 75,000 metric tons of maize and 53,000 metric tons
of beans from Uganda. The Democratic Republic of Congo is another important destination for Tanzania’s exports. The Central Bank of Uganda now considers its own
unofficial cross-border exports sufficiently important that it has established a bimonthly
monitoring system at dozens of border crossing points. Recent discussions within the
newly formed East Africa Community on common grain grading standards also attest
to the trade’s current importance to the three members.
Critical factors behind the East Africa flows are the trade and marketing reforms
of the late 1980s and 1990s and the movement of Kenya into a position of long-term
structural deficit in maize and other grains. The entry of the major surplus producer,
South Africa, into Kenyan markets is likely if and when Kenya reduces its 35 percent
import tariff on maize. Reform of Kenya’s National Cereals and Produce Board would
also have important repercussions for regional production and storage. This policy
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instability, along with the market instability associated with poor infrastructure, contracting mechanisms, and information systems, makes for a volatile market. The longterm viability of this market will depend on focused efforts to improve regional infrastructure and information systems, along with efforts to improve the transmission of
prices and information back to Tanzania’s smallholding maize producers.
A particular problem is the virtual absence of information and analysis on grain storage systems and behavior. Africa’s seasonal grain price instability is the highest in the
world, and Tanzania’s price instability is also considerable, often moving from export
to import parity levels within a season. This instability is undoubtedly a factor behind
recent efforts to expand the ambit of the strategic grain reserve, but a coherent program for reducing the source of instability is lacking. Doing so depends on establishing a better information base about the entities that store grain, their decisionmaking framework, the accuracy of the information on which they make decisions, and
so on. Assessment of grain marketing performance in a regional context and the development of a coherent policy framework based on this assessment are essential.
Public Expenditures to Support Agricultural Growth
Competent management of public expenditure to support agricultural growth is critical for achieving Tanzania’s strategic economic objectives. Most agricultural activity
is the business of the private sector. Nonetheless, private agents—from the most modest smallholders to medium- and large-scale commercial producers, to traders and
processors—rely on publicly supported goods and services not adequately supplied by
the private sector. Decisions on public spending for recurrent costs and investment to
support agricultural growth, along with definition of national and local institutions’
roles and priority activities, are the most important issues the government must tackle
in pursuit of its strategic objectives.
Balance, Efficiency, and Timing of Agriculture-Related Expenditures
Although the management of public expenditure is important for all developing countries, those like Tanzania face a special macroeconomic challenge because of the large
flows of assistance from development partners. Large inflows can help in meeting key
objectives for reducing poverty, but even with careful management, the flows will have
real exchange rate effects that encourage the country to import more and export less.
These effects will be more pronounced as more assistance is channeled to nontradable
services and activities with high domestic content and low import content. Increased
spending on labor-intensive activities in the social sectors tends to have a relatively large
effect on the real exchange rate in the short run, but they are also the activities that
over the longer run will enhance growth and ensure sustainability. Investments in education (particularly for girls), in primary health care, in control of malaria and
HIV/AIDS, and in clean water are clearly important for growth and for poverty reduction. But difficult trade-offs must be faced when the financing for these activities brings
changes in the real exchange rate that lower prices for the grain, coffee, cotton, meat,
skins, and other products on which the incomes of the rural poor depend.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
131
Management of the trade-offs requires attention to three dimensions of the decision
process on public expenditure: balance, efficiency, and timing. Expenditures must be
sufficiently balanced so that as the real exchange rate shifts, competitiveness in the tradable sectors increases through reduced costs of transportation, more reliable and efficient provision of power and water, generation and dissemination of improved technologies, and better public services. Economies can improve social indicators and rural
growth as long as investments that enhance competitiveness accompany investments
in health and education.
Efficiency of expenditure requires that the public sector confine itself to activities
that are genuinely public in nature and that it allow and encourage the private sector
to expand into the private sector’s appropriate domain. Public goods and services are
those that will be undersupplied by the private sector even under circumstances in
which the private sector is mature, well developed, and operating with a full array of
markets. Classically defined public goods and services are those with environmental
externalities or poorly defined property rights (air quality and biodiversity) and those
for which nonpaying beneficiaries cannot be excluded at reasonable costs (much agricultural research, primary education, basic health care and prevention of disease, and
roads). The array of public goods and services that governments must provide to support growth in developing countries is so large and costly—and the resources for providing them are so constrained—that efficiency is a fairly obvious requirement. Yet it
is often not achieved in practice. Finally, the timing of expenditures is closely linked
to balance. Investments in the social sectors and competitiveness must be timed to
complement each other. When they do, a healthier and better-educated labor force
has new economic opportunities, and more prosperous rural households are better
able to undertake measures on their own to sustain the health and creativity of their
members.
Managing public expenditure to achieve balance, efficiency, and timeliness is challenging, and no technical algorithm exists to guide the process. Even if the technical
knowledge existed, it is not obvious that it would be applied, because decisions on public expenditure are profoundly political. The budget is allocated in negotiations between
ministries, implemented by the civil service, monitored through the public expenditure
review process, and evaluated ultimately by voters through relations with their parliamentary representatives. Development partners take an active interest in providing
information to underpin the process, in helping clarify options and trade-offs, and in
monitoring outcomes.
In the imprecise process of allocating public expenditure, the lessons of the past can
be very informative. In the period of the 1980s leading up to the reforms of the 1990s,
public expenditures for agriculture were quite substantial, but they failed the test of
efficiency, and much of the money was spent on direct production on state farms,
marketing through parastatal boards, and input subsidies. Research received support,
but scientists or public servants determined the priorities for research without much
input from producers. Agriculture’s share of the economy at the time was even greater
than at present, and other sectors could not balance the slow growth in agriculture.
The costly and inefficient public expenditure for agriculture could not be sustained at
the observed rates of sectoral growth, and the poor performance of agriculture was a
key determinant in the decision to undertake fundamental reforms in the 1990s.
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The reforms of the 1990s attracted the support of development partners at a time
when priorities in the development community were shifting toward investments in the
social sectors. Because of a shift in priorities and because expenditure on agriculture
under the previous economic order had yielded disappointing results, the budgetary
share of agriculture declined markedly. The drop in spending included areas that
should have been cut or eliminated because the private sector could do them better (such
as production on state farms and marketing), but it also included investments in agricultural research and extension.
During the 1990s, the agricultural sector adjusted well to the reforms and shift in
expenditure. Until 1997, global prices for the key export commodities were quite
strong, and Tanzania’s liberalization provided producers with greater access to world
markets at a propitious time. As reforms in marketing proceeded, producers received
a high share of border prices, and the liberalization improved incentives.
At the same time that sectoral reforms assisted producers, movements in the real exchange rate associated with the shift in patterns of public expenditure acted against
them. The increase in the real value of the shilling of about 40 percent between 1996
and 2001 compounded a weakening of global prices for Tanzania’s chief agricultural
exports over the same period. The increased efficiency in the marketing system associated with the liberalization and the rising share of border prices passed back to producers insulated rural households somewhat from what would otherwise have been a
severe shock. Sectoral reforms largely offset the adverse impacts of movements in the
exchange rate and global prices.
Between 2001 and 2003, the real value of the shilling adjusted back toward the level
it held before the appreciation of the mid-1990s. Realignment of the exchange rate improves competitiveness and assists agricultural producers and exporters. The current
attention to the performance of the crop boards and proposed changes in the regulatory environment for coffee, cotton, and cashews will, if implemented, replicate some
of the benefits of the reforms of the 1990s. But exchange rate pressures can be expected
to remain, and regulatory reforms deliver mostly one-time benefits, albeit over a period of time. Continuous public investment to enhance competitiveness will be needed
to position the agricultural sector for dynamic adjustment in a growing economy with
a strong currency.
Agricultural Policy Framework and Public Expenditure
The government, with the support of development partners, developed the Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (ASDS) and adopted it in 2003 to enhance sectoral
growth and competitiveness. The objective of the ASDS is to achieve a sustained agricultural growth rate of 5 percent per year, primarily through transformation from subsistence to commercial agriculture. The private sector is to lead the transformation.
The government has committed to improve the enabling environment through policy and institutional reforms and appropriate public expenditure. Development partners have been asked to harmonize their assistance with agricultural growth and to
provide it in support of implementation of the ASDS. Core features of the strategy are
to strengthen the policy and regulatory framework at the national and local levels, to
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
133
provide efficient and relevant public services, to support public-private partnerships
across all levels of the sector, and to support formulation and implementation of
DADPs as the comprehensive tool for agricultural development at the district level.
The ASDP framework and process document is an operational response to the
ASDS. The ASDP identifies five key operational components as a focus for implementation at both the national level, including zones, and the district level through DADPs:
(a) policy, regulatory, and institutional arrangements; (b) agricultural services (research, advisory and technical services, and training); (c) physical investment; (d) private sector development, market development, and agricultural finance; and (e) crosscutting issues, such as gender rights.
The ASDP framework and process document estimated five-year projections of
public expenditures needed for implementation. A 20 percent annual increase in development expenditures was projected over the five-year period, with an emphasis on
research, extension, the policy and regulatory environment, and marketing and institutional support. This emphasis is consistent with that of the ASDP on commercializing agriculture and on decentralizing support through districts (through DADPs) (table
5.7). The specific proposals imply that research and extension, marketing and finance,
TABLE 5.7 Proposed Growth in Development Expenditures for ASDP, 2002/03
Amount of
expenditure
(T Sh million)
Current share of
total cost (%)
Annual increase
(%)
Research
6,527
15
20
Extension and advisory services
9,404
22
20
792
2
10
Crop production
5,164
12
10
Irrigation
6,919
16
10
Marketing and finance
7,996
19
30
Policy and regulatory work
1,805
4
40
10
Area of intervention
Technical area
Livestock production
Food security
488
1
Institutional support
3,749
9
Training institutions
97
30
—
10
42,940
100
20
Amount of
expenditure
(T Sh million)
Current share of
total cost (%)
Target by year 5
of implementation (%)
National level
19,900
61
25
District level
31,600
39
75
Total recurrent
41,300
45
33
Total development
51,500
55
67
Total
Area of intervention
National vs. district
Recurrent vs. development
Source: United Republic of Tanzania 2002b.
Note: — ⫽ not available.
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policy and regulatory work, and institutional support become a larger share of the agriculture budget over time. In addition, 75 percent of public resources for the sector are
envisaged to be channeled through districts.
According to the projected financing for the ASDP, the budget for 2005/06 should
be allocating T Sh 72 billion to ASDP priority areas. That amount is expected to rise
to T Sh 104.5 billion by 2007/08. Because the categories in which the budget lines are
reported do not correspond directly to those of the ASDP, it is difficult to assess the
degree to which the 2005/06 budget shown in table 5.8 accords with the planning underlying the ASDP. The amounts allocated to the MAFS, MCM, and MWLD for
households without rural water supply in 2005/06 appear to be approximately T Sh
115 billion. If the agricultural allocation under the President’s Office–Regional Administration and Local Government (PORALG) is included, the total increases to T Sh 121
billion. The government appears able to spend fully enough to finance the ASDP, because current expenditures are already more than the amounts required to support the
core activities.
Present Expenditure Patterns
The share of spending on agriculture15 in total government expenditure has fluctuated
widely over the past decade, between 1.5 percent in 1995/96 and 5.5 percent in 2000/01
and reaching 3.7 percent in 2005/06. Nine ministries hold votes on categories of expenditure directly relevant to agricultural performance. As shown in table 5.8, the
MAFS holds the largest budget, at just over US$93 million.
The spending displayed in table 5.9 raises a number of questions, some of which
will be elucidated in a detailed public expenditure review focusing on agriculture.
With the government’s commitment to the ASDP, the correspondence between the
budget categories for agriculture and the program categories within ASDP should be
clear and straightforward, so that the degree of consistency is readily apparent. At
present, this is not the case. Allocations to forestry and fisheries fall outside the ASDP
as defined, although inside the broad category of agriculture as it appears in governmental aggregates. Discrepancies in categories for this reason are readily understandable. But even within agriculture, narrowly defined, the alignment of the budget with
TABLE 5.8 2005/06 Budget Proposals
Votes
T Sh
(million)
US$
(million)
Share in
total (%)
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
43
102,414
93.1
40
Ministry of Water and Livestock Development
49
45,961
41.8
18
Ministry of Works
47
44,010
40.0
17
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
69
38,059
34.6
15
Prime Minister’s Office
37
8,335
7.6
3
Ministry of Cooperatives and Marketing
24
5,974
5.4
2
Line ministry
President’s Office–Regional Administration and Local Government
56
6,321
5.7
2
Ministry of Energy and Mining
58
89
0.1
0
Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Settlement Development
48
3,284
3.0
1
Source: United Republic of Tanzania 2005a.
TABLE 5.9 Budget Ceilings for Rural Development and Agriculture in Line Ministries,
2005/06
Ministry/indicator
T Sh
(million)
US$
(million)
Ministry total
(%)
102,414
93.1
488
14,135
12.9
67
7
0.0
0
621
0.6
3
543
0.5
3
9,712
8.8
46
0.0
0
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
Total budget
Increased crop production through improved technology
Input subsidies on selected food crops
Increased crop production through improved technology
Strategic grain reserves
Irrigation
Harmonized agricultural taxes to support export crop efficiency
0.0
Ministry of Water and Livestock Development
Total budget for rural water and livestock activities
45,961
41.8
100
Rural water supply
38,530
35.0
84
Animal production
2,639
2.4
6
Veterinary services
2,465
2.2
5
Livestock research and training institutes
2,327
2.1
5
Total budget
5,974
5.4
197
Support to cooperatives
2,001
1.8
66
Ministry of Cooperatives and Marketing
Community credit (savings and credit cooperatives,
revolving funds)
Marketing development
545
0.5
18
1,333
1.2
44
1,260
1.1
42
Identification of markets, promotion of value-adding products
(Policy and Planning, 30%; Marketing Development, 70%)
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
Total budget for forestry and fisheries activities
38,059
34.6
100
Forestry and beekeeping activities
20,985
19.1
55
Fisheries activities
15,240
13.9
40
1100
1.0
3
Agricultural research and extension
634
0.6
2
Rural small and medium-size enterprises
100
0.1
0.3
Land management in wildlife reserves
Ministry of Works
Total for rural roads activities
44,010
40.0
100
Rural roads construction, maintenance, and community roads
21,979
20.0
50
Ministry of Energy and Mining
Total for rural energy activities
89
0.08
100
Rural energy
89
0.08
100
Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Settlement Development
Total for land management activities
District land tribunals—34 functioning by July 2007
3,284
746
3.0
100
0.68
23
Prime Minister’s Office
Total for rural food security, finance, and disaster planning
8,335
7.6
100
Rural financial services
3,030
2.75
36
4,638
4.22
56
Coordination of Agricultural Marketing Services Development
Program
President’s Office–Regional Administration and Local Government
Total budget
126,412
114.9
100
91,901
83.5
73
Budget to strengthen, extend, and monitor resource allocation
formula ensuring equity among local authorities
Source: United Republic of Tanzania 2005a.
135
136
HENRY GORDON
the ASDP priorities is difficult to discern. If the government is allocating significant resources to agricultural expenditures that are not part of the ASDP, what does this
spending imply about the degree of commitment to the program and the extent to
which development partners should support it?
The budgetary lines for the MAFS under crop development include support to research and extension accounting for about 16 percent of expenditure of the MAFS. The
allocation represents an increase relative to historic levels and is consistent with the commitment to support for generation and dissemination of technology under the ASDP.
But even with this substantial increase in spending on research and extension, Tanzania’s investment remains low by international standards. Space must be made for rising allocations to research and extension in the future. This consideration, in turn, suggests that less critical or productive expenditures should include sunset clauses that will
allow them to be phased out over time.
Among the items that should be phased out is the allocation to input subsidies.
Most of this allocation goes to fertilizer subsidies, and the amount has increased from
T Sh 2 billion in 2003/04 to T Sh 7 billion in 2004/05 and T Sh 14 billion in 2005/06.
The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework guidelines suggest that, over the medium
term, the government will focus on minimizing the costs of production through subsidies on the price of inputs. Thus, the fertilizer subsidies should be seen as part of the
expenditure in pursuit of competitiveness; however, the record of experience globally
shows that they do not pass the tests for efficiency of expenditure. Moreover, resorting to input subsidies to increase competitiveness is not consistent with the strategic
directions underlying the ASDS.
The profitability of fertilizer use varies widely. In some areas, the subsidies can be
phased out only at great hardship to the former beneficiaries. Subsidies are difficult to
target, and benefits are modest even for the recipients. Often, the least needy farmers
capture the benefits. Administrative costs (including rent seeking) often outweigh the
benefits. Subsidized fertilizer has often arrived too late to be effective and has often been
of the wrong type. In 2003/04, the fertilizer subsidy to farmers was relatively small,
ranging from T Sh 950 per bag for fertilizer destined for Makambako depots to T Sh
2000 per bag for consignments going to Songea depots. The reduction in the retail price
of fertilizer was only 8 to 10 percent. In addition, fertilizer prices per bag ranged from
T Sh 13,000 to T Sh 14,000, depending on the type of fertilizer, an amount that was
not significantly different from the 2002/03 prices. Delays in delivery of the subsidized fertilizer caused panic among farmers. As demand grew, rent-seeking behavior
emerged, and in some parts of the southern highlands, fertilizer prices reached T Sh
18,000 per bag.
Subsidies are expensive to administer. Reimbursement of transport costs by the
government is reported to be time consuming. Transporters were required in 2003/04
to produce four sets of copies of notary-certified cash sale receipts before submitting
reimbursement claims to the MAFS. Importers were concerned about the frequent
changes in procedures, which caused more than three months of delay in reimbursement. The slow reimbursements led to exchange rate losses for importers (the Tanzanian shilling depreciated from T Sh 1,050 to T Sh 1,120 against the U.S. dollar at import between December 2003 and March 2004, the date of refund).
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
137
Subsidies crowd out the private sector. Even when programs are implemented
through the private sector, they tend to send the signal that the government’s behavior may be unpredictable and, hence, increase the risk associated with a change in
policies. Under those circumstances, private input suppliers who could enter the market are reluctant to do so. Intervention affects the expectations of farmers. Programs
have continued to perpetuate dependency and result in future demands for assistance.
Assuming that intervention will be forthcoming, farmers underinvest in strategies to
cope with risk.
Subsidized fertilizer displaces more sustainable and profitable land-use practices. Fallowing and the use of organic matter become less attractive when free or subsidized
fertilizer is available. Other technologies, such as minimum tillage and conservation
farming or low-input agroforestry, are in some cases superior alternatives.
Fertilizer subsidies played a significant role during the early years of the Green
Revolution in India, although they also left a legacy of costly and inefficient public
intervention that has been politically difficult to divest. But India’s subsidized fertilizer was applied to fields well watered by subsidized irrigation. Africa has lower levels of irrigation and correspondingly higher production risk associated with input
use, lower levels of rural literacy, generally weaker research and extension systems,
lower population densities, less infrastructure, and fewer well-developed institutions
for credit and contract enforcement than India had at the time. Subsidies in India were
preceded by public investment in infrastructure (roads and irrigation) and in research
and extension.
The steeply rising expenditures on fertilizer subsidies in Tanzania could be more productively spent on irrigation, research, extension, roads, and rural infrastructure.
Rather than spending to subsidize one input, the government would be well advised
to spend to increase productivity and earnings so that farmers can afford to purchase
an appropriate array of inputs, including fertilizer, plant protection agents, seeds and
seedlings, tools, draught power, breeding stock, improved feeds, and veterinary medicines. Alternative approaches to increasing productivity and profitability are consistent with the ASDP, and fertilizer subsidies are not.
Spending on irrigation is very small. The MWLD manages a substantial budget
and allocates significant amounts to rural water supply—but for human use, not for
production. The comprehensive water strategy under preparation may provide some
guidance on how much spending on irrigation would be appropriate, but current levels are clearly too low. The disproportion is all the more evident in that underallocation to irrigation falls within the same budget vote as overallocation to fertilizer subsidies—when increased investment in water management would reduce the need for
subsidized inputs by raising returns to their application.
The management of the strategic grain reserve will be evaluated under the enhanced
public expenditure review that is under way. The costs have risen over recent years,
for reasons that are not well understood, at the same time that Tanzania has experienced a reduction in the volatility of food production and regional grain markets have
become more active. The costs to hold and rotate a modest stock should be low, and
significant savings may be available through different approaches to the strategic grain
reserve.
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HENRY GORDON
Spending on the livestock sector is small in absolute numbers, relative to the legitimate public agenda for livestock, and relative to the potential contribution of the
subsector. Tanzania has the second-largest herd of cattle in Africa, and substantial
numbers of sheep and goats. Ready availability of poultry feed and a suitable climate
can support the growth of poultry products for local markets and for export. Demand
for meat is rising globally, particularly in Asian and Middle Eastern markets accessible to Tanzania. Opportunities in global poultry markets are likely to increase as the
intensive production regimes in Asia are forced to adjust to concerns about avian flu.
Legitimate public expenditures that would support growth in the livestock sector
include research on breeds and improved feeds; pasture and rangeland management;
training of veterinarians, paraveterinarians, and farmers to improve animal health
and quality; investment in reliable power and water supply to attract private meat
processors and packers; disease control; and assistance in meeting sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
The adequacy of spending on rural roads and energy should be judged against the
cost of meeting standards of service over a five-year horizon. For example, the 5 percent growth target for agriculture implies that targets must be set for the density of allweather roads, so that farmers can reach markets at a lower cost. The adequacy of the
present allocation should be judged against the annualized costing to meet the target.
Forestry is well funded, as is appropriate for a country with as rich an endowment
as Tanzania has. But the allocation to and effectiveness of the use of public money for
forestry should be assessed in conjunction with the targets for establishing the mandated Forest Service and its performance, as well as the increased constructive role of
the private sector that is envisaged. In forestry, public and private contributions can
combine for effective management, and Tanzania’s experience can be enhanced on
both counts.
An assessment of the allocation of public spending on agriculture for 2005/06 according to criteria of balance, efficiency, and timeliness thus suggests several conclusions that can be checked further in the pending public expenditure review. Spending on agriculture is increasing, and this trend is a positive indication of the willingness
to rebalance the budget in favor of competitiveness. At the same time, the efficiency
of expenditure in the current allocation, relative to the goals for growth and competitiveness, appears low. Too little is spent on research, extension, irrigation, livestock
services, roads, land administration, and energy. Too much is spent on input subsidies and probably on the strategic grain reserve. Crop development warrants careful
evaluation, because this category of spending is quite large and opaque. The consistency of expenditures with the commitments underlying the ASDP is not readily apparent in the budget.
The alignment of expenditures around core and complementary categories to support the ASDP would contribute to efficiency. The core elements would be those currently included under the MAFSC mandate, as well as livestock under the MLD.
Activities supported under these mandates currently take place at the national and
local levels, and spending at the local level will increasingly be channeled through
the PORALG. As local governments increase in capacity and as the DADG becomes
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
139
operational, the major distinction in managing public support for agricultural development will not be along ministerial lines, but rather according to subsidiarity. That
is, the national-level institutions will undertake activities with national implications,
and districts and local institutions will take responsibility for the local activities. By
2007/08 three-fourths of expenditures to support the ASDP are expected to flow
through district governments.
As participants in the political process become more familiar with the ASDP and
the implications for the organization of public support, a reconfiguration of responsibility at the national level may be appropriate and feasible. Such a reconfiguration
would imply mergers of the departments and entities that are at present responsible
for elements of the ASDP at the national level into one ministry. That ministry would
coordinate closely with the ministries responsible for complementary activities (roads,
energy, and water), particularly at the planning stage.
Such a reconfiguration of responsibility at the national level and improved coordination with both local and complementary counterparts would facilitate adequate
funding of exciting elements of the ASDP agenda, such as the following:
• Share costs of adopting improved technologies, rather than subsidizing a single input. Tanzania is already using a public-private cost-sharing mechanism (through a
matching grant) for adopting new technology under the Participatory Agricultural
Development and Empowerment Project within the ASDP. The selected technology
is one that is profitable in the longer run, and the matching grant makes fertilizer,
seeds, seedlings, plant protection agents, implements, and any other needed inputs
affordable during the period of adoption (in most cases, two years). Inputs are purchased from the private sector, and farmers save increased earnings while receiving
the matching grant so that they can continue to purchase inputs on their own. This
approach can be scaled up through the DADPs.
• Continue reform of taxes. The government has already undertaken a number of
commendable reforms to improve the tax regime for agriculture, including setting
limits on local taxes for traded agricultural commodities and reducing customs fees
and value added tax. Enforcement of those measures should be pursued and their
effects monitored, because they can improve profitability if well implemented. The
value added tax on port charges and transport costs adds to the cost of fertilizer and
could be reevaluated.
• Reduce cumbersome importation procedures for fertilizer. Such procedures include
double inspection of consignments, preshipment inspection by Cotecna at 1.2 percent of the free-on-board price, and the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) quality inspection at 0.25 percent of the cost, insurance, and freight price. Any delay by
the TBS means port charges accumulate, thereby increasing the cost of fertilizers to
farmers. In addition, importers are required to produce certificates of quality from
manufacturers. Abolishing inspection requirements and retaining the certificate of
quality from manufacturers, together with spot-checks by the TBS, would significantly reduce the cost of fertilizers to farmers.
140
HENRY GORDON
• Improve the road network. As much as 40 percent of the cost of grains in the major urban markets is attributed to transportation costs. Reducing this cost would
increase farm profitability.
• Develop and disseminate more profitable technologies. This effort includes ensuring that agricultural research and extension focuses on developing more profitable
technologies and varieties more responsive to the application of inputs. It also
means ensuring that farmers have access to information and recommendations specific to the technologies (rather than blanket prescriptions) and that profitability is
part of the calculus in deciding which technologies are recommended.
• Ensure consistency in the policy environment. The costs of inputs decline as the volume of transactions increases. The number of private input dealers and distributors
is more likely to expand when the policy environment is consistent and the government stays away from direct intervention.
• Improve the opportunities for viable systems to finance technology and inputs. Vertically integrated private systems of extension, credit, and inputs linked to output
markets (as for tobacco) are functioning in some areas. They can be encouraged by
reducing inefficiencies in the banking systems (reducing interest on borrowing),
strengthening institutions for contract enforcement, improving taxation (as noted
above), and improving the flow of information. For example, small farmers in
Msowero and Sonjo villages were assisted under the PASS (Private Agricultural
Sector Support) program—supported by DANIDA (the Danish International Development Agency)—in forming groups and accessing loans that were repayable over
a three-year period. Initial reports on the program are positive.
• Reduce risks. Periodic weather shocks and external price shifts, together with household-level production risk, significantly affect technology adoption, profitability,
and incomes. New methods to manage external shocks, such as weather insurance,
forward contracts, and options for price risk, are being piloted and should be evaluated carefully to determine the scope for scaling them up.
• Improve market access and product quality. Investment in, awareness of, and compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards for high-value products and
stronger linkage of groups of smallholders with supermarket chains will improve
marketability and profitability. The public sector can play a very constructive role
here, even though the market transactions are between private parties. For example, through an agreement with TechnoServe, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has helped coffee growers respond to October 2003 changes
in the policy regime, whereby Tanzanian premium coffee producers and specialty
roasters can export high-quality coffee directly. This change in the marketing regulations (the contribution of the public sector) creates new opportunities for Tanzanian farmers to supply roasters with specialty coffee for premium prices. TechnoServe’s conservative estimate is that farmers’ incomes will be boosted by US$20
million over the next 10 years as a result of the combined effect of direct export of
premium coffee and a new value added tax reclamation policy.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SHARED GROWTH
141
Concerted pursuit of those steps and others through adequate funding of activities
under the ASDP will provide a reasonable likelihood that the growth targets can be
met. Five percent annual growth is ambitious but not impossible. Meeting this target,
however, requires moving ahead decisively on the agendas of policy reform and alignment of public expenditure. Half-measures and compromises to accommodate special
interests require sober reassessment of the growth targets or admission from the outset that they will not be met.
Notes
1. The sectoral aggregate measured in the World Bank Development Data Platform dataset used
for this calculation is agricultural value added (gross value of agricultural production minus purchased intermediate inputs). The Tanzanian agricultural value added measure includes
fisheries and forestry or hunting, in addition to crop and livestock production. The average rate of increase measured here is the average of year-to-year changes during the period
in question.
2. Primary agriculture, as defined in the national accounts, includes crops, livestock, forestry,
and fisheries.
3. The full effects of farm growth on the economy as a whole are capture in intersectoral
growth multiplier models, such as the one implemented by Mahamba and Levin (2005) for
this Country Economic Memorandum. Mahamba and Levin’s analysis indicates substantial farm growth multipliers that exceed those from nonfarm growth.
4. Tanzania’s second poverty reduction strategy (MKUKUTA) sets an even more ambitious target of increasing agricultural growth to 10 percent by 2010.
5. This calculation is based on an adding-up requirement: sector growth must equal the sum
of labor force growth and labor productivity growth. The 2.7 percent labor productivity
growth requirement is simply the difference between the target sector growth of 5.0 percent
per year and the labor force growth of 2.3 percent per year.
6. Uncertainties in data for Malawi came to light during the food crisis of 2001 and 2002 and
may be affecting the historic averages.
7. Total factor productivity, the productivity associated with improved use of all factors (land,
labor, capital) together but not attributable to any one factor, should increase in either case.
8. A subsequent section deals with successes in the agricultural research system over the past
decade. Many of the successes involved generating higher-yielding seed varieties. The key
point here is that progress has been made in the recent past but has not been sufficient to
induce the desired growth. This point argues for greater support for research, as discussed
in the section on public expenditures.
9. From table 5.3, this number is computed by dividing the growth contribution of importables, 1.7 percent, by the agricultural gross value of production rate of 5.3 percent.
10. The SPILL (Strategic Plan for Implementation of Land Legislation) of 2005.
11. The discussion of the historical experience with agricultural services is drawn from the program document for the Agricultural Sector Development Programme, developed by Task
Force 3 of the Agricultural Sector Development Programme formulation team.
12. For example, Mogabiri Extension Micro-Project in Tarime district, Eastern Zone ClientOriented Research and Extension Project in Kilosa and Muheza districts, and the farmer
field schools in Morogoro, Bukoba, and Muleba districts.
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HENRY GORDON
13. In Mtwara region, for instance, traders must carry cash from Mtwara town to collection
areas. Robbery and injury are ever-present threats that impose costs on marketing agents.
14. One of the keys to the success of diversification in the cuttings and seed propagation industry has been the involvement of Dutch partners, who provide plant material on the condition that all the output is sold back to them for retailing. Diversification efforts have been
helped by the provision of grants from the Program for Cooperation with Emerging Markets to at least four of the companies. Enza Zaden and Q-SEM Ltd. have been established
to produce hybrid seed. These companies have invested on the basis of cheaper labor (compared with Europe) and the climate, which allows all-year production with no heating
costs. As with the cuttings industry, a viable cut flower sector gave these investors confidence
that sufficient skills and services were available to establish a higher-value floricultural industry. Freight is not an issue, because the output from these companies is only a few kilograms of high-value seed that can be exported by courier.
15. That is, spending on agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting services and affairs.
6
Fostering Growth, Export
Competitiveness, and Employment
in the Manufacturing Sector
Vandana Chandra, Pooja Kacker, and Ying Li
T
anzania’s manufacturing sector is still small and contributes only about 8 percent
to gross domestic product (GDP). However, in recent years, the sector has experienced fast growth, and exports of manufactured goods have also recovered (figure
6.1). The analysis of panel enterprise surveys covering 1992 to 2000 by Harding,
Söderbom, and Teal (2002) suggests that, in general, output, employment, and the capital stock declined during that period. The authors also document large rates of
turnover of firms in Tanzanian manufacturing, with new firms having higher productivity levels than older incumbent firms. They conclude that reforms, including introduction of a market-based foreign exchange system, liberalization of trade policy,
privatization of state-owned enterprises, and fiscal policy reform, have promoted a
more effective production structure through a reallocation of capital and labor into
more productive plants. Harding, Söderbom, and Teal (2002) suggest that such a
structure should provide the basis for improved growth potential, which seems to have
materialized in recent years with growth rates of around 8 percent in the manufacturing sector.
Production is concentrated in three types of firms: (a) agroprocessing and food and
beverage production (fish processing, beer, spirits, and cigarettes), which are nontraditional natural resource–based activities; (b) textiles and other light industry such
as furniture; and (c) heavy industry–producing metals (aluminum and iron sheets),
cement, paints, and plastics. Recent growth has occurred mostly in consumer goods,
such as food products and beer, edible oils, textiles and garments, and metals, because
they have attracted new investment. Growth in industries such as wood and paper, furniture, and construction has declined. Other signs of progress are described by increased industrial capacity use.
In 2001, manufacturing’s contribution to total employment was 245,000, or 1.5 percent of all employees. Manufacturing accounted for about one-third of nonagricultural
143
144
VANDANA CHANDRA, POOJA KACKER, AND YING LI
FIGURE 6.1 Growth of Manufacturing Sector Output and Exports
(a) Real growth of the manufacturing sector
10.0
8.0
real growth (%)
6.0
4.0
2.0
0
⫺2.0
⫺4.0
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
⫺6.0
year
(b) Exports of manufactured goods
140
exports (US$ million)
120
100
80
60
40
20
3
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
92
19
9
19
19
91
0
year
Source: United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
private employment (industry and services). Although small at present, the sector has
the potential to create better-paying jobs relative to those in agriculture. Incomes of
workers in agriculture typically fall below the poverty line. Labor demand in 2001 in
manufacturing reflected the sector’s need for workers with technical skills. Manufacturing employed 34 percent of all workers with craft and related skills, 32 percent of
FOSTERING GROWTH, EXPOR T COMPETITIVENESS, AND EMPLOYMENT
145
all machine and plant operators, and 11 percent of all clerks. The manufacture of
labor-intensive goods such as textiles, garments, furniture, and nonmetallic products
occurs in both the formal and the informal sectors. Between 2000 and 2002, large firms
contributed the most to employment growth in manufacturing. However, employment growth was not even across sectors. Agroindustry and chemicals experienced job
cuts; in contrast, employment in metals and plastics grew significantly. For policy makers interested in sustained poverty reduction, creating good jobs through growth in manufacturing has clear advantages.
Tanzania needs a vibrant manufacturing sector today for several reasons. Historically, worldwide manufacturing has been the foundation for a modern economy. A
growing manufacturing sector triggers the development of ancillary activities and
better-paying jobs. A large manufacturing sector can enable export diversification that
is necessary to reduce Tanzania’s vulnerability to external shocks. It can smooth incomes
at the household level through the creation of nonfarm jobs that are more stable and
provide higher incomes. On average, the monthly income in 2001 from a manufacturing job was T Sh 103,407, compared to T Sh 76,277 in mining, T Sh 49,693 in construction, T Sh 31,301 in trade, and only T Sh 15,234 in agriculture, which is at present the largest source of livelihood for Tanzanians.
This chapter analyzes the results of a recent enterprise survey to identify the determinants of enterprise growth, investment, exports, and employment. The objective is
to identify what more needs to be done to unleash Tanzania’s manufacturing potential in order to achieve its vision of a modern economy.
Determinants of Manufacturing Sector Growth
The 2003 survey of Tanzanian firms (World Bank 2004c) covers the period from
2000 to 2002 and consists of a sample of 276 manufacturing firms in eight sectors—
including food and agroindustry; chemicals and paints; construction materials; metals; furniture and wood products; paper, printing, and publishing; plastics; and textiles,
garments, and leather products. The sample can also be disaggregated by firm size as
measured by the number of employees: 6.1 percent of the firms are micro (1 to 5 employees); 41.3 percent are small (6 to 29 employees); 27.5 percent are medium (30 to
99 employees); and 25.3 percent are large (100 plus employees).
Of the surveyed firms, 72 percent are located either in the capital (39 percent) or
in other urban areas (33 percent). Most of the firms in the larger urban centers are
engaged in heavy manufacturing, such as the manufacture of plastics, construction materials, chemicals and paints, and metals. More labor-intensive industries are located
mostly in smaller towns with populations of 1 million or less. About 72 percent of
the food and agroindustries, 66 percent of the furniture and wood products industries, and 65 percent of the textiles and garments industries are located outside the
larger cities.
The average age of a manufacturing firm is about 13 years. Except for 2 percent
that are publicly held and 1 percent that are government owned, the remaining firms
are privately owned. Only 16 percent of all firms were previously state owned. Of
146
VANDANA CHANDRA, POOJA KACKER, AND YING LI
those, 75 percent, or 33 firms, were privatized as follows: 12 in 1996 when the government accelerated the privatization process, 13 in 1997–98, and 8 in 1999. Moreover, 20 percent of Tanzania’s manufacturing firms have some degree of foreign ownership; the average share of foreign equity is 72 percent. About 5 percent of all firms
are 100 percent foreign owned. The majority of the firms’ shareholders are Tanzanian nationals (60 percent). The share of non-African nationals is 14 percent; the share
of Kenyans, Ugandans, and other African nationals is between 2 and 3 percent each.
The ethnicity of the principal owners is predominantly African (44 percent), followed
by Asian (26 percent), European (6 percent), and Lebanese (4 percent).
Start-up capital for about 72 percent of the firms came from the owner’s personal
savings or internal business funds from some other source. Bank loans, equity or sale
of stock, and family and friends play a small role in financing start-up capital. Money
lenders and informal sources are also less important. These findings are quite similar
to those of Harding, Söderbom and Teal (2002).
When the links between private investment and growth were examined at the microlevel using firm survey data for 2000 to 2002, a positive association between private
investment and growth in manufacturing surfaced. That association is encouraging and
underscores the necessity of policies that can boost private investment for faster growth
in the sector. Empirical microeconomic analysis is used to identify the main constraints
to investment, growth, and employment in Tanzania’s manufacturing sector.
During 2000 to 2005, aggregate growth in GDP was 6 percent per year; in manufacturing, it was about 7 percent. In 2002, growth in manufacturing was 8 percent.
Firm survey data for value added in manufacturing are unreliable, but trends in sales
growth from 2001 to 2002 are consistent with aggregate growth trends. Firm sales grew
at 9 percent in 2001 and at 11 percent in 2002 in nominal terms. The variance in
sales growth was large.
Between 2000 and 2002, growth in sales increased in correspondence with firm
size as measured by the number of employees. Large firms and exporters outperformed
smaller firms with sales growth rates of about 19 percent in 2002. In contrast, sales
in micro firms grew at only 2 percent. Growth across manufacturing subsectors was
not uniform. The fastest-growing subsectors were metals (21 percent), agroindustry (18
percent), plastics (17 percent), and textiles and garments (16 percent). Furniture sales
grew at only 3 percent. Faster growth in metals and machinery was related to higher
growth in construction, mining, and quarrying in 2002 to 2003.
Besides macroeconomic stability, what are the main determinants of manufacturing growth in Tanzania? Empirically, for the period from 2000 to 2002, the key factors driving manufacturing growth in Tanzania, measured by growth in sales, included
the following characteristics of a firm:
• Age
• Size
• Rate of investment growth
• Share of sales exported
• Use of newer technologies.
FOSTERING GROWTH, EXPOR T COMPETITIVENESS, AND EMPLOYMENT
147
In general, a firm’s sector or location (large cities or smaller towns) did not affect
growth. Similarly, a firm’s other characteristics, such as the nationality or ethnicity of
its owner, did not affect its performance.
Sales in older firms grew more slowly than those in younger ones. But the greatest
boost to sales growth came from larger firms and exporters. About one-third of medium
firms and over one-half of the large firms are exporters. Higher export performance was
an important source of growth. For every 5 percent increase in the proportion of sales
exported, overall sales grew by 1 percent. The strong link between the proportion of
sales exported and growth indicates that exports are a critical source of growth for globally competitive firms as they relax the demand constraint that otherwise limits the size
of the market for nonexporters. The percentage of the workforce that could use computers served as a proxy for the technical skills of a firm’s employees. Sales grew by 0.67
percent for each 1 percent increase in the number of employees using a computer.
Empirical tests confirm a positive relationship between investment and sales growth.
For each percentage point increase in investment, sales grew by 0.08 percent. Compared
with the past when that link was missing, its emergence between 2000 and 2002 provides cause for optimism. Perhaps the investor response was delayed because even
though the transition to a market economy began much earlier, it was only after a long
lag that investors gained confidence in the government’s commitment to reform and
began investing in manufacturing.
Although policy makers can do little about a firm’s location, sector, or characteristics of the owners, at least in the short term, policy levers are available and can influence the other determinants of firm growth: size, investment, export, and technical skills
accumulation in the workforce to support the adoption of newer technologies such as
those that enable the use of computers to raise labor productivity.
A better understanding of investment in Tanzanian firms can be gained from the study
of Harding, Söderbom and Teal (2002). The authors find that from 1992 to 2001, investment rates were generally quite low. They explain that the low rates could be due
to the lumpy nature of investment, which leads many firms to make large investments
once every four years. Microeconomic evidence from the 2003 Regional Program on
Enterprise Development firm survey data validates shorter trends: on average, investment in firms grew at 0.2 percent per year from 2001 to 2002, and the variance was
large. About one-half of all manufacturing firms invested in 2001 and 2002. Growth
in investment increased corresponding with a firm’s age and size. Consistent with the
theory of firm growth, firms age 10 years or less invested almost 10 times more than
the average. Investment growth in smaller firms was nearly zero, compared to 2.1 percent in large firms. Exporters invested substantially more than nonexporters; exporters
with positive export growth outperformed all other firms, with investment growth
rates of 2.15 percent.
Investment decisions are influenced by a variety of intricately linked factors. Because
the firm dataset contains more than 100 of those factors, the latter were listed under
five broad categories, with each category containing about 15 to 40 different but
strongly correlated variables. The leading constraints to investment are as follows:
1. Access to and price of financial capital
2. Access to superior technology
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3. Infrastructure
4. Labor skills and productivity
5. Investment climate.
Econometric testing shows that firm characteristics defined by age, size, sector, location, and nationality of ownership explain some of the investment growth across all
firms. Because policy makers can do little directly about those characteristics, we control for them in our analysis and turn to the other policy-responsive determinants of
investment.
Constraint 1: Access to and Price of Financial Capital
Empirical analysis indicates that access to financial capital is largely determined by the
nationality or ethnicity of the firm’s owner and the share of foreign equity in the firm.
Easier access to financial capital enabled exporters and larger firms to transcend constraints such as availability of bank financing and higher interest rates that otherwise
constrain the majority of domestically owned firms. Typically, firms with access to
bank loans for start-up capital could also use bank financing for investment and working capital.
Most of the start-up capital for nearly all firms is sourced from internal savings or
retained earnings rather than from bank financing. Among nonexporters, about 77
percent of the equity was held by the domestic private sector, 16 percent by foreign owners, and less than 5 percent by the government. In contrast, exporters obtained almost
twice as much equity from foreign firms, which also facilitated access to investment and
working capital. They relied less on bank loans despite considerably lower interest
rates. From 2001 to 2002, the interest rates available to them were 10 percent, compared to more than 16 percent for nonexporters. In general, use of bank loans was
limited. Loan applications had a high transaction cost, and most domestic applicants
were rejected. Only 20 percent of the domestic firms had access to bank loans, which
they used to finance about 14 percent of their total investment and 10 percent of their
working capital during those years. Exporters used bank loans more for working capital. Empirically, a positive nexus existed between bank loans and investment growth
at that time, especially among younger firms. However, because most firms did not
have access to bank capital, private finance remained the foremost constraint to startup capital.
There are policy priorities. Enhancing access to credit requires the pursuit of macroeconomic policies and financial sector reforms that support a deepening of the financial sector and reduce the cost of credit by increasing the efficiency of the financial sector. Chapter 10 discusses financial sector issues in more detail.
Constraint 2: Access to Superior Technologies to Improve Productivity
Empirically, the three key technology-related determinants of investment in the manufacturing sector are (a) the proportion of a firm’s machinery that is no more than
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10 years old (the larger the share, the better the performance and effect on investment
growth); (b) the ratio of a firm’s capital assets to employment, which reflects the capital intensity of production (the higher the ratio, the more negative the effect on investment growth); and (c) the proportion of firms that invest to acquire newer technologies. The last determinant contributes the most to investment growth and is strongly
related to the proportion of employees using a computer, as well as to the level of investment in research and development (R&D) to develop or acquire new technologies.
Capacity utilization and the proportion of firm machinery that is no more than 10 years
old are strongly correlated factors because older machines require more maintenance
and lead to frequent operational disruptions compared with younger machines.
About 48 percent of all firms, including 65 percent of the exporters, invested in the
purchase of newer technologies in the period from 2000 to 2002, especially in agroindustry, chemicals, and plastics. About 37 percent of the large firms licensed newer
technologies from a foreign-owned company, and 22 percent of all firms invested in
R&D to develop new technologies. About 30 percent of exporters, compared to 19 percent of the nonexporters, invested in acquiring new technologies, indicating that export orientation introduces incentives for firms to maintain their globally competitive
edge. Average spending on R&D varied from T Sh 300,000 in small firms to T Sh 5.0
million in large firms. Relative to the average of T Sh 3.9 million for all sectors, firms
in agroindustry and metals invested T Sh 10.0 million each. On average, only 5 percent of the workforce is computer literate; in larger firms, computer literacy is more
frequent—about 8 to15 percent of the employees use computers. Relative to exporting firms, more employees in nonexporting firms use computers. On average, 12 percent of all firms were certified by the International Standards Organization (ISO), with
the highest proportion among large firms (37 percent) and exporters (24 percent).
Firms manufacturing plastics, textiles, construction materials, and agricultural products had higher levels of ISO certification than did other firms.
There is a policy priority. Given the critical need for access to newer technologies
to raise productivity and export competitiveness, policy makers should explore what,
if anything, the government can do to promote the adaptation and adoption of superior technologies at the firm level. In that context, the experience of other developing
countries such as Chile and those in East and South Asia may be instructive. Lessons
from Fundación Chile, a nonprofit institution, and from India’s institutes that facilitate technology for exporting grapes may be useful (see Chandra 2006). Chapter 9 provides a more in-depth discussion of the drivers of innovation and technological change.
Constraint 3: Infrastructure
Firms located in industrial estates do not appear to benefit from superior infrastructure, although such benefits were the intent of development of such infrastructure. Measured in terms of a single eight-hour period, power outages amount to at least 18 working days per year. For some firms, the disruptions last 56 working days per year.
Around 54 percent of the firms have installed private power generators at costs ranging from T Sh 172,700 to T Sh 812,500 per employee. Private provision of water
entails additional costs of construction in channeling water to factories. About
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40 percent of industrial water is obtained from private sources. About 34 percent of
the firms own a well, 31 percent have invested in their own water infrastructure, and
about 12 percent share a water source with the local community. For a country with
a rich rural hinterland that supports agroindustry, the shortage of reliable freight
transportation by road, rail, and air is also a direct constraint to growth. About 41
percent of the firms lose between 1 and 50 percent of their cargo in transit because
of spoilage, breakage, and so forth. At least 10 percent of the firms invest in private
roads; 18 percent have invested in freight transportation to cart goods back and
forth. About 26 percent of the firms have invested in transportation for employees to
compensate for lack of good public transportation to and from the workplace.
Another area with problematic infrastructure is telecommunications. Only 49 percent of the firms have Internet connectivity, but power outage–related spillovers diminish the ability of those firms to access information in a timely manner. Firms pay about
T Sh 11,428 per employee per year in telecommunications bills. Although that amount
may seem meager, the opportunity cost of regular and easy access to information technology is yet another factor that constrains Tanzanian firms from developing and
maintaining better links with global markets in pursuit of faster growth.
Empirical analysis indicates that the main constraints in infrastructure are related
to electricity, water, road transportation, and factors such as telecommunications, Internet connectivity, and waste disposal facilities. Overall, infrastructure-related factors
explain a significant proportion of investment growth, especially for younger firms,
mostly because of the exacerbated effect of water- and transportation-related constraints. Poor public infrastructure has driven many firms to invest in and substitute
private infrastructure for public infrastructure, but at a high opportunity cost as measured by forgone investment for expansion. That situation is evident from the negative effect of electricity, water, freight, and cargo transport constraints on private investment. Private provision of these public goods imposes higher fixed costs per unit
of installation necessary to operate electric generators, water wells, and transportation,
among others. In contrast, the provision of private roads, Internet access, and telephone
connections affects firms’ decisions to invest positively. It is plausible that public goods
such as roads and telephone connections, which require high up-front investment but
have low maintenance costs, serve as assets and encourage future private investment;
whereas public goods such as generators, water infrastructure, and freight transport,
which require high up-front investment but also have high recurrent and replacement
costs, crowd out private investments that expand firms.
There are policy recommendations. Improving the supply and regularity of electricity and water and the supply and quality of freight transport would develop and enhance the infrastructure needed for growth. Chapter 10 provides an analysis of the challenges Tanzania faces in expanding access to infrastructure.
Constraint 4: Labor Skills and Productivity
Empirical analysis indicates that the key human capital–related determinants of firms’
decisions to invest are associated with a skilled labor force proxied by higher education
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and training. Compared with less-skilled individuals, skilled workers are better at
adapting to the new technologies of production that can raise firm productivity even
for simple goods such as T-shirts. The larger the share of the workforce with secondary and vocational education, graduate and postgraduate education, and formal
training, the more likely that a firm will invest in a particular year.
Unfortunately, data problems prevent a meaningful analysis of the effect of
HIV/AIDS on firms’ investment rates. However, other sources of information suggest that the pandemic is inflicting severe costs on firms through decreased labor
productivity.
Between 2000 and 2002, about 44 percent of the manufacturing workforce had
completed primary education, 25 percent had secondary education, 12 percent
had some vocational education, and 7 percent had tertiary education or a diploma.
In fast-growing firms such as exporters, the proportion of graduates or postgraduates
was twice as high (10 percent) as in firms that sell domestically. Exporters also offer
more training: 71 percent of their workforce had received some type of formal training, compared to only 47 percent of that of nonexporters. The high cost of firm-level
training discourages large-scale training, especially of workers who have only primary education. The larger the share of employees with graduate, technical, or tertiary education is, the more willing firms are to invest in their training, which probably explains why firms in Tanzania and other Sub-Saharan African countries invest
less in training than firms in East Asia.
If the creation of human capital is not accelerated, Tanzania’s manufacturing sector is at risk of either not attracting investors or attracting investors shopping only for
low-skilled workers. Both possibilities are detrimental to investment growth in manufacturing, likely to generate low-wage employment, and a deterrent to economic diversification through an expansion in manufacturing that can move workers out of
poverty. The last requires firms to graduate into higher value added production that
needs skilled workers. More important, Tanzania’s advantage of low labor costs is
not permanent. With increasing integration into global markets, its low-skilled, lowcost workers will have to compete with high-skilled, low-cost workers from other
competitors, especially those in Asia. Early signs of that competition are apparent
from the stagnant investment rates in manufacturing, especially in the garments subsector, and highlight further the sector’s unsustainable growth.
There are policy recommendations. Although expansion of primary and secondary
education is necessary, it is not sufficient to attract investment in manufacturing. Public investment in tertiary and technical education is critical for Tanzania to create the
large pool of skilled labor needed to encourage firms to invest, to diversify production,
and to increase export competitiveness. Public investment is also necessary to facilitate the use of superior technologies, promote technological learning among workers
and firms, and enhance productivity at the labor and firm levels. Although the effect
of HIV/AIDS does not emerge in our empirical analysis, we would be unrealistic to ignore timely public interventions that can increase prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS
among workers and their families. The opportunity cost of not doing enough is high
for both the government and the firms.
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Constraint 5: Investment Climate
Although Tanzania’s manufacturing sector faces a plethora of problems in areas such
as access to financial capital and to superior technologies, infrastructure, and human
capital, the investment climate–related constraints are less problematic.
Whereas delays for most processes for starting or renewing business permits seem
reasonable, bribes and excessive delays for many exporters and larger firms are problem areas. For example, instead of a normal period of 20 days for customs clearances,
the delays lasted 97 to 150 days for many exporters and larger firms. Exporters wait
much longer than nonexporters for inspection certificates, utility connections, and
construction permits. The bribes paid ranged from T Sh 35,000 for a water connection, to T Sh 50,000 for a telephone line, to T Sh 150,000 for an import license. Delays for registration or re-registration for business permits for larger firms last as long
as 180 days. The bribes paid for such permits are correspondingly high, ranging from
T Sh 50,000 to T Sh 180,000, with the outliers in the range of T Sh 500,000 to T Sh
2.4 million. Eighty-four percent of all firms hire a company or an agent to assist with
registration.
Ongoing reforms are already redressing the following areas:
• Transaction costs of numerous licenses and permits are being reduced as government
officials are trained to operate a one-stop shop for all investors.
• Legislative reforms to protect private property rights and an efficient judicial system are necessary for attracting larger investors.
• Longer-term leases (100 years) are an option for attracting fixed investment in land
and buildings, as well as commercial courts that can speedily resolve disputes.
Enhancing the Export Performance of the Manufacturing Sector
Tanzania’s exports of manufactured goods have recovered since 1999. The share of nongold exports in total exports is 52 percent. The share of manufactured exports in
nongold exports increased to 17 percent in 2004 (US$120 million) from 6 percent in
1999. Although a favorable trend in the real exchange rate between 2001 and 2004
supported the growth in manufactured exports, an equally if not more critical factor
was the wide-ranging reforms to generate efficiency. These reforms led to accelerated
production and boosted the competitiveness of Tanzanian exports.
If exporters are defined as firms that export at least 10 percent of their production,
only 19 percent of Tanzanian firms are exporters. They are the key drivers of the
manufacturing sector, which grows at 0.2 percent for every 1.0 percent of additional
production exported. Only 11 percent of small firms are exporters, compared to
55 percent of large firms. In 2001 and 2002, the growth of exporting firms was about
24 percent per year, compared to 8 to 11 percent per year for nonexporters. A large
variation exists in the proportion of the output that firms export. Approximately
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25 percent of the exporters channel almost 100 percent of their production to foreign
markets, thus underscoring the point that market demand is not the binding constraint for firms that are competitive. In Tanzania’s small open economy, with all else
remaining the same, exporters can sell, in the short term, all that they can produce.
If the domestic constraints to production are relaxed further, manufactured exports
can yield some rapid short-term gains, as evidenced by the double-digit growth
experienced in recent years. In the medium to longer term, the ability to export will
be determined, as in any other country, by the global competitiveness of manufacturing firms. Their presence today is no guarantee of their future place in the global
market.
Existing exporters rely more on foreign sources of financing, especially from
parent companies or private capital. For most existing exporters, 61 percent of the
equity is private and domestically owned, and 31 percent is foreign owned. For
nonexporters, 75 percent of the equity is private and domestically owned, and only
16 percent is foreign owned. Clearly, local firms that are limited to private sources
of start-up and investment capital are also potentially constrained from entry into
the exporting business. Existing exporters enjoy increased access to bank financing
for working capital, commercial loans through overdraft privileges, and lower interest rates.
In contrast to nonexporters, exporting firms employ a workforce with relatively
higher education levels—graduate, technical, and vocational—a proxy for skills. The
ratio of skilled to unskilled workers in exporting firms is 1.6 times that of nonexporters.
Exporters pay a premium for higher skills, averaging 20 percent for managers, 37 percent for professionals, and 19 percent for those with technical skills. They pay about
6 percent less for unskilled workers. On average, they have five times more (10 percent) workers with computer skills than do nonexporters (2 percent). Given the higher
share of skilled workers, more exporters (71 percent) invest in formal training than
do nonexporters (47 percent). Exporters also have a larger proportion of foreign
managers with more experience.
In the absence of publicly provided infrastructure and basic services, at least twice
as many exporters as nonexporters, especially smaller firms, are able to privately finance
their infrastructure. Exporters and large firms have equal ability to compensate for the
poor public infrastructure through the private provision of roads and transport and
water wells, although this ability must come at the cost of investment.
Seventy percent of Tanzania’s manufactured exports are destined in equal proportions to two main regional markets: (a) Western Europe and (b) the regional African
market, which is dominated by Kenya and Uganda. About 66 percent of the exporters
each sell nearly 35 percent of their exports to those two regions, suggesting, at the very
least, that a sizable share of existing Tanzanian exporters are as globally competitive
in Western Europe as they are in the African market, where competition from lowincome Asian exporters such as China is rising. Considering that only 19 percent of
all firms exported more than 10 percent of their output, one is encouraged to find
that exports to markets in industrial countries are not dominated by one or two large
firms, as is often the case in many low-income countries.
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What are the determinants of manufactured exports? By measuring the share of output exported, an empirical analysis reveals that the key determinants of export growth
are as follows.
• Firm size matters. As exporters are mostly large firms, sales growth in large firms
also translates into export growth. Compared with smaller firms, large firms in
Tanzania’s manufacturing sector have several advantages that enable higher rates
of productivity, which, in turn, raise efficiency and growth. They have a higher rate
of investment made possible by (a) a larger share of own-financing from retained
earnings and private capital, (b) greater foreign equity, and (c) easier access to bank
loans for start-up and working capital. Their size creates spillovers that more than
compensate for the longer delays they face at ports and in obtaining licenses and
permits to do business. By exploiting economies of scale, they can pay higher remuneration to attract more skilled workers. Higher rates of computer skills in the
skilled workforce enable larger firms to license modern technologies that boost
competitiveness and increase their capability to export.
• Relative to firms in the garments and textiles sector, firms in agroindustry contribute significantly to exports.
• Larger firms, especially Kenyan-owned firms, are the main drivers of exports relative to all other nationalities. Ethnicity also matters; relative to European firms, the
export performance of African-owned firms is below average.
• Export experience is important. Firms that acquired exporting skills in the past five
years are able to export a larger proportion of their output. Similarly, given the
complexity of exporting, new entrants in the Tanzanian market with prior foreign
experience as exporters perform better.
• High interest rates reduce use of bank loans for investment and start-up capital
and negatively affect export expansion.
• The availability of workers with graduate and postgraduate education is important
and indirectly supports the development of computer skills. This is natural as more
manufacturing processes, especially in heavy industries such as chemicals, paper, metals, and machinery, are capital intensive and need more sophisticated skills, including computer capabilities.
• Exports destined for the Southern African Development Community or the local regional markets in Kenya do not grow as fast as those destined for markets outside
Africa, such as Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the United States, and Asian countries. The size and purchasing power of the latter are much larger than low-income
African markets, where competition from other regional African exporters selling
similar products is high.
• The government offers about 12 export promotion programs. However, less than 25
percent of the exporters use any of them. Among the export promotion programs
that are most popular and used by at least 10 percent of the firms are (a) retention
of export proceeds in a foreign country, (b) the bonded warehouse scheme, (c) the
customs duty drawback, (d) duty certificates, and (e) the profit tax exemption scheme.
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Policy Recommendations
Reinforcing the ability to produce and export is key to overall growth in Tanzania’s
manufacturing sector. For every 5 percentage point increase in the proportion of output exported, manufacturing growth increases by 1 percent. An important aspect of
export growth is the strong link between large firms and exporters. Empirically, though
most exporters are large firms, it would in practice be incorrect to consider domestic
sales growth as a substitute for export growth. Relative to Tanzania’s small domestic
market, its export markets offer unlimited opportunities for growth. In fact, for rapid
and sustained growth of the manufacturing sector, there is no alternative to export
growth. We recommend the following policies:
• Two types of discrete export promotion incentives are needed: (a) those that can retain existing firms and facilitate their ability to export more and (b) those that can
attract new entrants into the export business, especially exporters equipped with globally competitive technologies needed to penetrate new markets and grow faster.
Targeting incentives at large firms, both domestic and foreign, should be most effective in raising export growth. With appropriate design, such a policy should also
encourage learning between existing firms and internationally competitive ones to
promote export competitiveness.
• Scaling up exports requires more and larger exporters. However, with the exception
of foreign firms that have access to cheaper capital from retained earnings or parent companies, domestic manufacturing firms’ access to start-up and investment capital is constrained by private savings. For firms that have access, high interest rates
limit use of bank capital. Financial policies that increase credit for fixed investments for large firms are required. The government could learn from policies adopted
in East and South Asia: using the ability to export as the measuring rod, proactive
governments were able to preempt government failure by using credit expansion and
lower interest rates as effective policy levers for export expansion.
• Given the weak state of infrastructure countrywide, an option for the government
is to target infrastructure provision to export processing zones and the main industrial areas to maximize agglomeration economies and reduce the cost of private infrastructure for exporters. As industrial areas house large firms, such a policy should
support the entry of new exporters from larger firms, as well as the scaling up of
existing exporters.
• The role of technical and tertiary education in enhancing export competitiveness is
critical. Policies with a longer-term vision to substantially scale up technical and tertiary education are the most important levers for improving labor productivity and
technological upgrading to achieve global competitiveness and sustained export
growth. This recommendation also implies more investments in primary and secondary education to enhance the quality of the throughput to higher education.
• The prevailing policy attention on export competition with neighboring Kenya is
myopic when the true competition in the home and neighboring markets is with lowincome large Asian exporters such as China. A shift in policy focus is warranted to
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think outside of the Africa box—away from export markets within Africa and toward non-African markets. Three differentiated export promotion policies tailormade for the various export sectors are required. First, for heavy industry that relies on local natural resources, public policies to support expansion and raise
productivity should be of high priority. Second, agroprocessing of local nontraditional produce (such as fish and fruits) is also natural resource–based but requires
meeting complex phytosanitary standards to gain entry into markets in industrial
countries. Moving up the value chain requires policies that reduce the high costs of
information, marketing, compliance with global standards, facilitation of newer
technologies, and technological capacity building. Third, for labor-intensive exports such as garments and furniture, policies that enable firms to link with global
supply chains such as those that attract foreign multinational corporations into local assembly and manufacturing are needed. Lesotho and Madagascar are good
examples. A proactive policy stance to signal the government’s new commitment to
promote exports—especially exports to non-African markets—is needed.
• Selectivity is recommended: strengthen the few export promotion incentive programs that firms actually use (bonded warehouse scheme, retention of foreign exchange, duty drawbacks, profits tax exemption scheme, and duty certificates) and
rationalize the remainder, but most important, design special programs to support
export penetration in non-African markets. Additionally, a concerted monitoring of
the one-stop shop to eliminate delays in issuing permits to exporters will help.
Conclusions and Recommendations for a Manufacturing Sector
Growth Strategy
A growth strategy based on supporting the manufacturing sector—and within it larger
firms, especially exporters—has nontrivial poverty implications for the large proportion of unemployed and relatively less-skilled Tanzanians. In the past, faster rates of
growth in the sector contributed to higher growth in the overall economy and to the
largest proportion of better-paying jobs relative to jobs in the agricultural and informal sectors, which fetch incomes that typically fall below the poverty line. For example, in 2001, manufacturing generated about one-third of nonagricultural private
employment. How can policy makers maximize the sector’s growth potential? Empirically, larger firms are the drivers of growth and employment within the manufacturing sector. In absolute terms, in a sample of 276 firms, larger firms with more than
30 employees generated 29,000 jobs relative to only 1,700 in smaller firms. Employment in larger firms grew at 8.5 percent a year relative to only 3.0 percent in smaller
firms. Unsurprisingly, larger firms systematically paid significantly higher wages. The
median wage for professionals in larger firms was T Sh 240,000 relative to T Sh
100,000 in smaller firms. For skilled workers, the median wage was T Sh 90,000 in
larger firms, compared to T Sh 60,000 in smaller firms, and for unskilled workers, it
was T Sh 60,000 in larger firms relative to T Sh 50,000 in smaller firms. Larger firms
also paid significantly higher compensation rates.
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Empirical analysis of the determinants of manufacturing firm growth shows that the
two leading contributors to firm growth are a technically skilled labor force and growth
of large firms, which also represent the majority of the exporters. A 1 percent increase
in the technical skills of the workforce increases firm growth by 0.7 percent, and a 5
percent increase in the output exported delivers almost a 1 percent increase in firm
growth, which, in turn, raises employment growth. The third important determinant
of growth in manufacturing firms is investment growth (growth elasticity is 0.08).
The jump in firm growth is intricately tied to growth in exports because of limited purchasing power in the domestic market; therefore, an aggressive and proactive policy
stance for promoting manufactured exports is likely to have the biggest effect on manufacturing growth in Tanzania and is recommended. The rationale for that selective
approach is motivated by today’s global reality: if a firm cannot compete in the global
market (that is, export), it is unlikely to survive for too long in Tanzania’s domestic or
Africa’s regional markets, which are flooded with cheaper imports from low-cost,
high-skills producers such as those from East and South Asia.
Firm size is a critical determinant of firm growth in Tanzania. And, as many larger
firms are also exporters, and most exporters are larger firms, policies targeting larger
firms should have large payoffs in helping to expand existing firms and promote new
entrants in the export sector. Although policies that favor large firms also favor exporters, export promotion strategies are important in their own right, given the limited purchasing power in the Tanzanian market. This recommendation requires a
strategic, two-pronged approach: one that targets large firms, and another that targets
existing and potential exporters.
• Policies are needed that redress domestic supply constraints associated with disproportionately higher transaction costs of investment faced by large firms and exporters. Policies that increase investment and a program that reduces obstacles associated with finance, infrastructure, technology, and skills are required. All of that
may seem tantamount to recommending everything—that is, redressing all barriers
to production currently facing all manufacturing firms in Tanzania. It is not. To circumvent the high financial and time costs and the government’s weak implementation capacity, we recommend focus and pragmatism in catering to larger firms. In
delivering physical inputs such as infrastructure and financial inputs such as more
accessible bank financing, the government could identify spatial locations where manufacturing and export activity is most prevalent. It could then reinforce the delivery of public inputs and services to those locations. Spatial identification helps in
targeting exports. Similarly, to attract potential exporters, the government could identify special areas, such as industrial districts and export processing zones, where larger
firms interested in exporting would be able to benefit from improved infrastructure
and service delivery, as well as financial support. That approach would render public support in a financially feasible and timely manner for fast-growing exporters and
potential new entrants into the export business. The manufacturing sector cannot
afford to wait until the constraints to investment are resolved economywide.
• Although the entry of firms into the export sector can be facilitated, much more
is needed to sustain them in the business. Creating and nurturing firms’ ability to
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export implies grappling with the challenge of improving productivity and spurring
competitiveness to export to non-African markets, where competitiveness is best
tested. That challenge requires a different set of externally oriented policies that exploit Tanzania’s latecomer advantage to leapfrog into the global marketplace. The
starting point should be direct public support to facilitate the delivery of the two
key public goods: (a) superior technologies of production through adaptation and
(b) development of technical, tertiary, and managerial skills needed to apply them.
Public-private partnerships have served as the best mechanism to deliver those two
public goods. The ability of Fundación Chile to promote technology transfer and
adaptation and that of the Indian Institutes of Technology and Management to deliver critical skills offer useful lessons. Additionally, financial incentives are needed
to reduce the high fixed cost of entry into export markets and to attract firms and
sustain them in the export business. Special incentives to promote exports out of
Africa are likely to have the highest payoff and sustainability. Those challenges require creativity (that is, thinking outside of the Africa box) and political commitment. Lessons from East and South Asia are good starting points, especially in the
area of agroprocessing and light manufacturing.
7
The Tourism Industry
Annabella Skof
T
anzania is an up-market tourism destination. The country is endowed with a variety of tourism assets, including six World Heritage sites and numerous wildlife
parks, beach resorts, coral reefs, and spectacular mountain scenic views. Twentyeight percent of Tanzania’s landmass is protected area, consisting of 15 national
parks, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, 31 game reserves, and 38 game-controlled
areas.
Currently, wildlife is the prime tourist attraction. The Northern Circuit, including
the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti National Park, and Mount Kilimanjaro, is still
the principal destination for wildlife-viewing safaris. However, the government is encouraging the development of the Southern Circuit, including the Selous Reserve,
which is among the world’s largest natural reserves, to prevent overexploitation of
the Northern Circuit. Other principal tourist destinations include the beach resorts,
mainly on the island of Zanzibar. Wildlife safaris and beach resorts are offered as
single-destination attractions and combination packages.
Starting in the early 1990s, leadership of commercial development in the tourism
industry shifted from the government to the private sector. The government formulates
policies, regulates and promotes investment and services, and facilitates the supporting infrastructure.
Economic Contribution of Tourism
The Tanzanian government regards tourism as a priority sector. The contribution of
the tourism industry to the gross domestic product (GDP) rose from 7.5 percent in 1995
to 12 percent in 2001 and to around 16 percent in 2004. In 2004, the tourism industry generated nearly 25 percent of total export earnings. Throughout the 1990s, the
tourism sector has performed very well and shown high growth rates (see figure 7.1).
From 1990 to 1999, tourist arrivals and foreign exchange earnings from tourism increased by an average annual rate of 15.15 percent and 27.41 percent, respectively.
However, in 2000, the tourist arrival rate fell by 2.2 percent, partly as a result of the
terrorist attack in Dar es Salaam in August 1998. Since 2000, tourist arrivals and foreign exchange earnings have grown only modestly at average annual growth rates of
159
160
ANNABELLA SKOF
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
19
91
US$ million
FIGURE 7.1 Tourism Receipts, 1991–2005
year
Source: Data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Tanzania.
4.1 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively. Tourism also plays an important role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). In 1999, it brought in 13 percent of the total
FDI.
In 2005, Tanzania’s average hotel occupancy rate was 48 percent, down from a
peak of 64 percent in 1999 (table 7.1). However, there are regional differences. In
general, the Northern Circuit rates (70 to 80 percent) are higher than the Southern Circuit rates (40 to 45 percent). In 2001, Europeans accounted for 31 percent of the visitors to the mainland and for 75 percent of the visitors to Zanzibar, whereas Africans
made up 40 percent of the visitors to the mainland.
An estimated 40 to 50 percent of holiday visitors come overland from Kenya to Tanzania. That percentage constitutes a significant change from 1996, when it was estimated that some 60 percent of holiday visitors came through Nairobi. According to
the European tour operator survey, three-fifths of respondents indicate that Tanzania
is now sold as a standalone destination, rather than an add-on to a Kenya program
(Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism 2002).
Tourism contributes not only directly to growth but also indirectly through its links
with other sectors of the economy. The effect of an increase in tourism expenditure on
economic activity in a country (such as output, income, or employment) can be measured by using multipliers. For Tanzania, the output multiplier is estimated at 1.83,
meaning that an increase of T Sh 1 million in tourism output causes the output in the
economy to increase by T Sh 1.83 million, implying that other sectors expand to service the tourism industry. The backward multiplier for tourism in Tanzania is 1.16,
which measures the stimuli given to supplying sectors because of increased tourism demand. A backward link of 1.16 requires the output of supplying industries to rise by
T Sh 1.16 million, with a T Sh 1 million increase in tourism output (Kweka, Morrissey, and Blake 2003). Both multipliers are higher than the respective multipliers for agriculture, manufacturing, and other services. Tourism requires 44 percent of its inputs
from other sectors, a rate that is above the average of all sectors. The most important
input sectors for tourism in Tanzania are agriculture, livestock, poultry, fisheries, dairy,
TABLE 7.1 Key Tourism Statistics, 1991–2005
Statistic
1991
1995
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Number of tourists
186,800
295,312
501,669
525,122
575,000
576,000
582,000
613,000
95
259
739
725
730
731
746
823
507
879
1,473
1,169
1,270
1,269
1,282
1,342
140
Total earnings (US$ million)
Average earnings per tourist (US$)
Average daily expenditure per tourist (US$)
Number of hotels
Number of hotel rooms
Number of hotel beds
Total tourist bed nights in hotels
72
122
184
173
172
127
128
205
210
326
329
465
469
474
495
5,484
6,935
10,025
10,325
25,300
30,600
30,840
31,365
9,878
12,145
17,303
18,284
45,500
55,500
55,932
56,562
1,031,136
1,662,542
1,888,000
1,955,000
8,430,000
9,600,000
9,625,000
10,630,000
Average hotel occupancy rate per year (%)
56
57
54
59
51
47
47
48
Number of employees in the tourist sector
45,000
96,000
156,050
156,500
160,200
160,500
198,500
199,000
Sources: Data from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and the National Bureau of Statistics, Tanzania.
161
162
ANNABELLA SKOF
manufacturing, nonperishable foods and dry goods, ground transportation, and handicrafts. Many of the products are sourced locally but are not necessarily produced in
Tanzania. Furthermore, even though some products are locally produced, tourism operators often choose to import such products because of limited domestic availability
of variety and quantity and because of relatively lower quality.
The tourism sector employed 160,750 people in 2004 compared with 96,000 in
1995. Overall, tourism has a relatively high employment multiplier, 5.39, which is the
number of employees for each T Sh 1 million increase in final demand for tourism.
About 75 percent of the effect on employment is to the benefit of other sectors, given
the high links of tourism to those sectors. A study of Northern Circuit hotels
and lodges conducted by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA
2002) found that each room is estimated to create two jobs directly. In addition, the
study found that 27 percent of revenues go to imports, 36 percent to expenditures on
goods and services produced in Tanzania, 15 percent to income, and 24 percent to government taxes. The average daily expenditure per tourist was US$172.58 in 2001,
which has risen steadily from US$122.00 in 1995.
Given the backward links of tourism, that sector has a large potential for increasing value added in the economy. Therefore, tourism is important for reducing poverty
in Tanzania. Households that are involved in tourism are 10 percent less likely to be
poor and therefore show lower poverty rates than food crop or fish producers and mining sector households. Households close to protected wildlife areas also have a potential to earn tourism income. A study found that the number of households receiving
income from tourism varies from 3 percent for households near the Loliondo GameControlled Area to 12 percent for those near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
(Homewood and others 2001). However, tourism is rarely the principal source of income, and the earnings are highly skewed toward the elite. Another study found that
the combined (labor and nonlabor) income multiplier for tourism is 0.66, the lowest
compared with other sectors in Tanzania (Kweka, Morrissey, and Blake 2003). However, the tourism sector has the highest value of the labor income multiplier (0.45), which
indicates the relative prevalence of paid labor in that industry. The generally low values of income indicators reflect low levels of wages, employment, or both.
Tanzania has a tax multiplier of 0.08 for tourism—again higher than in agriculture,
manufacturing, and other services. That multiplier is probably rather high because of
the relative ease of taxing hotels and restaurants, which implies that the most efficient
way to tax tourism is through taxing tourist expenditure in the country. Another study
found that tourism has an unambiguously favorable effect on tax revenue (Kweka
2004). A 10 percent tax on all tourist expenditures increases government revenue by
2 percent, real GDP by 0.3 percent, and total welfare by 0.2 percent.
The Tanzanian Tourism Industry Compared with That of Other
Countries
In terms of tourism assets, Tanzania can be compared with Kenya because both countries feature a number of game parks, mountains, and lakes, as well as beaches on the
Indian Ocean. However, in 2004, Kenya received about 780,000 visitors more than
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
163
Tanzania (figure 7.2), although Tanzania has more than four times the landmass conserved as national parks. In addition, Tanzania’s wildlife is considered to be superior
in terms of quality, quantity, diversity, and visibility to that in competing destinations.
One reason for the differential in visitor arrivals is that Tanzania targets higherincome tourists and tries to avoid the style of mass tourism fostered in Kenya. Mass
tourism is not seen as an option for Tanzania because of the fragility of its natural assets. In addition, targeting low-volume, high-yield tourism allows Tanzania to keep the
image of exclusivity, which is feasible because of its assets.
Tanzania’s tourism industry shows better results if compared in terms of earnings
from tourism. In 2004, Tanzania received US$746 million in tourism earnings, while
Kenya earned US$495 million. Tanzania’s performance in terms of growth of tourism
receipts by far surpassed that of Kenya during the 1990s: from 1990 to 1995, Tanzania showed an average annual growth of receipts of 31.8 percent, while Kenya’s receipts grew by 1.9 percent annually. From 1995 to 2000, Tanzania’s average annual
growth of receipts slowed to 23.3 percent, and Kenya marked an average annual decrease in receipts of 10.7 percent.1 Kenya picked up growth in the period from 2000
to 2004, experiencing an average annual growth rate of receipts of 18.9 percent, far
surpassing Tanzania’s slow average annual growth rate of 0.24 percent.
In terms of the hotel occupancy rate, Tanzania shows similar figures to Kenya. On
average, both Kenya and Tanzania have an occupancy rate of about 50 percent. However, Tanzania shows better results during the low season: 34.5 percent as compared
with 27.6 percent in Kenya (table 7.2).
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council Competitiveness Monitor
2004,2 an online database (http://www.wttc.org/NU_compmon/compmon04/Intro.htm),
Tanzania is less competitive overall than Kenya, Mauritius, or Thailand (figure 7.3).
FIGURE 7.2 Total Visitor Arrivals in Kenya and Tanzania, 1996–2004
1,600,000
1,400,000
arrivals
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
1996
1997
1998
1999
Kenya
2000
year
2001
2002
2003
Tanzania
Sources: Data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Tanzania, and Central Bureau of Statistics, Kenya.
2004
164
ANNABELLA SKOF
TABLE 7.2 Hotel Occupancy Rate
(percent)
Time of occupancy
Kenya
Tanzania
Uganda
Average 2002/03
50.10
50.85
47.50
High season
75.78
72.92
72.30
Low season
27.61
34.52
24.04
Source: World Bank 2005d.
Tanzania’s price level is higher than that of Kenya and Thailand. Even though the
tourism infrastructure in Tanzania is slightly better than in Kenya, it is still very weak.
The levels of technology, education, openness toward trade and visitors, and social factors are very low in Tanzania, resulting in international rankings in the lowest third.
Competitiveness in tourism is determined by price, product, infrastructure, and enabling environment. A market survey of tour operators found that the quality of tourist
services was perceived as a major weakness of the product (Murphy and Henegan
2002). Furthermore, respondents indicated that a lack of training could be detected and
that service orientation should be more professional.
Infrastructure services are a major obstacle to the tourism sector in Tanzania. Almost 47 percent of the surveyed tour operators perceive electricity services as poor or
very poor (table 7.3). In Kenya, roads, waste disposal, and security are regarded as bigger problems than electricity.
The recent Investment Climate Survey for Tourism in East Africa found that the inadequate provision of electricity is perceived as a major obstacle in the business envi-
90
80
70
60
50
Kenya
Mauritius
40
30
20
10
0
Tanzania
al
ci
so
te
nm
en
t
ch
no
hu
lo
m
gy
an
re
so
ur
ce
s
op
en
ne
ss
ur
ro
ru
ct
vi
en
fra
st
iv
in
tit
co
m
pe
pr
ic
e
e
Thailand
en
es
s
index value
FIGURE 7.3 World Travel and Tourism Council Competitiveness Index, 2004
index
Source: World Travel and Tourism Council database.
Note: Index values range from 0 (least competitive) to 100 (most competitive). Data for price competitiveness
for Mauritius were not available.
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
165
TABLE 7.3 Perception of Infrastructure Services
Percentage of respondents ranking services poor or very poor
Service
Kenya
Tanzania
Uganda
Roads
64.70
37.88
28.60
Waste disposal
61.80
33.33
17.90
Security
38.20
18.18
17.90
Water
35.30
28.79
10.70
Land telecommunications
32.40
6.06
14.30
Railways
29.40
1.52
7.10
Electricity
23.50
46.97
21.40
Mobile telecommunications
17.60
4.55
3.60
Postal service
14.70
1.52
11.10
Air freight
11.80
4.55
33.30
2.90
1.52
18.50
Trucking
Source: World Bank 2005d.
Note: Bold typeface indicates the three poorest services in each country.
ronment. With 62.1 percent of businesspeople surveyed ranking that problem as major and very severe, the provision of electricity is a significantly greater problem in Tanzania than in Kenya and Uganda (table 7.4). Tax administration is also ranked more
often as a major or very severe obstacle in Tanzania than in Kenya or Uganda. Tax rates,
however, constitute a major obstacle in Tanzania as well as in Kenya and Uganda.3
TABLE 7.4 Obstacles Encountered in the Business Environment
Percentage of respondents ranking
obstacles major and very severe
Obstacle
Kenya
Tanzania
Telecommunications
23.5
10.6
Uganda
0.0
Electricity
32.4
62.1
37.0
Transportation
26.5
27.3
14.8
Access to land
9.1
33.3
37.0
Tax rates
61.8
69.7
63.0
Tax administration
29.4
56.1
37.0
Customs and trade regulations
11.8
28.8
14.8
Labor regulations
11.8
18.2
11.1
Skills and education of workers
11.8
28.8
37.0
Business licensing and operating permits
11.8
33.3
11.1
Access to financing
23.5
45.5
33.3
Cost of financing
61.8
47.0
55.6
Economic and regulatory policy uncertainty
32.4
40.9
22.2
Macroeconomic instability
44.1
51.5
22.2
Corruption
50.0
48.5
44.4
Crime, theft, and disorder
47.1
28.8
14.8
Anticompetitive or informal practices
23.5
18.2
25.9
Source: World Bank 2005d.
Note: Bold typeface indicates the worst five obstacles in each country.
166
ANNABELLA SKOF
Growth Potential
The government of Tanzania has set a target of 1 million tourists by 2010 bringing
US$1.5 billion in receipts. In the medium term, the objective is to increase the average annual growth rate of the tourism sector to 8 percent by 2005/06.
Tanzania’s tourism potential is largely underexploited; the sector can therefore
make a greater contribution to growth and poverty reduction. As noted earlier, Kenya
has received more visitors than Tanzania, but Tanzania has both more landmass conserved as national parks and superior wildlife compared with Kenya. Tanzania also targets higher-income tourists and avoids mass tourism, which allows it to protect its
fragile natural assets. In addition, Tanzania’s low-volume, high-yield tourism strategy
maintains its image of exclusivity.
Nevertheless, much unexploited potential exists in new destinations and activities,
in particular in niche markets. Moreover, the capacity of tourist services in the southern part of the country is not fully used. Likewise, the potential that marine assets on
the coast area offer has not yet been fully transformed into tourism products. Any further exploitation of Tanzania’s tourism potential must ensure long-term sustainability, requiring activity by public and private actors.
Several structural constraints hamper the realization of the tourism industry’s growth
potential. The tourism sector is highly concentrated. Few operators control demand
and volume to products such as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Serengeti
National Park, and the island of Zanzibar. Because of saturation, growth in the package holiday segment is limited. To increase growth in the tourism industry, the restructured Tourism Master Plan identifies investments in infrastructure, enhanced
products, improved efficiency and competitiveness of suppliers, and an improved enabling environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism 2002). The plan,
however, lacks a specific focus while offering several growth strategy options.
The tourism industry has great potential to increase its indirect contributions to economic growth and poverty reduction because significant opportunities exist for strengthening and increasing tourism backward links in the agriculture, manufacturing, and
services sectors. Backward links can be increased both in volume and through inclusion of additional industries. Many of the tourism sector’s suppliers are small, often
informal operators with limited capacity and limited access to capital and expertise.
For example, in the existing and important fruit and vegetable link, suppliers are
mostly informal with little opportunity to expand their business. Thus, the potential
for increasing the value added of the products by processing fruits and vegetables remains largely unrealized. Similarly, improved techniques, increased capacity, and better-trained employees would strengthen sector-to-sector links. The Tanzania Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (World Bank 2005f) has identified a number of detailed and
specific recommendations aimed at increasing the economic contribution of tourism
by strengthening links.
Furthermore, the potential exists to increase the number of households receiving income from tourism. For example, in Talek, Kenya, near a gate to the Masaai Mara Nature Reserve, 86.4 percent of the households earn income from tourism, compared with
12 percent of those near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
167
Recommendations
Several recommendations can be made on the basis of these findings.
Development of Innovative Tourism Packages and Niche Products
Tanzania has not yet fully exploited its potential in value-added niche products such
as adventure tourism, including climbing and trekking, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving,
cultural tourism, bird watching, and hunting.
Currently, community awareness and participation are almost nonexistent. The
Tanzania Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism has recently enacted Wildlife
Management Area regulations to enable participation of local communities in conserving wildlife. Community-based tourism offers great potential to reduce rural poverty.
Wildlife-based tourism can be used as a revenue source for rural communities. This form
of tourism could be combined with cultural tourism and sold as a package.
Investment in Supporting Infrastructure
The tourism sector would benefit from investments made in transportation, telecommunications, electricity, and health services.
Transportation Infrastructure
Tanzania’s international access by air is inadequate and expensive. Many visitors to the
Northern Circuit fly to Nairobi, Kenya. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has had a direct
flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro for more than 30 years, and British Airways
serves Dar es Salaam. In its current condition, the airport on Zanzibar is inappropriate for landing jumbo jets from Europe. The lengthening of the runway is under way;
however, airport facilities and safety are inadequate. A public-private partnership is recommended to improve management and efficiency of airport facilities and safety. Domestic transportation also needs great improvement. Furthermore, to exploit the
tourism potential of remote destinations, in particular in the Southern Circuit, Tanzania must improve road and air transportation to allow better access.
Telecommunications and Electricity
The costs for telecommunication services and electricity are high in Tanzania. In general, only about 7 percent of Tanzania’s population has access to electricity, whereas
the Dar es Salaam area consumes about half of the country’s electricity. The Tanzania
Electric Supply Company’s predominantly hydroelectric system is prone to shortages
caused by conditions such as poor rainfall. Moreover, the southern part of Tanzania
has no access to the national electricity grid. Most lodges in Tanzania’s national parks
and game reserves rely on generators and alternative solutions such as photovoltaic cells.
However, they are not likely to have access to the grid in the medium term. Even
where there is access to electricity, the provision is not reliable. Tanzania experiences,
168
ANNABELLA SKOF
TABLE 7.5 Electricity Provision Indicators
Indicator
Kenya
Tanzania
Outages (days)
82.90
91.85
Duration (hours)
31.00
4.55
Firms with generator (%)
88.89
74.24
Uganda
—
—
60.71
Share of electricity from generator (%)
17.54
35.33
3.26
Firms with damaged equipment (%)
63.89
50.00
35.71
Value of damaged equipment (US$)
21,114.04
8,565.51
7,274.12
Source: World Bank 2005g.
Note: — ⫽ not available.
on average, nearly 92 days of outages, almost 10 days per year more than Kenya.
However, the duration of outages is shorter in Tanzania (table 7.5).
Health Services
The availability of heath services is also very important to the tourism industry, in particular for up-market tourism. A better provision of health clinics and medical evacuation facilities is needed to meet the requirements of the tourism business (for
example, decompression chambers for diving). Tourists must protect themselves from
malaria by using nets treated with insecticide and other prophylactic measures.
Investment in Human Resources
In Tanzania, no written policy and objectives toward human resource development in
tourism exist. Investment in human resources is indispensable if the quality of tourism
services and the professionalism of the industry are to improve.
Notes
1. Average annual growth rates of receipts are calculated by the World Tourism Organization.
2. The tourism Price Competitiveness Index is computed using the Hotel Price Index and
Purchasing Power Parity Index. The Infrastructure Index shows the level of infrastructure
development, combining the Road Index, the Sanitation Index, and the Water Access
Index. The Environment Index combines the Population Density Index, CO2 Emission
Index, and Environmental Treaties Index. The Technology Index unites the Internet Index,
Telephone Index, Mobile Index, and HiTech Index. The Human Resources Index is proxied by using the Education Index obtained from the 2004 United Nations Development Programme report, consisting of the adult literacy rate and the combined primary, secondary,
and tertiary gross enrollment ratios. The Openness Index is an aggregate index including
the Visa Index, Tourism Openness Index, Trade Openness Index, and Taxes on International Trade Index. The Social Index is a combination of the Human Development Index,
Newspaper Index, Personal Computer Index, and Television Index.
3. See chapter 8 on the informal economy for a more detailed discussion of the business environment for small and medium enterprises in Tanzania.
8
The Informal Economy
Annabella Skof
I
nternational estimates that include informal activities in agriculture suggest that
Tanzania’s informal economy accounts for about 60 percent of the Tanzanian gross
national income (Schneider 2004). The informal sector is thus relatively large in both
regional and international comparisons (figure 8.1). Data from the Tanzanian “Integrated Labour Force Survey, 2000/01” (National Bureau of Statistics 2001) that exclude informal sector activities in rural agriculture suggest that the informal sector
employs about 16 percent of the total labor force. The Instituto Libertad y Democracia (ILD 2005) found that about 98 percent of economic activities in Tanzania were
within extralegal boundaries in the informal economy and that 89 percent of all such
activities are held extralegally. According to ILD, the Tanzanian informal economy has
assets worth US$29 billion.
Many small enterprises in Tanzania operate under a semiformal legal status without the necessity of registration with state authorities (table 8.1). Semiformal operators appear on a list of operators at the local authorities, and they pay taxes that are
collected by local authorities. How long informal operators may remain at any level
of informal or formal status differs widely in Tanzania. An operator may progress
through a semiformal stage or move directly from informal status to the official registration.
Informal economy operations can be found in most sectors in Tanzania. According
to the National Bureau of Statistics (2001), people whose main economic activity is
in the informal economy are most often employed in these sectors: retail trade of agricultural products, meat, and chicken (20.7 percent); stationery, photography, and general retail (18.8 percent); retail trade of processed food (10.5 percent); and restaurants and hotels (12.4 percent). The majority of people whose informal activity is a
secondary activity are employed in crop growing (94.4 percent).1
Generally, for households engaged in informal economic activities in urban areas,
such activity tends to be their main activity, whereas such activity is more likely to be
secondary in rural areas. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (2001), one
in three households was active in the informal economy in 2000/01, as opposed to
one in four households in 1990/91. The survey shows that the number of households
with informal economy activities grew during the 1990s from 42 percent of the total households in urban areas to 61 percent. In rural areas, 27 percent out of the
169
170
ANNABELLA SKOF
FIGURE 8.1 Size of the Informal Economy for Selected Countries, as a
Percentage of Gross National Income
% of gross national income
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Un
ite
d
S
Un Swi tate
t
ite ze s
d rla
Ki nd
ng
do
m
So C
ut hin
h
a
Af
r
M ica
al
a
Bo ysi
ts a
w
an
a
Ba Ke
ng ny
la a
de
Et sh
hi
op
ia
M
M
oz ala
am w
bi i
q
Ug ue
a
Sr nda
iL
a
Th nka
ai
la
n
N d
ig
Ta eria
nz
a
Pa nia
na
G ma
eo
rg
ia
0
Source: Schneider 2004.
TABLE 8.1 Typology of Forms of Enterprise in Tanzania
Formal status
Legal form
Description and subcategories
Illicit
None
An enterprise for which there is no legally permitted, licensed, or registered counterpart.
Informal
None
An activity (for which there is a formal counterpart) that does not comply with requirements of the regulatory system regarding licenses,
permits, certificates, notification, or registration of the activity.
Semiformal
Local authority–
licensed enterprise
An activity carried on by an operator who appears on a local authority
list of licensed operators of enterprises but who is not registered
with the state registrar. Existing forms of licenses include those for
(a) hawkers, (b) businesses, and (c) market stalls.
Formal
State-registered
enterprise
Persons registered to conduct business activities under a registered
business name. For example, an activity enumerated on a state register as a sole ownership enterprise, a private limited company, or a
joint stock company open to public subscription shareholdings.
Source: Nelson and de Burijn 2005.
total households had informal economy activities in 2000/01, as compared to 21 percent in 1990/91. Also, in terms of employment, the informal economy holds a bigger
share in urban areas than in rural areas. In Dar es Salaam, for instance, 36 percent
of the total labor force is employed in the informal economy.
The vast majority of persons in the informal economy are self-employed without employees. Eighty-two percent2 are self-employed in the main activities, while 88 percent
are self-employed in the secondary activities.
THE INFORMAL ECONOMY
171
The level of education of informal business operators is generally low. According
to the National Bureau of Statistics (2001), 64.2 percent of operators in the main activities and 53 percent of those in the secondary activities have completed primary
school. In the main and secondary activities, 16.7 percent and 43.5 percent, respectively,
of the operators have no education or have dropped out of primary school.
The National Bureau of Statistics (2001, 58) suggests that the growth of the informal economy during the past decade “is possibly a result of economic hardships households have been facing that have forced them to join the sector as a survival strategy.”
Accordingly, 44.5 percent of people whose main activity is in the informal economy
stated that the major reason for involvement in that sector is the inability to find work.
For those for whom the informal economy is a source of secondary activity, the main
reason is the need for additional income for families (43.9 percent). Such data indicate
that survivalists constitute a considerable part of the Tanzanian informal economy. A
study by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) therefore differentiates between survival types of operators and
growth-potential types of businesses in the Tanzanian informal economy (ILO, UNIDO,
and UNDP 2002).
The National Bureau of Statistics (2001) further notes that informal economy activities as main employment are more concentrated in urban areas because of problems
of unemployment, whereas in rural areas the informal economy predominantly provides opportunities for secondary activities. As stated before, crop growing is the sector employing the majority of the people whose informal activity is a secondary activity. The National Bureau of Statistics’ (2002) “Household Budget Survey 2000/01” finds
that 75.8 percent of the people in rural areas are mainly active in farming, raising of
livestock, or fishing. In rural areas, agricultural income accounts for the primary source
of income with a share of 60.4 percent, which means that almost 40 percent of the income is derived from sources outside farm production. Sixty-five percent of rural
households report more than three income sources.
In general, income tends to be much lower in the informal sector than in the formal sector. Tanzania is no exception. According to the National Bureau of Statistics
(2001), the average income for paid employment of households in Dar es Salaam that
do not undertake informal activity is T Sh 191,662, while it is T Sh 85,960 for households with informal activity. Income in rural areas is much lower, averaging T Sh
76,800 for households not involved in activities in the informal economy and T Sh
47,874 for households with informal activity.
Nonetheless, the informal economy thrives in Tanzania because it provides opportunities for income generation to the poor and unemployed and because it offers a lowcost ground for experimentation with business ideas that might lead to growth and formal enterprises. Forced formalization risks incurring the cost of damaging fragile
enterprises and livelihoods for very little benefits and suppressing business experimentation and development. The decision of a small-scale informal operator to formalize
should be a voluntary one.
Our poverty analysis presented in chapter 2, as well as other research such as Owens
and Teal (2005), suggests that the informal sector—especially urban self-employment—
has been an important path out of poverty for many Tanzanians. Not only did the share
172
ANNABELLA SKOF
of self-employed persons in the adult population increase from 4.8 percent to 8 percent,3 but expenditures by households headed by self-employed individuals grew by
18 percent between 1991/92 and 2000/01, compared with a much more modest growth
of expenditure of agricultural households, which grew by only 7 percent during that
period. In Dar es Salaam, the growth of expenditures by households headed by a selfemployed person was even more dramatic at 65 percent, which was even higher than
the average growth in expenditures of 60 percent experienced by households headed
by a person in paid employment (see table 2.16).
Constraints to Growth of Enterprises in the Informal Sector and
Formalization
Micro and small enterprises in Tanzania, most of them in the informal sector, are not
only an important means to generate income; they are also an important entry point
for the development of a strong private sector in Tanzania. As such, it is important to
consider how growth of such enterprises and their transition into the formal sector can
be facilitated.
Informal operators state the existence of a number of constraints to growth of their
businesses. Most important, they are often not in a position to afford permanent
premises for their businesses. Second, they lack access to credit. A lack of business management skills and very limited access to new technology also are detrimental to the
growth of informal businesses. Often, informal entrepreneurs face harassment by local authorities. That situation has improved considerably since 2003, but it is still a
problem. Some businesses are demolished, property is taken away, and in the worst
cases, entrepreneurs face charges.
Furthermore, advocacy is needed for the informal economy. Currently, three associations represent the interests of informal economy operators: the Small Industries and
Petty Traders Association (Vikundi vya Biashara Ndogondogo, or VIBINDO), an umbrella organization; the Tanzania Small Industrialists Society (TASISO); and the Tanzania Food Processors Association (TAFOPA). However, sectoral associations are still
weak. The ILO Syndicoop project facilitated the formation of a national steering committee that includes the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania, the Tanzania Federation
of Cooperatives, the Savings and Credit Cooperative Union, the government, and individual informal economy groups.
VIBINDO states that the biggest constraint to formalizing a business is access to affordable permanent premises. There are a number of success stories of informal operators formalizing their businesses after the municipal authorities provided or assisted
in the access to permanent premises.
The costs of starting and operating a formal business are high in Tanzania. According to the World Bank’s Doing Business 2007 (World Bank 2006), entrepreneurs
in Tanzania can expect to go through 13 steps to launch a business, which on average
take 30 days and cost 92 percent of the US$340 per capita income, compared to 11
percent, 46 percent, and 114 percent of per capita income in Botswana, Kenya, and
Uganda, respectively, or 6.5 percent in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
THE INFORMAL ECONOMY
173
Development (OECD) countries. However, the minimum capital required to obtain a
business registration number in Tanzania is 6 percent of per capita income, which is
considerably lower than the regional average (297.2 percent) or the OECD average
(28.9 percent).
The ILD (Instituto Libertad y Democracia) found that the costs and burdens of the
procedure to legally incorporate a private Bureau of Change in Mbeya include 10
stages, 103 steps, 379 days, and US$5,506, whereas the respective figures for Dar es
Salaam are 95 steps, 283 days, and US$3,816 (ILD 2005). ILO, UNIDO, and UNDP
(2002) calculated that the cost of coping with regulatory and nonregulatory constraints
would amount to as much as 75 percent of monthly sales of informal operators in the
firewood and charcoal sector, which explains the decision to remain informal.4
To register a business, entrepreneurs must travel to Dar es Salaam, where the Business Registration and Licensing Agency is located. ILO, UNIDO, and UNDP (2002)
show that business licensing is equally cumbersome, because it requires various procedures in different offices at regional and district levels. Both processes, licensing and
registration, are required and often involve bribing officials, further increasing the
cost of starting a formal business. Costs of formalization are often increased even
more because some officers are reported to be unhelpful, obstructive, and uncaring (ILO,
UNIDO, and UNDP 2002).
De Soto (2001) explains that a major problem faced by the informal economy is its
inability to convert what he refers to as dead capital (untitled assets) into capital that
can be used, for example, as collateral for loans. Registering property is an expensive
and time-consuming undertaking in Tanzania: it takes 12 steps and 61 days, compared to 4 procedures and 33 days in OECD countries. The cost of registering property amounts to 12.2 percent of the property value, which is considerably higher than
in OECD countries (4.7 percent). ILD (2005) found that the procedure to allocate
land for urban purposes and to obtain a building permit takes 13 stages and includes
68 steps, which take eight years to complete and cost US$2,252.
Also, enforcing formal contracts costs on average 5.3 percent of the debt, compared with the OECD average of 10.9 percent. According to ILD (2005), claims for
a debt at Tanzania’s Commercial Court Division take 9 stages, 96 steps, and 390 days
and cost US$11,964. Likewise, collection of a debt by executing a court decree takes
1,286 days and costs US$1,022. In addition, hiring or firing employees is comparatively
difficult in Tanzania. However, because employment regulations are not enforced,
ILO, UNIDO, and UNDP (2002) did not identify them as a severe constraint.
Tax rates, which are perceived as too high, often act as a disincentive to formalize.
A recent study shows a number of anomalies with the tax regime for small businesses,
in particular that the system is regressive for nonrecordkeepers (FIAS 2006). Moreover,
the study states that the “tax environment encourages expansion of the informal economy,” because “small businesses face a proportionately higher time and financial costs
to comply with administrative requirements and therefore may not see any benefit of
joining the tax net” (FIAS 2006, 18). Furthermore, newly registered businesses must
pay taxes up front, which further increases the required starting capital.
The marginal effective tax rate is higher for small businesses than for large firms.
Local governments still levy a large number of taxes, fees, and charges. Local taxation
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ANNABELLA SKOF
FIGURE 8.2 Estimated Unreported Revenue for Tax Purposes
40
percent
30
20
10
0
Kenya
Zambia
Uganda
Tanzania
Mozambique
Source: World Bank 2005d.
is seen as a major constraint to formalization. In addition, bribes are estimated to add
up to more than 5 percent of total sales. Comparative investment climate survey
datasets collected by the World Bank (2004e) suggest, however, that the share of revenue that Tanzanian businesses deliberately fail to report for tax purposes is more
than 30 percent, compared with around or less than 20 percent in Kenya, Uganda, and
Zambia (figure 8.2). However, one should note that informal entrepreneurs do pay taxes
to local authorities. For example, in Dar es Salaam, a local tax of T Sh 100 per day is
collected from every informal operator.
In sum, another reason for the large size of Tanzania’s informal economy is that for
microenterprises the benefits of formality are dwarfed by its costs. “Whether in monetary terms (direct cost or income foregone), or in terms of time and energy, the cost
of compliance turns out to be too high for most starting businesses, who are therefore
obliged to start informally” (ILO, UNIDO, and UNDP 2002, 3). In other words, the
state fails to provide an institutional environment that is conducive to investment in
the formalization of informal enterprises. Therefore, the “current regulatory set up
(a) fails to meet [the] objective of ensuring quality control for the majority; and (b) traps
the entrepreneurs in low quality settings, puts their upgrading and growth too far out
of reach, and limits the contribution of the subsector to poverty reduction and national
growth” (ILO, UNIDO, and UNDP 2002, 35).
Benefits of Increasing Formalization
The most obvious benefit to the government of increasing formalization is higher tax
revenue. Furthermore, the government’s ability to implement policies and the effectiveness of government programs aimed at the private sector will rise because informal enterprises operate outside of the government system of regulation.
From the perspective of business operators, formalization of their business increases
the trustworthiness for customers, a benefit that has been mentioned by several entrepreneurs who formalized their business. Furthermore, formalization creates the basis
for formal transactions with other entities, including financial intermediaries for
access to credit, the public sector for the provision of public services, and clients and
THE INFORMAL ECONOMY
175
suppliers for contract-based transactions. Given the rigidities, costs, and attitudes of
formal sector regulators and service providers, the access of informal entrepreneurs to
important public goods, such as electric and water utilities, and to other inputs and
services is limited.
Furthermore, operators in the informal economy cannot convert dead capital in
the form of untitled assets into productive economic currency, such as collateral for loans
to start or expand a business. According to ILD (2005), there is US$29 billion in dead
capital in Tanzania. Moreover, operators’ access to the capital market is very limited.
Formal registration is generally a prerequisite for access to credit and small business
loans (US$15,000 to US$30,000). Therefore, informal sector operators are destined
to remain small without being able to exploit potential economies of scale. As a result,
productivity tends to be low. In general, the labor productivity is lower in Tanzania than
in many other African countries—the median value added per worker is US$2,061, as
shown in panel (a) of figure 8.3. Panel (b) of figure 8.3 indicates that, in the case of
microenterprises (most of which are informal), labor productivity is even lower.
FIGURE 8.3 Median Value Added per Worker
(a) Median value added in selected countries
value added (US$)
4,500
3,000
1,500
0
Uganda
Tanzania
Zambia
Kenya
China
country
(b) Median value added by size of firm
value added (US$)
4,500
3,000
1,500
0
micro (1–9)
small (10–49)
medium
(50–100)
size of firm
Source: World Bank 2005d.
large (100⫹)
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ANNABELLA SKOF
BOX 8.1
Examples of Voluntary Formalization
Alan Mungo experimented with operating an informal insurance agency and a clothes shop.
He eventually progressed to producing wine and operating a safari tour company. Having
developed a marketable product and identified market opportunities for expansion, he decided it would be in his interest to legitimize his enterprise. However, after preliminary inquiries, he found that the premises he used, an automobile garage on the grounds of his
dwelling house, would not be approved by health inspectors, which meant he would not be
able to apply for an operator’s license.
Around this time, he attended a meeting of representatives of the Tanzanian Food Processors Association, the local trade licensing officer, and a representative of the Ministry for Agriculture, Food Security, and Cooperatives. That meeting produced an agreement that smallscale food processors who could not comply with regulations would not be forced to cease
their operations. Instead they could continue to operate without licenses, but they would still
be subject to supervision by health inspectors. That condition incidentally implied the advantage of being off the database of operators liable for formal taxes. The acknowledged reason for the ministry’s decision was that Tanzania’s food-processing industry was important;
that it relied mainly on small-scale producers, most of whom were not licensed; and that it
would be forced to close if regulations were enforced. Mungo was able to continue operating, and licensing costs were deferred until after his premises reached the standard about one
year later. At that point, his formalization costs were very low.
Dan Himba formalized his business after an activity period of 29 years. He conducted informal enterprise activities as a supplement to his salaried employment. During that period,
he enjoyed a long run of starting informal enterprises, maximizing profits while he could, and
abandoning those enterprises when they showed signs of having run their most profitable life
cycle. When the conditions of his employment deteriorated, a full-time entrepreneurial career became more attractive to him and increased the stimulus to formalize. He subsequently
abandoned his job for a career in private enterprise.
Source: Nelson and de Burijn 2005.
The decision to formalize an informal business depends on expected benefits from
formalization (box 8.1). Often, informal businesses are too small to be able to pay the
costs of formalization.
Implications for Policy
To allow for a low-cost arena for business experimentation, as well as a means of income generation for poor and unemployed people in the absence of a state-provided
safety net such as unemployment benefits, the Tanzanian government should tolerate
and support informal economic activities. Governments can reduce informality by reducing the costs and increasing the benefits associated with becoming formal. By
reducing corruption, for example, they can increase enterprises’ willingness to deal with
public institutions. In addition, governments can encourage firms to become formal by
reducing the burden imposed on formal enterprises by such factors as barriers to entry, business regulations and inspections, and labor regulations.
THE INFORMAL ECONOMY
177
In addition, providing for an adequate institutional framework that is conducive to
and provides incentives for voluntary formalization of informal businesses is important. Possible incentives are the abolishment of up-front payment of taxes or free training on procedures of formalization. Alternatively, an agency to assist entrepreneurs in
registration procedures could be set up. Moreover, local governments should provide
more permanent premises at low rents (such as market stalls in Ilala, Dar es Salaam)
for informal entrepreneurs. The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Policy of
2002 addresses the problem of infrastructure requirements and calls on local authorities to allocate and develop land for small and medium enterprises, to develop industrial clusters and trade centers, and to identify and allocate underused public buildings
to such enterprises. A higher degree of realization of this policy would be very beneficial.
The focus of government has been primarily on encouraging formalization of businesses, while paying relatively less attention to supporting small-scale, informal sector activities. In addition to the review of laws and regulations that may unduly impinge on small-scale informal activities, that effort also requires a change in mindset
of public officials to recognize the value and importance of informal sector activities
for Tanzania’s economic development. In particular, local authorities, who deal with
the informal sector on a daily basis, would benefit from capacity building in that area.
Access to credit poses severe constraints to informal entrepreneurs. Often, informal
businesses find even microfinance schemes hard to comply with. Alternative credit
schemes include rotating savings and credit societies, such as savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs). Developing and improving occupational SACCOs can be an effective alternative to formal banks. In the long run, SACCOs could function as a way to
connect informal savings with the formal financial sector.
The government has already started to implement measures to reduce the cost of
doing business and to facilitate the formalization of businesses and property. In October 2004, it launched the Property and Business Formalisation Programme. The objective of the program is to identify assets and guarantee property rights. In fall 2005,
at the conclusion of the diagnostic phase of the program, ILD (2005) presented a comprehensive report that commented on legislation governing property ownership and
compiled data on the patterns of movable- and fixed-asset ownership. Formalization
reforms will be designed on the basis of those findings.
The government has also taken important measures to reduce the burden of business licensing and registration, and a business activities registration bill was submitted to the Tanzanian parliament in 2005. The goal is to create a business licensing system that is transparent and efficient, aiming at registration rather than revenue collection
and control in place. Furthermore, the license fee for small businesses was abolished
in 2004/05. By simplifying and harmonizing legislation and streamlining regulations
of business and property registration, the government should cut all costs of formalization in order to create an enabling environment. For example, the Business Registration and Licensing Agency should open branches throughout the country so that
travel expenses of entrepreneurs who wish to license a business are kept at a minimum.
Officers of local and national government agencies should be well informed and
trained to assist potential licensed business owners. They should pass on correct
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ANNABELLA SKOF
and useful information in order to facilitate business licensing. In particular, officers
should be aware of legislative changes such as the new taxation schedule and comply
with them.
In addition to government officers, potential and current informal entrepreneurs
should have a fair understanding of the formalization process, as well as the benefits
and opportunities of running a formal business. Informal workers should be encouraged to form cooperatives. Training for informal business operators in managerial
skills through seminars and workshops is of the utmost importance and is very beneficial to fostering private sector development.
Notes
1. Those figures are calculated on the basis of the national definition of employment.
2. The figure of 82 percent was reached according to the standard International Labour Organisation definition of labor force, or 73 percent using the national definition.
3. Data from the Integrated Labour Force Survey (National Bureau of Statistics 2001) and the
Household Budget Survey (National Bureau of Statistics 2002) provide different measures
of informal sector activities, but the magnitude and trends provided by these two surveys
present broadly similar pictures.
4. Regulatory constraints include complicated, lengthy, and unpredictable procedures; inadequate institutional arrangements; rent-seeking civil servants; unreasonable specifications
and standards; and a multiplicity of taxes and levies. Nonregulatory constraints include, for
example, poor clients, lack of access to financing, poor infrastructure, and unfair competition. The 75 percent figure is the highest average cost for coping with constraints that occurred in the firewood and charcoal sector. However, in the cloth-making sector, for example, the highest average cost calculated was 5.8 percent of monthly sales.
PART III
Elements of a Strategy for
Shared Growth
9
Fostering Innovation, Productivity,
and Technological Change
Anuja Utz and Jean-Eric Aubert
T
he application of knowledge, as manifested in areas such as entrepreneurship and
innovation, research and development (R&D), and people’s education and skill
levels, is now recognized as one of the key sources of growth and competitiveness in
the global economy. Developing countries such as Tanzania have ample scope to use
new and existing knowledge and innovation to develop new products and processes,
thereby enhancing technological change and improving productivity across all sectors
of the economy. Innovation in Tanzania concerns not just the domestic development
of frontier-based knowledge; more important, it relates to the application and use of
existing knowledge to the local context. It requires a climate favorable to entrepreneurs
that is free from bureaucratic, regulatory, and other obstacles and that fosters interactions between the local and outside business worlds, with different sources of knowledge, including universities, public laboratories, users, think tanks, industries, and indigenous communities.
Four pillars are generally considered to be important for countries to make effective use of knowledge for their overall economic and social development:
• An economic and institutional regime that provides incentives for the efficient use
of existing knowledge, the creation of new knowledge, and the flourishing of entrepreneurship
• An educated and skilled population that can create, share, and use knowledge well
• A dynamic information infrastructure that can facilitate the effective communication, dissemination, and processing of information
• An efficient innovation system of firms, science and research centers, universities,
think tanks, consultants, and other organizations that can tap into the growing
stock of global knowledge, assimilate and adapt it to local needs, and create new
knowledge.
181
182
ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
BOX 9.1
Benchmarking Tanzania in the Global Context
Some recent indexes that have been developed to benchmark countries’ performance in terms
of competitiveness or knowledge readiness on a global basis include the following:
• World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2006–2007. This report (World
Economic Forum 2007) highlights World Economic Forum’s new Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), which provides an overview of factors critical for driving productivity
and competitiveness. The factors are grouped into nine pillars: institutions, infrastructure,
macroeconomy, health and primary education, higher education and training, market efficiency, technological readiness, business sophistication, and innovation. Tanzania is
ranked 104th (of 125 countries) on this new 2006 GCI, behind Kenya (94) but ahead of
Uganda (113). World Economic Forum’s Business Competitiveness Index (BCI) is another
index that focuses on microeconomic factors that determine economies’ current productivity and competitiveness. Tanzania is ranked 73rd (of 121 countries) on the BCI in 2006,
ahead of Uganda (88) but again behind Kenya (68).
• World Economic Forum’s Africa Competitiveness Report 2004. This report (World Economic Forum 2004) highlights the prospects for growth and the obstacles to improving competitiveness in 25 African economies. Tanzania ranks 9th of 25 countries on the overall
global competitive index, surpassing Uganda, which is ranked 14th, and Kenya, which
placed 15th.
• World Bank Institute’s Knowledge Assessment Methodology (KAM). The figure below
compares Tanzania’s performance on the Knowledge Economy Index (KEI) with the performance of the African region, Tanzania’s neighbors, and Botswana and South Africa, as
well as with that of well-performing East Asian economies such as Malaysia and Thailand.
It shows that between 1995 and the most current period (2004–05) Tanzania has made a
substantial improvement in its overall knowledge readiness, as evidenced by positive
changes in the KEI, particularly for the economic and incentive regime and the innovation
pillars. In addition, it has made some improvement in information and communication technologies (ICTs). Also, Uganda has made strides in improving its economic incentive regime
and in the ICT pillars, and Kenya has strengthened its information infrastructure over the
past decade or so. Kenya’s performance surpasses that of the African region, whereas the
performance of Tanzania and Uganda does not. Botswana and Malaysia have slightly improved their recent performance over that in 1995, but South Africa and Thailand have
Effective use of knowledge in any country requires appropriate policies, institutions,
investments, and coordination across these four pillars. A country’s economic and incentive regime is critical because it describes the framework within which a society
and an economy work—in other words, the rules of the game, both formal and informal. And the basic enabler for any country to use knowledge effectively is education—encouraging learning and the exploration of new knowledge, with innovation
being a driver of technological change and information and communication technologies (ICTs) providing the mechanisms to reduce transaction costs. These three functional pillars—education, innovation, and ICTs—are the focus of this section. Box 9.1
provides a snapshot of how Tanzania fares in terms of its competitiveness on a global
scale.
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
183
BOX 9.1 (continued)
not. Thus, this relative comparison shows that even though a country can make progress,
it can still fall relatively behind because the world as a whole may have made much more
significant improvement in the variables that are used to track knowledge- and innovationrelated performance.
Tanzania and Comparators, 1995 and Most Recent Period
Malaysia
1995
South Africa
1995
Thailand
1995
Botswana
1995
Kenya
1995
Africa
1995
Uganda
1995
Tanzania
1995
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
KEI score
economic regime
innovation
education
ICT
Source: World Bank’s Knowledge Assessment Methodology, http://www.worldbank.org/kam.
Note: The two bars represent the aggregate KEI score for a selected country for the most recent year for
which data are available and for 1995, split into four pillars: economic incentive regime (in light gray), innovation (in white), education (in dark gray), and ICT (in black). Each color band represents the contribution of a
particular pillar to a country’s overall knowledge readiness.
Education
Well-educated and skilled people are key for creating, sharing, disseminating, and
using knowledge effectively to spur growth and innovation. Ideally, countries need to
develop flexible education systems, starting with basic education, which provides the
foundation for learning; moving next to secondary and tertiary education, which can
develop core skills, including technical ones that encourage creative and critical thinking for problem solving and innovation; and moving finally to a system of lifelong
learning. Developing countries such as Tanzania face many challenges in developing
such systems. They include expanding coverage to achieve universal access to basic
and secondary education; providing tertiary education, which is generally weak;
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ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
improving the links between formal and informal education systems and the labor market; and raising the overall quality of learning.
Tanzania’s economy today is largely market oriented and has in place many elements
required for private sector–led growth. However, it does not have the sound base of
an adequately qualified and trained workforce, which is essential for rapid economic
growth and effective diversification of its production and export bases. Figure 9.1
shows that in 2001 Tanzania’s adult literacy rate (77 percent) was higher than that of
Uganda (69 percent) but lower than that of Botswana (79 percent), Kenya (84 percent),
and South Africa (86 percent). In addition, according to figure 9.2, Tanzania’s average number of years of schooling in 2000 (3.4) was higher than in Uganda (3.22), lower
than in Kenya (5.08), and far below the average in South Africa (7.22).
The recent focus on investment in primary and secondary education, if sustained,
promises accelerated increases in literacy and average years of schooling in the medium
to long term. In recent years, the Tanzanian government has recognized the need to raise
educational levels in the population as a necessary condition for enhancing economic
growth. The general education system in Tanzania includes seven years of primary
education, four years of lower secondary education, and two years of upper secondary
education. Appropriate programs for primary and secondary education have been put
in place to enhance access to and increase the quality of education. Key measures so
FIGURE 9.1 Adult Literacy Rates, 1970–2002
85
percent
75
65
55
45
35
Botswana
Ghana
Kenya
Malaysia
Source: World Bank internal database.
Mauritius
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
02
20
00
98
20
96
19
94
year
19
92
19
90
19
88
19
86
19
84
19
82
19
80
19
78
19
76
19
74
19
72
19
19
19
70
25
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
185
FIGURE 9.2 Average Years of Schooling, 1960–2000
9
8
years
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
year
Ghana
Kenya
South Africa
Tanzania
Malaysia
Mauritius
Uganda
Source: Cohen and Soto 2001.
far have included the abolition of primary school fees in 2001, significant increases in
budgetary funding for primary education, and the implementation of the Primary Education Development Program (PEDP). Under this program, Tanzania’s gross enrollment ratios for primary education increased from 78 percent in 2000 to 106 percent
in 2004. The net enrollment ratio increased from 59 percent in 2000 to 91 percent in
2004. Girls represent 49 percent of the total.
A key challenge for government is to focus more on improving the quality of primary education. In terms of inputs, the availability of textbooks has also improved.
On average, before the PEDP was launched, eight students shared one book on each
subject. In 2003, the book-to-pupil ratio improved to 1:4. The government’s target was
to reach a ratio of 1:1 by 2006. Teachers’ knowledge and mastery of the curriculum
have also improved through preservice and in-service teacher training interventions.
The proportion of grade A teachers (those with secondary-level education) increased
from 46 percent in 1999 to 58 percent in 2004. However, more qualified teachers are
still needed (World Bank 2005c). The PEDP has strengthened institutional capacity and
management of education, as measured by the enhanced capacity in the Ministry of
Education and Culture to provide policy and guidelines and monitor education delivery. It has led to decentralization and delivery of primary education through regional
administration offices, district wards, and schools and has strengthened community participation and school-level management and accountability. Resource availability and
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ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
use of resources have also improved, as measured by increased nonsalary expenditures in the primary school budget.
With respect to secondary education, Tanzania has one of the lowest net enrollment
ratios in Sub-Saharan Africa. Only about 9 percent of the relevant age group attends
secondary education, compared with an average of 27 percent for Sub-Saharan Africa
in 2000, including about 11 percent in lower secondary school and less than 2 percent
in upper secondary school. Only 22 percent of primary school leavers in Tanzania
have a chance to continue their education at the secondary level, compared with 50
percent in Uganda in 2001. Secondary enrollment ratios are low for all population
groups, but especially for low-income youth and students in rural areas. Few government schools have been established, and inadequate incentives exist to provide nongovernment schools in rural communities, because households are unable to pay the
fees required (World Bank 2004d).
Three main challenges face Tanzania in secondary education: increasing access,
raising quality, and reducing costs. To support reforms in secondary education, the government has launched the Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP), which
has among its aims increasing the proportion of the relevant age group completing lower
and upper secondary education, expanding enrollment with equity, improving the
learning outcomes of students (especially among girls), and enabling the public administration to manage secondary education more effectively. To expand enrollment with
equity, the SEDP includes measures to make more efficient use of resources, provide
development grants to schools and communities (mainly those in underserved areas),
expand teacher supply, lower household costs for secondary education, expand the
scholarship program for students from poor families, and enhance the partnership
with the nongovernmental sector. The program for quality improvement includes curricula and examination reforms, provision of textbooks and teaching materials through
capitation grants to schools, and quality improvements in preservice teacher training
together with establishment of a system for professional in-service teacher development.
The program also includes institutional reforms and capacity building at the central,
region, district, and school levels for more efficient operation of the secondary education system.
The results of the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) II (2000–03)1 for primary schools show high reading and
math scores for Tanzania’s mainland compared with other countries. In reading, Tanzania’s mainland placed third, behind Seychelles and Kenya, while on math scores, it
is fifth, behind Mauritius, Kenya, Seychelles, and Mozambique (figure 9.3).
In tertiary education, Tanzania’s performance is very weak: tertiary gross enrollment
ratios stood at 0.94 percent in 2002, compared with 3.24 percent for Uganda and
3.52 percent for Kenya in 2001 and 4.69 percent for Botswana and 15.05 percent for
South Africa in 2002.2 In the 2000/01 academic year, there were 6,117 students at the
University of Dar es Salaam and 13,442 in total in the country’s three universities
(University of Dar es Salaam, Sokoine University of Agriculture, and the Tanzania
Open University). In April 2001, an education fund was established to sponsor children from very poor families to complete higher education. But in the past 10 years,
a number of private universities have also emerged, and today the country has nine
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
187
FIGURE 9.3 Reading Scores and Mathematics Scores
(a) Reading
Seychelles
Kenya
Tanzania
Mauritius
Swaziland
Botswana
Mozambique
South Africa
Uganda
Zanzibar
Lesotho
Namibia
Zambia
Malawi
0
100
200
300
400
score
500
600
700
500
600
700
(b) Mathematics
Mauritius
Kenya
Seychelles
Mozambique
Tanzania
Swaziland
Botswana
Uganda
South Africa
Zanzibar
Lesotho
Zambia
Malawi
Namibia
0
100
200
300
400
score
Source: Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality, http://www.sacmeq.org/.
private universities, mostly small and denominational, which award diplomas in financial and business management, wildlife management, community development, social
welfare and cooperatives, and transport and media operations (ESRF 2002).
Söderbom and others (2004) examined the returns to education in the manufacturing sector in Tanzania. Their findings suggest that the marginal returns to education
for primary and secondary education are rather limited. However, the data suggest a
sharp increase in the returns for people who have a tertiary education (figure 9.4). One
of the implications of these findings is that the effect on growth in the manufacturing
sector of more primary and secondary education is likely to be small, but greater investment in tertiary education has higher payoffs (Söderbom and others 2004).
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ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
FIGURE 9.4 Predicted Earnings in Manufacturing Sector Based on
Manufacturing Firm Surveys
(a) Old cohort
log of monthly earnings
6.00
5.25
4.50
3.75
3.00
0
2
4
6
8
10
years of education
12
14
16
12
14
16
(b) Young cohort
log of monthly earnings
6.00
5.25
4.50
3.75
3.00
0
2
4
6
8
10
years of education
year 1
Source: Söderbom and others 2004.
year 2
year 3
year 4
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
189
The analysis of the 2000/01 Integrated Labor Force Survey in Tanzania shows the
value of secondary education to the individual Tanzanian (figure 9.5). In a sample of
more than 3,000 wage earners between the ages of 18 and 65, more than half had completed primary education, a quarter had completed lower secondary (form IV), and 5
percent had completed upper secondary (form VI). Of the sample, 33 percent were female and 23 percent resided in rural areas. The average hourly wage for these wage
earners amounted to approximately T Sh 400, but it ranged from roughly T Sh 200
for those with primary education to more than T Sh 700 for those with secondary education. Disparities between rural and urban earners and between genders were sizable (World Bank 2004d).
The difference in the profile of marginal social returns to education for workers
in the manufacturing sector and for workers in the overall labor force may suggest
that at the tertiary level certain degree programs are well rewarded by the manufacturing sector but that many other degree programs result in lower-paying jobs. The
implication would be to shift the supply of higher education to those programs that
seem to be in demand by the manufacturing sector. The difference in the profiles of
social returns to education also suggests that, for the manufacturing sector, a limited
supply of workers with relevant tertiary education is a constraint, while for other sectors the limited supply of workers with secondary education may be more of a constraint.
The government has been the major financier of technical and vocational education and training (TVET), with assistance from donors. But the TVET system faces
several problems in terms of inefficient use of resources, inequitable distribution of
FIGURE 9.5 Marginal Social Returns per Year of Education Based on Integrated
Labor Force Survey
25.0
% of sample
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0
primary
low secondary
upper secondary
level of education completed
Source: Authors’ calculation based on World Bank 2004d.
university
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ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
educational opportunities, poor links to the labor market, and lack of coordination
between donors and the government. The unsustainable costs of training appear to
be caused not only by low use of capacity, but also by low student-to-faculty ratios,
whereas the inequitable distribution of education opportunities is biased toward primary schools for students from wealthier backgrounds. Recognizing that the TVET
system had failed to produce graduates who were suited for the labor market, the government introduced policy changes in 1996 that emphasize its continued responsibility for the provision and financing of more and better basic education, coupled with
a reduction in untargeted subsidies through increased cost sharing, liberalization of
private education and training at all levels, and decentralization of authority. The
Vocational Training and Education Authority, set up in 1994, is working to ensure that
the training that is provided is responsive to the labor market (Gill and Dar 1998).
Africa is a capital-scarce region, and the loss of this limited resource is widely considered detrimental to the prospects of sustained growth and development. There is a
significant parallel to this problem on the side of human capital. Weakness in human
capital—and particularly skill deficiency—is a drag on investment and growth in
Africa. Progress in overcoming shortages of skilled and trained workers seems to be
disappointingly slow, despite the substantial resources devoted by both governments
and donors to this effort during the past three decades. This deficiency is sustained at
a time when Africa is losing a very significant proportion of its skilled and professional workers to other markets and increasingly depending on expatriates for many
vital functions. Although comparatively Africa is the smallest source of immigration
to the industrial world, a high proportion of its migrants is made up of highly skilled
professionals. For example, it has been estimated that more than 30 percent of highly
skilled professionals in a number of African countries are lost to the countries of the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Nearly 88 percent of adults who emigrate from Africa to the United States have at least a high school
education. More African scientists and engineers work in the United States than in
Africa. The emigration of technically skilled people has left 20,000 scientists and engineers in Africa serving 600 million people.
Tanzania is no stranger to brain drain. The most vulnerable professions at the national level include medicine, accounting, law, engineering, and science. As a proxy for
the national picture, data from two premier institutions of higher learning provide
some interesting evidence. Out of a teaching staff of about 861, about 149 staff members (17.3 percent) left the University of Dar es Salaam between 1990 and March
2002. The majority of those who left were from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
(38), followed by the Faculties of Medicine (17), Engineering (13), Law (11), Science
(10), and Commerce (9). Most of them exited at the senior lecturer and lecturer levels. The same was true at the Sokoine University of Agriculture. Out of a staff of 239
people, about 50 (21 percent) left in the same period. Again, the majority who left were
either lecturers or senior lecturers (ESRF 2002).
In medicine, Tanzania is also facing a massive skills loss, especially of doctors and
scientists. Low salaries for doctors are the principal reason driving the brain drain—
and those who remain seek higher wages in private hospitals in large urban centers,
leading to a lack of doctors in some of the country’s district hospitals. In a bid to increase the number of health professionals in the country, the Tanzanian government
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
191
FIGURE 9.6 Projected Shortfall of Health Care Workers
(number of public sector health care workers)
to keep
pace with
population
growth
35,200
availability,
2002
to meet
needs of
HIV/AIDS
patients a
to meet
requirements
of MDG
⫹30,000
78,300
shortfall
of 130%
⫹9,300
⫹3,800
34,000
total need
projected
availability,
2008
Source: Hazlewood and Prakash 2005.
Note: MDG ⫽ Millennium Development Goal.
a. Accurate if the care and treatment plan is implemented 100 percent through the public sector.
has recently promised to cover all training costs for medical students in both public
and private universities (Balile 2003).
The brain drain also has an effect on the development of human resources in Tanzania, especially given the AIDS crisis. A recent article (Hazlewood and Prakash 2005)
reiterates the fact that Tanzania faces an acute shortage of health care workers. Low
pay, poor working conditions, and limited training programs contribute to the problem, which is exacerbated by the rising burden of treating HIV/AIDS patients. Hazlewood and Prakash estimate that Tanzania will have to find nearly 10,000 more workers to address the rising needs of HIV/AIDS patients and three times that number to
meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (figure 9.6). However, improving
the productivity of individual health care workers and of the health care system as a
whole could increase Tanzania’s capacity by two-thirds, even without additional workers. Some improvements, such as providing telephones and motorbikes for better communication, would be relatively easy to make; others, such as managing the flow of
patients more satisfactorily and implementing planning and accounting tools, would
require more investment and training. Making these changes requires that health organizations and the government increase the capacity of their training programs by at
least half to ensure a sustainable workforce and aggressively recruit trained workers
to alleviate the immediate shortages.
Innovation
Innovation can be understood as the diffusion of a new or improved technology or practice in a given environment. Two levels of innovation are particularly relevant for developing countries: at the micro level, there is the diffusion of available technologies
for use by firms, individuals, or households to help improve their productivity, welfare,
living conditions, and so on; at the sectoral level, there is the development of new
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ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
industries, generally based on foreign technologies, that can be a source of new jobs,
income, and exports. Thus, innovation can contribute to poverty reduction by
• fueling economic growth, as it forms the basis of new activities, industries, or services that can generate wealth and jobs;
• inducing productivity gains, which are also a source of wealth as well as a means
of maintaining jobs from foreign or other types of competition; and
• maintaining the self-sustainability of local communities, for example, through the
adoption of appropriate technologies.
Role of the Government
A recent study by the World Bank (Chandra 2006) focuses on examples of innovation
from low- and medium-income countries and identifies a host of government actions
that are essential to the development of competitive industries.3 In order of importance,
first are actions that make available appropriate skills and provide support for technology acquisition and development. Next are actions of a regulatory nature, such as
those relating to standards and quality control. Then come the various types of support that can be provided to enterprises and industry organizations for export promotion, investment, and so on (table 9.1).
Major Issues in Innovation in Tanzania
The innovation climate in Tanzania presents serious weaknesses. First and foremost
is a generally poor business environment coupled with mediocre infrastructure, bureaucratic hurdles, and corruption. The technical culture of the population is also not very
developed, as evidenced by high illiteracy rates. In the past, Tanzania had no deliberTABLE 9.1 Role of the Public Sector in Fostering Innovation
Spinoffs
Export and
investment
promotion
Technical
acquisition
and
development
X
X
X
X
X
X
Maize, India
X
X
Grapes, India
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Industry/country
Regulation
and
compliance
Support to
industry
organizations
Technical
skills
development
Electronics,
Malaysia
X
Electronics,
Taiwan, China
X
IT, India
X
X
X
X
X
X
Oil palm,
Malaysia
X
Salmon, Chile
X
Wine, Chile
X
Nile perch, Uganda
Cut flowers, Kenya
Source: Based on Chandra 2006.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
193
ate strategies or plans for appropriate selection, acquisition, and transfer of technology or for effective integration of imported technologies with local capacity for R&D.
However, in 1985, it enacted the first National Science and Technology policy, which
was revised in 1995. The major thrust of this policy was to establish relative priorities and programs to generate new knowledge and to determine strategies for science
and technology (S&T) development. The government also established the Tanzania
Commission for Science and Technology in 1986 and the Centre for the Development
and Transfer of Technology (CDTT) in 1994, in an effort to institute workable mechanisms for coordinating capacity-building efforts, adopting new technologies, strengthening R&D, and facilitating information exchange and extension services.4 Although
these are laudable initiatives, the reality is that these institutions, especially the CDTT,
lack adequate resources, infrastructure, equipment, and trained personnel to respond
to the increased needs of the local entrepreneurial society and to develop a coherent
science and technology policy.
The low level of R&D as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP)—only 0.2
percent (comparable with other African countries)—reflects the modest nature of Tanzania’s research and innovative effort. Other more sophisticated indexes such as the
United Nations Development Programme’s Technology Achievement Index, which includes measures of the diffusion of new technologies (such as computers) as well as of
the technical qualifications of the population, confirm the low technological capabilities of the country (box 9.2).
Research and Development in Tanzania
There are about 62 R&D institutions in Tanzania, covering agriculture, including livestock and forestry (28); industry (11); health care (11); wildlife and fisheries (4); and
universities and other higher learning institutions (9) (ESRF 2002).5 Most of these entities are government institutions; objectives include conducting scientific research and
designing and manufacturing machinery and equipment for agriculture, as well as
appropriate technologies for rural businesses and small and medium-size industrial
enterprises.
However, these institutions lack real incentive schemes for researchers to conduct
this type of research; as a result, only a few researchers tend to be very instrumental
in R&D activities. In the main, there is a crucial lack of resources for R&D institutes,
as a result of a deliberate liberalization policy of the government. Such institutes are
increasingly facing reduced support from the government and are therefore undertaking reforms to become independent executive agencies. They are looking for new lines
of business that could make a profit and thus enable them to meet their personnel and
operational expenses. This trend is worrying because it distracts these institutions
from conducting research of a more public goods nature that could benefit society as
a whole. Mechanisms for technology diffusion are also modestly developed, with a near
absence of decentralized structures such as agriculture extension services.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an important source of technological upgrading
in developing countries. There is no doubt that in Tanzania, FDI—which is relatively
high compared with other African countries—has played a key role in the modernization of important sectors of the economy such as trade (retail), banking, tourism, and
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BOX 9.2
The United Nations Development Programme’s Technology
Achievement Index
In its Human Development Report 2001, the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) introduced the Technology Achievement Index (TAI), which tries to capture how
well a country is creating and diffusing technology and building a human skill base—reflecting its capacity to participate in the technological innovations of the network age. This
composite index is not a measure of which country is leading in global technology development but focuses on how well the country as a whole is participating in creating and using
technology. The index recognizes that a nation’s technological achievements are larger and
more complex than any index can capture. It is impossible to reflect the full range of technologies—from agriculture to medicine to manufacturing. Many aspects of technology creation, technology diffusion, and human skills are hard to quantify. And even if they could
be quantified, a lack of reliable data makes it impossible to fully reflect them. For example,
important technological innovations occur in the informal sector and in indigenous knowledge systems, but they are not recorded and cannot be quantified.
Thus, the TAI focuses on three dimensions of innovation at the country level: creation of
new products and processes through R&D, use of new technologies and old in production
and consumption, and availability of skills for technological learning and innovation. Countries are ranked in four categories: leaders, potential leaders, dynamic adopters, and the
marginalized. The results show three trends: a map of great disparities among countries,
with TAI values ranging from 0.744 for Finland to 0.066 for Mozambique; diversity and dynamism in technological progress among developing countries; and a map of technology
hubs superimposed on countries at different levels of development. Tanzania and Kenya are
both listed as marginalized (below 0.20)—which means that technology diffusion and skill
building have a long way to go in these countries and that large parts of the population
have not benefited from the diffusion of technology.
Source: UNDP 2001.
the telecommunication networks. It has also been crucial in the take-off and growth
of new industries such as fishing and gold mining. But, as shown by the international
experience, it takes time to build an indigenous innovative capability through foreign
investment. It requires explicit mechanisms such as the employment of large contingents of local cadres in managerial positions, as well as programs to closely link local
suppliers of components and materials to upgrade the suppliers’ equipment and the quality of their products. Such mechanisms do not exist in Tanzania; consequently, the
transfer of knowledge and technology from foreign sources remains modest. Box 9.3
provides an example of constraints to technology access in the horticulture sector in
Tanzania.
Policy Proposal for Developing a Nationwide Innovation Support Scheme
In addition to improving the overall business environment and upgrading the education system, Tanzania must develop specific actions for the promotion of innovation
and technology diffusion in order to put its R&D infrastructure at the service of the
country’s development. There is a need for a systemic approach that provides complementary support on three basic aspects: financial, technical, and regulatory.
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
BOX 9.3
195
Constraints to Technology Access in the Horticulture Sector
in Tanzania
The horticultural sector has become an important contributor to exports in Tanzania.
Nonetheless, Tanzania’s performance significantly lags behind that of Kenya, which has
made important strides in increasing its market share for horticultural exports. It is useful to analyze the constraints to technology access in this sector and, in particular, the barriers to the introduction of improved varieties of seeds and pest control technologies, with
the aim not only of identifying constraints, but also of deriving some lessons for other
sectors.
The most important finding is that it is not formal import restrictions that pose constraints
to the introduction of technologies used in other countries to Tanzania, but rather the underlying regulations and institutions that impede such access, as well as a lack of information. In the case of access to pesticides, for example, the most impeding factors are the unclear institutional framework governing registration processes and the cumbersome, long, and
expensive registration process. The registration of agrochemical pesticides can cost up to
US$7,550 and can take as long as two years. Furthermore, the horticultural sector in Tanzania, as compared with that in Kenya, suffers from a backlog of registered pesticides that
are urgently needed. The introduction of biological control agents is even more cumbersome and time consuming. Different issues are at stake concerning the introduction of new
seed varieties. The transfer of knowledge regarding new seed varieties often does not take
place because smallholder farmers buy from stockists, who have little knowledge of how to
handle these seeds. Another constraining factor is the lack of awareness regarding the recently
adopted Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBRs).
Some recommendations that can help to improve the introduction of improved varieties
of seeds and pest control technologies include the following:
• Streamline legislation. After the review by the Natural Resources Institute, University of
Greenwich, has been completed, legislation should be streamlined in line with recommendations in order to close loopholes and make the process of registration more transparent.
Clear institutional arrangements regarding the Tropical Pesticides Research Institute and
the registrar are needed.
• Create harmonization within the East African Community. Working groups on pesticides
exist in the East African Community (EAC). Reciprocal recognition of registration within
the EAC should be encouraged as an important outcome of this process.
• Recognize Kenyan registration. Given that the process of reciprocal recognition among EAC
countries may take time, Tanzania should automatically register pesticides that are already registered in Kenya.
• Implement quality control inspections of and provide training to stockists. Stockists should
be frequently inspected to ensure the quality of seeds and pesticides. These inspections
would help to eliminate the circulation of counterfeit products. Stockists and smallholder
farmers should receive training to increase awareness of the benefits of hybrid seeds and
use of improved varieties. Public-private partnerships are an option, given the interest of
seed importers in increasing sales of their products.
• Dissemination of information about the PBRs. Given the domestic as well as international
lack of awareness that Tanzania now has the PBRs in place, efforts to inform stakeholders are essential. Efforts should also be increased at an international level to attract foreign direct investment and to stimulate innovation in this area.
Source: Skof 2006.
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Financial Support
There is a crucial lack of resources on the demand side for accelerating the design, testing, use, and dissemination of technologies. We suggest that Tanzania establish two complementary schemes, which are based on simple matching fund principles. The schemes
would provide—in grant form—50 percent of the funding required for the development (R&D phase) of small and medium-size projects (for example, up to US$20,000):
• User scheme. This scheme would allow particular groups and communities to buy
needed technologies and provide, if appropriate, complementary in-kind funding
(labor for community purposes).
• Developer scheme. This scheme would fund 50 percent of technical services or
R&D projects undertaken by small and medium-size enterprises with R&D institutes (public, academic, and so forth). It would thereby help—indirectly, but more
effectively—the R&D institutes use their competencies to serve communities. (This
type of scheme is in place in a number of industrial countries.)
It is important that the management of such support schemes be carried out primarily at subnational levels. Regional and local commissions would screen and select projects with the support of appropriate experts (including foreign ones). This screening
and selection process is a primary condition that is necessary to have efficient management and to reduce the bureaucracy that would ineluctably affect schemes administered
at the central level. The central level, however, would have to have oversight and control the overall process.
Technical Support
On the basis of experience accumulated in industrial countries, we suggested that a network of locally based and owned structures be established to serve the needs of rural
and urban communities for technical advice, information, and assistance (in design,
marketing, and so forth). These structures should be adapted to different sectors (for
example, extension services for agriculture and design and manufacturing workshops
for industry). They should also be conceived and operated as antennas of central bodies to which they would be strongly connected through information technology (IT),
databases, and the like. They should be established on a clearly expressed demand
from local communities and funded on a 50/50 cost-sharing basis, with local organizations (municipalities, business or farmer associations, and so forth) matching the resources put in by the central government.
Regulatory Support
Regulatory-related actions must be implemented to deal with several issues:
• Proposed actions that aim to stimulate service-based contracts and formalize new
links between the business sector and the R&D infrastructure require the establish-
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
197
ment of clear legal and administrative procedures. We therefore recommend
reviewing, adjusting, and standardizing appropriate models for such relationships.
Many issues may be involved, including the use of public or university laboratory
equipment and personnel by firms, the temporary employment of university researchers by business enterprises, and intellectual property rights.
• In many sectors, there is a need to develop quality awareness and quality control,
as well as related accreditation and certification procedures. A program should be
implemented to raise awareness of these issues, because doing so could yield important results in a short time span.
• Firms or individuals that are first producers face major financial problems and frequently do not get access to credit from the banking system. The government’s recently established credit guarantee mechanism, which is supposed to mobilize the
banking and financial sector, does not seem to be working well. An audit needs to
be undertaken to examine in detail the mechanisms that can be put in place to complement this incentive, such as microcredit schemes; equity investment procedures
(such as the Dutch Program for Cooperation with Emerging Markets, which supports 30 percent of the investment of individual firms in the flower industry); and
the like.
An Innovation Multipurpose Facility
To efficiently implement and fund the multicomponent program proposed here, Tanzania could do well to establish a new ad hoc facility—an innovation multipurpose
facility—that is endowed with a critical mass of funds and that operates with maximum flexibility in the use of the types of policy actions outlined above. The facility could
be administered at the level of the president’s office. Funding needs can be estimated
at US$10 million to US$15 million per year. If matched by equivalent spending from
the private sector (which currently spends almost nothing), this amount would double the current national S&T expenditure, reaching 0.5 percent of GDP. That expenditure could reach full scale three to four years after an initial pilot phase, which would
possibly be focused on a few specific industries (discussed next). The effect on the
economy would become evident within five years or so. It is suggested that this government support mechanism be modeled on the Tanzania Social Action Fund, which
has been efficiently administered at the president’s level.
Promotion of Specific Industries
The scheme for an innovation multipurpose facility could be focused on specific priority industries, including the tourism sector and the agro-foods industry. The first is
already an important source of income; the second would take advantage of the large
agriculture base. Systemic, well-focused action is needed in both industries.
• In tourism, such actions include a general campaign of quality control and accreditation of hotels and related facilities throughout the country, efficient enforcement
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ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
mechanisms for ensuring the respect for and compliance with the defined standards, an international campaign of marketing and promotion of the tourism
advantages of Tanzania in selected countries of the industrial world, and adequate
financial support to Tanzanian firms and organizations intending to improve or
create new services.
• For the agro-foods sector, it is important to consider the different types of production (vegetables, cereals, fruits, meat, and so forth) and the missing links that need
to be constituted or consolidated, from the basic producer level to the market (both
local and export). Adequate actions then must be undertaken, including food quality control and insurance, improvement of testing facilities, support of packaging
enterprises and distribution channels, and systematic scouting of foreign knowledge and technologies of potential use in Tanzania. These measures should be closely
coordinated with programs that aim to improve agricultural productivity and diversity, notably as funded by the World Bank (such as the Second Tanzania Agricultural Research Project).
The involvement of foreign enterprises in both sectors is crucial. These enterprises
provide access to foreign markets, provide management competencies, and introduce
up-to-date technologies. It is important to establish a liaison with Tanzanian enterprise
associations, which are efficient organizations for negotiating and partnering with foreign businesses. Clear contracts regarding technology licensing, personnel training,
and access to export markets should be developed. On the whole, a two-pronged action strategy combining both upgrading and developing domestic capabilities and involving foreign actors would be essential for a successful innovation intervention to
help improve Tanzania’s growth prospects.
Information and Communication Technologies
Rapid advances in ICTs are dramatically affecting economic and social activities, as
well as the acquisition, creation, dissemination, and use of knowledge. These advances are affecting the way in which manufacturers, service providers, and governments are organized and how they perform their functions. As knowledge and innovation become increasingly important elements of competitiveness, the use of ICTs is
reducing transaction costs and time and space barriers, thereby allowing the mass production of customized goods and services and substituting for limited factors of production. The pervasive and global ICT revolution is disrupting all kinds of relationships, helping build new types of organizations, widening the knowledge and
productivity gap, and posing serious risks for the unprepared. It thus calls for countries such as Tanzania to develop capabilities to master the new technologies and
harness the full potential of ICTs for all sectors of the economy for education, innovation, and learning; public sector management; private sector competitiveness; and
capacity building.
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
199
Research also shows strong links between ICTs and growth. Compelling evidence
exists that strengthening telecommunications infrastructure and service is pivotal in promoting trade and economic growth. It is estimated, for example, that a 10 percent decrease in the bilateral price of phone calls is associated with an 8 percent increase in
bilateral trade (Fink, Mattoo, and Neagu 2002). In Africa, significant evidence suggests
that if the telephone growth rate were 10 percent instead of 5 percent (and if growth
in electricity generation were 6 percent instead of 2 percent), the increase in Africa’s
growth rate would be at least 0.9 percent higher (Estache 2005).
Information infrastructure consists of telecommunications networks, strategic information systems, and policy and legal frameworks affecting their deployment, as well
as skilled human resources needed to develop and use it. In the ICT domain, Kenya,
Tanzania, and Uganda are all at a very nascent stage of application and use. It is not
surprising that all three countries lag Botswana, Malaysia, and South Africa by a huge
margin, as can be seen in figure 9.7. Mauritius, by contrast, has been doing better
than Botswana and South Africa on telephony and personal computer (PC) penetration and is close to the level of Malaysia. In the case of Internet hosts, South Africa
and Malaysia are the undisputed leaders.
A recent report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) also provides some insights into the international digital divide. It evaluates ICT development using a range of indicators to benchmark connectivity, access,
ICT policy, and overall ICT diffusion in 165 countries. In the benchmarking analysis,
OECD countries continue to dominate the upper rankings, while South Asian and
African countries occupy the lower half of the rankings. The more developed African
countries enter the rankings relatively early, with Mauritius 52nd and South Africa 66th.
Botswana comes in 80th, while Kenya is ranked 115th, Tanzania 135th, and Uganda
154th, indicating that many Sub-Saharan Africa countries have a considerable way to
go in terms of ICT connectivity and diffusion (UNCTAD 2005).
Tanzania has been making some progress. In 2003, it published a cross-sectoral National ICT Policy (http://www.moct.go.tz/ict) that relates ICTs to relevant sectors of
the economy, such as education, manufacturing, health, and tourism. The policy was
developed in response to the poor harmonization of initiatives that has led to random
adoption of different systems and standards, unnecessary duplication of effort, and
waste of scarce resources, especially through the loss of potential synergies. The policy notes that the weak ICT infrastructure and the lack of adequately trained and skilled
personnel are the main barriers to increased adoption of ICTs in Tanzania. This
broad-based national strategy is designed to correct these weaknesses by addressing
Tanzania’s developmental agenda and calling for the creation of appropriate institutional arrangements to ensure that all stakeholders can rise to the challenge of implementing the ICT policy. It is worth mentioning that stakeholder discussions on ICT
policy and related issues were held mainly through an e-mail list of e–think tanks—
an ICT fraternity, comprising representatives from government, the private sector,
and civil society.
Even though the government’s ICT policy addresses issues related to rationalization
and coordination, it fails to loop in the productive economic sectors. Expenditure on
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ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
FIGURE 9.7 ICT Infrastructure: Telephones, Personal Computers, and Internet
telephones per 1,000 persons
(a) Telephones (fixed mainlines and mobile phones)
500
400
300
200
100
19
83
19
85
19
87
19
89
19
91
19
93
19
95
19
97
19
99
20
01
79
19
81
77
19
19
19
75
0
year
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
02
20
00
20
98
19
96
19
94
19
19
19
92
0
90
personal computers per 1,000 persons
(b) Personal computers
year
(continued)
building infrastructure and training should be strategic investments after the needs
and demands of the private sector are addressed—specifically, which firms can benefit the most from ICT, leading to appropriate allocation of scarce resources.
In the telecommunications sector, the policy, legal, and regulatory framework has
been encouraging private sector participation.6 This sector is regulated by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA). The performance of the Tanzanian Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL) has improved considerably
since February 2001, when a Dutch-German consortium, Celtel, took a 35 percent stake
in it. The remaining shares were allocated to local financial institutions (14 percent),
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
201
FIGURE 9.7 (continued)
Internet hosts per 10,000 persons
(c) Internet hosts
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
00
20
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
19
94
0
year
Botswana
Ghana
Kenya
Malaysia
Mauritius
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
Source: World Bank internal database.
international financial institutions (10 percent), and TTCL employees (5 percent); the
government retained a 36 percent stake. At present, TTCL has about 250,000 operational lines (InfoDev 2005).
The sector liberalization and the privatization of TTCL have had a significant effect on the market dynamics, particularly in the supply of telecommunications services.
Market revenues grew from US$143 million in 1998 to US$389 million in 2003. The
compound annual growth rate is 19 percent. Overall teledensity grew from 0.3 in
1998 to 2.57 in 2003, and the mobile market has grown 21.19 percent since liberalization and the introduction of competition, new products, and new services.
Despite the competition, tariffs remain high and teledensity is one of the lowest in
the South African Development Community (SADC), in part due to the poor interconnection framework and the lack of regulatory independence and also because of other
issues, such as lack of infrastructure sharing. Thus, in general, Tanzania’s postal and
telecommunications services are weak, and the provision of fixed telephone lines has
been meager. An inadequate regulatory framework persists, and competition has been
hampered by various issues, such as inadequate interconnection agreements and directives, high fees and royalties levied by the TCRA, and the absence or nontransparency
of regulatory oversight.
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Progress made under the 1997 National Telecommunications Policy is expected to
continue. The mobile telephone market is fully competitive. Significant liberalization
has also taken place in various segments: private operators now provide basic, mobile,
data, paging, Internet, payphone, and other value-added services. The mobile telephone market involves a number of operators and is growing rapidly. New mobile operators have committed significant financial resources to the development of a stateof-the-art telecommunications infrastructure. Four providers operate under 15-year
licenses: MIC Tanzania, Zanzibar Telecoms, Vodacom, and Celtel. As a result, overall teledensity—mainlines plus mobile phones—increased to 24 per 1,000 between
1996 and 2003 (table 9.2). Tanzania’s mainline and mobile phone penetration is higher
than Uganda’s. Anecdotal evidence also exists that mobile phones are increasingly being used in Tanzania to get business-related information and to reduce transaction
costs. For example, traders in Dar es Salaam now can place orders with producers of
bananas throughout the country—thus linking demand and supply in real time and enhancing the efficiency of markets.
Tanzania also has a comprehensive Internet service, including three licensed dataservice providers and 21 Internet service providers. Most users access the Internet from
urban Internet cafés—the Internet is not very accessible in the rural areas. Tanzania
in 2003 had twice as many Internet users (250,000) as Uganda (125,000). The government has developed a fairly comprehensive national Web site (http://www
.tanzania.go.tz/), which provides considerable background information on the economy and political structure of the country; it hopes the site will help raise the country’s international profile and attract foreign investment. In addition, a number of ministries, state institutions, and embassies have their own sites.
In terms of developing human resources in IT, training centers that focus on the development of ICT knowledge workers are only now beginning to emerge. For example, the Soft Tech Training Center, established in 1993, is committed to developing local expertise through ICT skills enhancement. The government has also initiated plans
to encourage Tanzanians to develop content that is relevant to local interests, and
Tanzania has implemented several ICT applications relevant to its national objectives.
TABLE 9.2 ICT Indicators for Tanzania and Comparators
2002
1996–2003 (per 1,000)
2000
2003
Internet
hosts
(per
10,000)
Internet
users
(per
1,000)
Country
Mainlines
Mobile
telephones
Radios
Televisions
Personal
computers
(per 1,000)
Botswana
87
241
150
44
40.7
13.99
50a
Kenya
10
42
221
26
6.4
0.32
200a
South Africa
107
304
336
177
72.6
41.94
2,890a
Tanzania
5
19
406
4
4.18
0.16
240
Uganda
2
16
122
18
3.32
0.07
125
15
37
198
69
11.90
3.10
6,233
Sub-Saharan Africa,
average
Source: World Bank 2004a, 2005a.
a. Denotes data for 2001.
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
203
Examples of such initiatives include an information system to strengthen the capacity
of wildlife institutions and a computerized case-flow management system that has facilitated an increase in transparency and professionalism in the judiciary system (Accenture, Markle Foundation, and UNDP 2001).
Summary of Issues and Recommendations
Some measures that can help strengthen Tanzania’s performance in the three functional pillars are highlighted here.
Education
Key challenges facing Tanzania in this domain include the following:
• Sustaining and improving the quality of education as enrollments increase by recruiting teachers, constructing classrooms, increasing preservice teacher training, and providing subsidies for purchasing teaching and learning materials.
• Ramping up secondary education, including improving its quality and relevance to
the needs of the economy.
• In higher education, strengthening the governance and administration of the country’s three public universities in terms of financial sustainability, up-to-date content, and teacher training.
• Using the potential of distance education to expand access to education services while
improving equity. The Open University of Tanzania offers degree programs by correspondence and also in regional centers. The costs are low because the state covers tuition, but enrollments are low, partly because of lack of content and partly because of a dearth of partnerships with international academic institutions that could
provide degree programs online. Combining distance-education modalities with
extended face-to-face interactions with Tanzania’s other public universities may be
one way to boost enrollments and increase access to higher education.
• Reforming teaching methods and the curriculum at all levels to include skills and
competencies (communication skills, problem-solving skills, creativity, and teamwork) to meet the new needs of the economy.
• Increasing the interface between industry and education and offering differentiated
curricula that better meet the new skill demands of industry, generated by changing markets and technologies.
• Harmonizing the technical education offered in secondary schools with that offered in technical colleges and then linking these schools with the proposed zonal
and regional institutes and colleges. These institutes and colleges should offer differentiated products to meet the differing needs of industries, such as mining, fisheries, major cash and food crops, external trade, and metal.
• Devising strategies to proactively deal with problems of skills lost through brain
drain.
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Innovation
To encourage innovation, Tanzania needs to focus on the following efforts:
• Improving the overall business environment (regulatory, tax, bureaucracy, and other
aspects) and the basic infrastructure (especially for transport and power), both of
which currently create considerable hindrances to any form of innovative activity,
even the most modest ones.
• Improving the overall technical culture of the population and notably the technical skills at all levels (from primary schools to university colleges), with particular
attention to vocational and professional schools.
• Facilitating access to and use of foreign knowledge and technology by attracting foreign investors and stimulating appropriate transfer through personnel employment
and training, links with local suppliers of components, and the like.
• Increasing the resources of the R&D institutes (public and university based), linking them to users’ demands and needs.
• Strengthening structures, incentives, and regulations to facilitate the diffusion of upto-date and appropriate technologies throughout the economy.
• Creating an ad hoc mechanism to promote technological innovation throughout the
country and facilitate the dissemination of improved and new technologies. This
mechanism would make concrete and focus the overall effort of innovation promotion. Such a scheme, based on decentralized structures and initiatives, should address altogether the financial, technical, and regulatory needs of enterprises as well
as those of local communities. At the same time, it should help support the R&D
infrastructure by orienting it toward the service of the country’s needs. The scheme
should give priority to a few important industries such as agro-foods and tourism.
• Conducting a comprehensive nationwide innovation and R&D survey to establish
concrete factors that either facilitate or hinder innovative activities in the country.
The outcome of the survey can serve to put in place concrete innovation policies and
strategies.
Information and Communication Technologies
To strengthen its information infrastructure, Tanzania should continue to pursue the
following goals:
• Finalizing and adopting the new electronic communications bill, which is key to defining the ground rules for sector development (including rural areas).
• Implementing the new converged licensing framework, which will ensure further liberalization of the market.
• Reviewing and modernizing telecommunications policies and regulations to generate fair competition and reduce high communication and operational costs.
FOSTERING INNOVATION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
205
• Building capacity to undertake such reforms, including through the establishment
of systems and processes to review the performance of the regulatory institutions.
For example, given the great demands and expectations placed on the regulator
(TCRA) by telecommunications sector reforms, the Swedish government, through
the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, is helping TCRA create capacity to meet its existing and future challenges and learn from its experiences
in operating in a more competitive market.
• Supporting the development of rural telecommunications infrastructure, such as
by developing universal access schemes. Rural areas lack telecommunications services or have only limited access in areas adjacent to main towns and on major
trunk roads. This effort requires developing content in local languages (such as
Swahili).
• Enhancing technical and business-related skills development among the population using ICTs through technical institutes and vocational centers. For example,
the University of Dar es Salaam is offering IT training in its computer center to the
public.
• Continuing to use global experiences to enhance the efficiency of the telecommunications sector. In many areas of telecommunications reform, Tanzania has benefited by adopting best practices from both industrial and developing countries. The
functions and roles of the national regulator (TCRA) are the best example. Further
benefits from global experience and best practices depend on the capacity of TCRA
and other institutions to learn from the experiences of other countries.
Notes
1. In terms of monitoring education quality, the SACMEQ monitors and evaluates the quality of education in selected southern and East African countries. The SACMEQ II Project
(2000–03) has been completed in 13 countries: Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, the Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania (separate
assessments on both the mainland and Zanzibar), Uganda, and Zambia.
2. These statistics should be viewed in perspective: the countries differ in their systems of postsecondary education. Tanzania has many students enrolled in postsecondary nonuniversity
courses; perhaps these schools are not counted in the official statistics.
3. The studies cover the extremes of the industrial spectrum: wheat and maize in India, salmon
and wine in Chile, Nile perch in Uganda, oil palm in Malaysia, cut flowers in Kenya,
medium-tech electronics in Malaysia, high-tech electronics in Taiwan (China), and software exports from India. The industries are chosen based on exceptional comparative performance in the past decade, large contributions to overall growth, and the role that technological change played in its success (Chandra 2006).
4. For more information, see the science and technology section of the Tanzania Country Profile on Tanzania’s national Web site: http://www.tanzania.go.tz/science_technology.html.
5. Tanzania’s S&T infrastructure includes education infrastructure and R&D institutions such
as the University of Dar es Salaam; Sokoine University of Agriculture; the University College of Lands and Architectural Studies; Muhimbili University College of Health Science;
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ANUJA UTZ AND JEAN-ERIC AUBER T
Rwegalulira Water Resources Institute; and the National College of Mbeya, Arusha, and
Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology.
6. For example, Draka Comteq—which consists of 11 companies in Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the
United States—has recently won a US$30.2 million turnkey project in Tanzania, involving the supply and installation of two long-distance links, covering some 2,300 kilometers of optical fiber cable and 500 kilometers of optical power ground wire (Economist
Intelligence Unit 2004a).
10
Enhancing the Business Environment
Michael Wong, Ravi Ruparel, and Peter Mwanakatwe
T
he quality of the business environment affects the cost of doing business and thus
a country’s attractiveness to investors and its international competitiveness. The
costs of an inefficient business environment are estimated to be very high in Tanzania
in international comparisons. They amount to 25 percent of sales and include the cost
of contract enforcement difficulties, regulation, bribes, crime, and unreliable infrastructure (figure 10.1).
Figure 10.2 compares the cost structure of firms in a sample of selected countries,
dividing the cost of businesses into labor, capital, input, and indirect costs. The effect
of a poor business environment on firms is often reflected in high indirect costs. Many
African firms incur heavy costs for transport, logistics, telecommunications, water, electricity, land and buildings, marketing, accounting, security bribes, and so forth. Indirect costs as a percentage of total costs, on average, are more than 20 percent in
Tanzania, equal to the average cost of labor. In a global economy, where Tanzanian
products compete with those of countries such as China and India, high indirect costs
are a severe impediment to economic activity. In China, indirect costs are only about
8 percent of total costs; in Tanzania, they are about 24 percent of total costs. In addition, factors that affect indirect costs also affect the costs of other inputs and thus
lead to a loss of competitiveness in the economy that exceeds the loss at the firm
level.
An investment climate assessment carried out in 2003 (World Bank 2004c) suggests
that the tax system, high-cost credit and limited access to credit, limited availability and
poor reliability of infrastructure services, and red tape in the public sector are the principal constraints to even higher growth rates (figure 10.3).
This chapter focuses on three aspects of the business environment that promise the
highest gains in terms of economic growth if appropriate action is taken: the provision
of complementary infrastructure, the cost of and access to finance, and the cost arising from bureaucracy and corruption in the interaction of the private with the public
sector.
207
208
MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
FIGURE 10.1 Cost of Inefficiencies in the Business Environment as a Percentage
of Sales, Various Countries
30
cost as a % of sales
25
20
15
10
5
0
Poland
China
Brazil
country
contract enforcement difficulties
regulation
bribes
Algeria
Tanzania
crime
unreliable infrastructure
Source: World Bank 2005g.
Scaling Up Access to Infrastructure
This section assesses the extent to which infrastructure is a binding constraint on
growth in Tanzania, its role in promoting growth and poverty reduction, and the key
issues in scaling up investment in infrastructure.
Investing in infrastructure is important for growth. The experience of fast-growing
developing countries such as China shows that infrastructure can contribute significantly
to growth. Infrastructure affects growth through its effect on enterprise productivity,
the cost of doing business, market access, and profitability. Analysis of firm-level data
identifies access to infrastructure services as a key determinant of enterprise growth and
investments. For a low-income country such as Tanzania, where the majority of the
rural poor are smallholder farmers, reliable and affordable infrastructure (particularly rural roads) is a critical factor in improving market access and enhancing the capacity of farmers to commercialize and diversify into higher-value economic activities
to improve incomes.
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
209
FIGURE 10.2 Cost Structure of Firms by Average Percentage of Total Costs
Mozambique
Zambia
Eritrea
Tanzania
Kenya
Ethiopia
Nigeria
Uganda
Bolivia
Morocco
India
Senegal
Bangladesh
Nicaragua
China
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
percentage of total costs
indirect costs
labor costs
capital
inputs
Source: Eifert, Gelb, and Ramachandran 2005.
FIGURE 10.3 Percentage of Enterprises Rating Problems as Major or Very
Severe Constraints on Enterprise Operations and Growth, 2003
80
percent
60
40
20
ta
co
s
el
x
ra
te
t o ect s
ta
f f rici
x
ad inan ty
m
ci
n
in
ist g
ra
m
a
t
ac cc
c
ro es orr ion
ec s t up
tio
on o
o fi
n
cu mi nan
c
ci
st
i
n
re om ns
ta g
gu s
la re bil
to gu ity
ry
la
cr
im bus unc tion
e
s
e,
in
th ess rtai
n
ef
t, lice ty
an
ns
d
i
sk
di ng
ill
s
o
s
an
of rde
tic
om ac wo r
c
pe es rke
tit s to rs
iv
la
e
n
p
tra ra d
c
ns tic
po es
le rta
la ga tio
b
te or l sy n
s
le
co reg tem
m ula
m
un tion
ic
s
at
io
ns
0
Source: World Bank 2004c.
Tanzania’s infrastructure is weak and inadequate. Although Tanzania has started reforming its infrastructure sectors and public spending (especially on roads) has increased, the country’s infrastructure indicators are still among the lowest in the world
(figure 10.4).
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MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
FIGURE 10.4 Effect of Low Levels of Infrastructure on Economic Growth
lo
w
co -inc
un om
tri e
es
m
id
dl
e
co -inc
un om
tri e
es
hi
gh
co -inc
un om
tri e
es
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ta
n
za
ni
a
paved roads (% of total)
(a) Roads
country
a
lo
w
co -inc
un om
tri e
m
es
id
dl
eco inc
un om
tri e
es
hi
gh
co -inc
un om
tri e
es
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Ta
n
za
ni
kilowatt-hours per capita
(b) Electric power consumption
country
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators data.
Thus, infrastructure continues to pose a major policy challenge. According to the
2004 Investment Climate Assessment, infrastructure ranks among the three top constraints on business enterprise growth. Power supply, in particular, is perceived as the
most serious infrastructural constraint. These constraints have driven business enterprises in Tanzania to invest in their own infrastructure. The Investment Climate Assessment has reported that about 55 percent of enterprises own generators to provide
backup power supply. These generators represent a significant additional cost of
doing business, given that they are expensive to buy and run. The indirect costs of poor
infrastructure and private provision of infrastructure have been estimated at 25 percent of sales, compared to 7 to 10 percent in Asia and 18 percent in Uganda.1 As
pointed out in an independent operations evaluation report by the International
Finance Corporation (IFC 2000), unreliable and expensive electricity, high transporta-
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
211
tion costs, and poor communications are major factors underlying Tanzania’s lack of
external competitiveness.
The extent to which infrastructure is a binding constraint on Tanzania’s growth can
be partly assessed from returns to infrastructure. Because infrastructure is widely believed to be such a binding constraint, one would expect high economic rates of return
to this type of public investment. To get an idea of the magnitude of the returns to infrastructure in Tanzania, we looked at estimates of rates of return on 26 road rehabilitation and upgrading projects that the government has identified as part of its transport sector investment program. The rates of return ranged from 9 percent to 103
percent, and the average was 32 percent, which is high. The ex post economic rates
of return on completed infrastructure projects financed by the World Bank, as presented
in its Implementation Completion Reports and Operations Evaluation Department
reports, however, show a somewhat mixed picture. A number of the selected projects
had exceptionally high ex post rates of return: for example, the Sixth Highway Project yielded a rate of return of 37 percent; the Fourth Power Project, 23 percent; the
Telecommunication Project, 50 percent; and the road and storm water component of
the Urban Sector Rehabilitation project, 33 percent. A few had low or even negative
rates of return. The Highway IV Project, for example, yielded an economic rate of return of 4 percent.
The infrastructure constraint in Tanzania is region and geography specific: The
rates of return to infrastructure in Tanzania are, generally, high.2 However, the large
variation in the size of the returns in each sector—especially roads—suggests that the
infrastructure constraint in Tanzania is geography specific. The magnitude of returns
and the growth effect also depend on the type and quality of infrastructure. Generally,
returns on rural roads linking production areas with markets are higher than on other
categories of roads.
Relationship of Infrastructure to Growth and Poverty Reduction
Several studies have been carried out to estimate the contribution of public spending
on infrastructure to growth and poverty reduction in developing countries on the basis of marginal returns and cost-benefit ratios. A recent study on public investment and
poverty reduction in Tanzania attempted to compute marginal returns and cost-benefit ratios for the various types of public investments, using household data.3 The marginal returns and the benefit-cost ratios were disaggregated by geographic zone and compared across the various categories of public spending. The preliminary conclusion was
that investment in rural roads has a high payoff, with an average benefit-cost ratio of
9:1. The study also found that roads have diverse effects across regions. The policy implication is that targeted public infrastructure is required if the effect on growth is to
be maximized. Further analytical work on rates of return to infrastructure in Tanzania using more robust data and methodologies would provide greater insight into the
growth and poverty effects. To shed more light on the infrastructure challenges, the following section elaborates on the constraints in the infrastructure sectors and the related poverty and policy issues.
Transport is of strategic importance to growth and poverty reduction: Given
Tanzania’s geography and the dispersal of areas of economic activities, roads are
212
MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
particularly critical for the country’s growth. The total road network is estimated at
85,000 kilometers.4 Although road maintenance has improved since the creation of the
Road Fund Board and the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), the overall condition of the road network remains poor because of underfunding and capacity constraints. Table 10.1 depicts the condition of the road network. Of the 85,000
kilometers of road, only 27 percent is judged to be in good and fair condition. The situation of rural roads is even worse, with only 15 percent of the road network in good
and fair condition.
Figure 10.5 is also revealing because it shows that only 38 percent of the rural population in Tanzania lives within 2 kilometers of an all-season road, which is lower
than the average for low-income countries.
TABLE 10.1 Road Network, February 2004
(kilometers)
Portion of network
Good and fair condition
Poor condition
Total
Trunk roads
5,563
4,371
9,934
Regional roads
9,276
9,682
18,958
28,892
14,839
14,053
Urban roads
Subtotal managed by TANROADS
1,715
735
2,450
District roads
5,000
13,658
18,658
Feeder roads
1,000
34,000
35,000
7,715
48,393
56,108
22,554
62,446
85,000
Subtotal managed by local governments
Total network
Source: United Republic of Tanzania 2005b.
FIGURE 10.5 Proportion of Rural Population Living within 2 Kilometers of an
All-Season Road
80
70
percent
60
50
40
30
20
10
country
Source: Data from World Bank 2004a.
ar
sc
ga
ad
a
M
Za
m
bi
a
ya
Ke
n
ia
w
es
t
co -inc
un om
tri e
es
lo
Ta
n
za
n
i
al
aw
M
Et
hi
op
i
a
0
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
213
Poor rural road infrastructure impedes growth and poverty reduction. The poor road
infrastructure in the rural areas of Tanzania is worrying, considering that the growth
needed to reduce poverty is expected to come from agriculture and nonfarm rural activities, such as agroprocessing. The experience of other developing countries has
shown that improving rural infrastructure does have positive effects on agricultural production, incomes, and poverty reduction (Vietnam is a case in point). When the quality of rural roads improves, the effect can be significant, for example, in increasing
the use of fertilizers and the uptake of new agricultural technologies. This finding is
relevant to Tanzania, where the quality of infrastructure is closely related to agricultural growth and the incidence of poverty. Those zones where poverty incidence is the
highest—the south and the central zones—are the least connected, while poverty is considerably lower in well-connected Dar es Salaam and the southern highlands.
Road quality has a significant effect on producer prices, the length of the supply
chain, competition, and access to basic social services. A recent study of the logistics
costs of rural marketing (Nyange 2005) has shown that villages in areas with poor roads
are less well served by freight and public transport, as evidenced by fewer traffic arrivals, the limited tonnage of trucks, and the more pronounced seasonality of traffic.
Villages with poor roads do not have regular transport and are accessed by transporters only during the peak season for crop marketing, thus denying farmers the opportunity to benefit from higher prices in the early and late seasons. Moreover, there
is far less competition in villages with poor roads, as evidenced by the smaller number of crop agents and export companies operating in those villages. Consequently, the
producer prices received by farmers in villages with poor roads are less than the prices
received by their counterparts in villages with fair roads. This situation has a disincentive effect on production in the less accessible villages. The survey also underlines the
importance of roads in improving access to basic social services. As expected, wellconnected villages are better served with basic social and economic services, such as
schools, health facilities, and grain milling plants.
Thus, more investment in the rehabilitation and maintenance of the road network
is needed for Tanzania to achieve its long-term growth objectives and poverty reduction goals. To get the core network required for poverty alleviation into maintainable
condition, about US$3 billion is required over the next 10 years (World Bank 2004b).
Currently, Tanzania spends about US$100 million to US$150 million per year in the
road sector, which is far from adequate. The funding problems have been compounded
by weak road administration capacity at the local government level and weak local private contracting capacity. For Tanzania to achieve its goal of having about 45,000
kilometers in maintainable condition, a large amount of additional financing is required. However, it is important that Tanzania accelerate road sector reforms to
ensure effective use of the funds earmarked for road rehabilitation and maintenance.
In particular, the government needs to (a) enact a new Roads Act to transform
TANROADS into an independent authority and (b) redefine the responsibilities of institutions in the sector to prevent duplication.
Improved rail services would lower freight transport costs. Although the rail system share of freight traffic is far less than the road system share, the rail system provides an important link between inland regions and ports and is a cheaper alternative
214
MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
for transporting agricultural produce over long distances. For more than a decade
now, the railway has faced major infrastructural and operational problems. Large sections of track are obsolete, and the available wagons and locomotives are not sufficient
to sustain a reliable and efficient rail service. Exporters complain of delays and the uncertainty in allocation of locomotives, especially for crop haulage. The low rail transport capacity is a source of major logistical problems in the economy and has contributed to congestion at the port. It is, therefore, vital that the privatization or
concessioning of the railways and rehabilitation of the infrastructure be undertaken as
planned in order to improve efficiency and reduce freight transport costs. Furthermore, improving rail services will help reduce pressure on the road infrastructure,
leading to lower costs for road rehabilitation and maintenance.
The power sector in Tanzania has problems. For many years, Tanzania has experienced the effects of droughts, high technical and commercial losses in the grid system,
and (until recently) poor collection of receivables and low tariffs. Per capita power consumption in Tanzania is estimated at 62 kilowatts, much lower than in comparator
countries such as Kenya (120 kilowatts per capita), India (380 kilowatts per capita),
and China (987 kilowatts per capita). Hence, there is scope for a significant increase
in power consumption. Currently, hydropower is the major source, accounting for
70 percent of the country’s grid generation capacity of 773 megawatts. The remaining 30 percent comes from thermal plants. The thermal plants that use imported fuel
(diesel and heavy fuel oil) for power generation, mainly the Tegeta plant, are very expensive to run compared with those now using indigenous natural gas.
An unreliable power supply is perceived by investors as a severe constraint on enterprise operations and growth. The poor performance in the power sector is reflected
in frequent power outages. According to the recent Investment Climate Assessment,
the median number of power outages experienced by enterprises in 2002 was estimated at 48, compared to only 21 in Kenya and 20 in Uganda. The high frequency of
power outages and poor quality of supply caused by low voltage impose high financial costs on businesses through loss of production, wastage in the production process,
and damage to equipment. Perhaps not surprising, electricity is the infrastructure constraint that enterprises are most concerned about.
There is an urgent need to expand the power supply, as well as its reliability, and
the efficiency of the energy sector through sector reform and investment, to meet the
growing demand by industry and the service sector. The government has been implementing a power sector reform program aimed at improving efficiency in power supply through commercialization and private sector participation. Since 2002, the management of the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has been contracted
to a private company, Net Group. This arrangement has resulted in strengthened
financial management of TANESCO, which, however, remains vulnerable to external shocks such as the drought experienced in 2005/06. Unfortunately, the technical
turnaround has not yet been achieved—hence the continued problems in power
supply.
The recent establishment of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority
(EWURA) marks an important step in the ongoing implementation of power sector
reforms. However, to improve the performance of the power sector, further reforms
and substantial investment in transmission and distribution are needed. In this regard,
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
215
it is important that the government develop a clear strategy and detailed implementation plan for executing the remaining aspects of the power sector reform. The key actions to be undertaken include (a) promulgation of the revised electricity legislation that
would allow private participation in the extension of electricity services; (b) measures
to ensure the financial viability of TANESCO; and (c) eventual concessioning of
TANESCO, depending on the market situation. Tanzania is already encouraging private sector participation in generation expansion and needs to build on this effort. In
addition, the country can benefit from regional power integration through transmission interconnectors, notably with Kenya and Uganda.
Currently, less than 5 percent of the rural population has access to electricity, and
the overwhelming majority continues to rely on fuelwood for energy. The low electricity access rate for the rural population constrains the development of nonfarm activities and the improvement of the quality of life in rural areas. However, extending the
main grid to rural areas is expensive, and the rural poor are unlikely to afford electricity without subsidies, at least to cover the capital portion. To improve access, Tanzania should consider investing in independent grids using small hydro systems (pico, micro, or mini), as well as natural gas, as in Somanga. But for more intensive uses than
lighting for households, a better substitute for biogas could be liquefied petroleum
gas. The other option is to promote the use of solar photovoltaic systems in small
communities. Such systems would meet rural areas’ lighting needs with respect to basic social services such as health and education and allow the running of small water
pumps.
Inadequate water supply affects both growth and human development. Although
Tanzania is endowed with abundant freshwater resources, the provision of water for
domestic and industrial use is inadequate. More than 15 million of the 35 million
Tanzanians lack a safe water supply. Despite recent improvement, only 50 percent of
the rural population has access to clean sources of water, and only 70 percent of the
urban population does. Inadequate water supply in Tanzania stems from underinvestment, past neglect of maintenance of facilities, and weak water resource management
and institutional capacity. Currently, 30 percent of rural water supply facilities are
unreliable or not functional. Some 20 to 40 percent of urban water is unaccounted for
because of technical and commercial losses. The low domestic water supply coverage—
especially in rural areas—affects quality of life, as evidenced by the high incidence of
waterborne disease, especially among women and children. Apart from its direct effect on social outcomes, poor water supply also affects rural productivity, because the
time spent by women fetching water could be spent on more productive activities. As
in other infrastructure sectors, meeting the long-term targets for service provision will
be challenging. The Millennium Development Goals needs assessment for Tanzania
shows that, to reach the water and sanitation target, investment per capita must double, to US$12 in 2015 from the projected US$6 in 2006. Further institutional reforms
in the water sector are also critical for achieving the long-term sector goals.
Policy Recommendations for Scaling Up Investment in Infrastructure
There is no doubt that scaling up investment in the rehabilitation and expansion of existing infrastructure is necessary to promote sustained growth. However, in scaling
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MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
up infrastructure investment, the government must consider some policy issues to ensure that the investment yields positive effects on growth and on poverty reduction:
• While public financing, including donor financing, will be critical for improving
basic infrastructure such as roads and rural water, sectors such as railways, ports,
and energy offer greater potential for private sector participation through the
public-private partnership model. However, to attract private investors, the regulatory framework must be strengthened and the regulatory bodies must be provided greater autonomy. Strengthening Tanzania’s capacity to monitor the effect of
infrastructure privatization on expanding access to infrastructure services will also
be important.
• Reforms in the road and power sectors will be critical in ensuring that investment
in infrastructure contributes effectively to efficiency-based growth and poverty reduction. It is particularly important that a new Road Act be passed, along with the
Electricity Act. The benefit incidence of electricity consumption clearly shows that
electricity is almost exclusively consumed by people in the higher-income quintiles.
Thus, the rationale for subsidies to the power sector is weak, which underlines the
potential for private sector investment in the power sector to meet the growing urban demand.
• Tanzania’s infrastructure requirements are large and must be properly prioritized.
Given budgetary constraints, it is not possible for Tanzania to improve the quantity
and quality of infrastructure across the board. Therefore, it is important that the large
infrastructure investment requirements be properly prioritized through the existing
sector and the medium-term expenditure planning and budgeting process. In prioritizing infrastructure projects (particularly roads), the main considerations should
include the need to (a) strengthen connectivity between potential high-growth areas
and domestic and regional markets and (b) connect the poor to emerging growth opportunities and improve access to basic social services. Priorities in road sector investments should thus focus on upgrading rural roads (to open up areas of high
economic potential) and rehabilitating and maintaining major transport corridors
and regional roads to enhance integration and connectivity to domestic markets.
• Infrastructure needs and constraints in rural areas vary, reflecting the diversity in economic activities, population densities, remoteness, and other factors. The policy
implication is that infrastructure interventions must be regional or area specific to
better reflect local growth needs and priorities. Part of the regional infrastructure
development strategies could entail clustering infrastructure investments in areas of
growth potential, which would enable producers to exploit economies of scale and
lead to faster growth.
• The infrastructure planning process must take into account synergies between the
different types of infrastructure, as well as links with other growth and poverty reduction initiatives. The effect of infrastructure on growth is likely to be enhanced
if an integrated approach in planning is adopted. For example, in the case of transport, a logistical corridor approach integrating ports, maritime and coastal shipping,
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
217
railways, road freight, terminals, and warehouses and distribution centers is likely
to promote greater efficiency by lowering logistical costs.
• The selection of infrastructure projects must be based on economic efficiency criteria and demonstrated poverty effects: The pressure to scale up investments in
public infrastructure may compromise the quality of public investments. It is therefore important that the selection of public infrastructure projects be guided, first and
foremost, by efficiency criteria. Priority should then be given to infrastructure projects that meet the economic efficiency criteria and benefit the poor.
• Appropriate balance needs to be maintained between new investment, rehabilitation, and recurrent maintenance. Although road sector spending has increased, it
is still insufficient to maintain the existing road network. Therefore, as Tanzania
scales up investment in infrastructure, an appropriate balance needs to be established
between new investment and maintenance. Building new roads is expensive; appropriate maintenance of existing roads is necessary to ensure the cost-effectiveness and
long-term sustainability of the infrastructure benefits.
• Scaling up investment in infrastructure may have adverse short-term macroeconomic consequences. The high domestic content of large-scale infrastructure construction such as roads may affect relative prices between tradables and nontradables. In the longer run, however, the effect is likely to be more than compensated
for by the economywide productivity gains from the investment. Nonetheless, this
potential downside needs to be managed carefully. To avert these short-term “Dutch
disease” effects, those choosing infrastructure spending also need to consider the import content and the gestation period of the investment. A higher import content
reduces the likelihood and magnitude of adverse Dutch disease effects. Investments
with a short gestation period that result in a quick improvement of Tanzania’s competitiveness can also contribute to staving off any negative short-term effects.
Scaling Up Access to Capital and Finance
Access to capital and finance is a critical determinant of investment and economic
growth. Countries with well-developed financial systems (banks, stock markets, and
bond markets) tend to grow faster than countries with less well-developed systems. Causation appears to run from financial sector development to growth, not from growth
to financial sector development (Beck, Levine, and Loayza 2000). The analysis of both
the agriculture sector and the data from the enterprise survey confirms that this finding holds true for Tanzania, with a significant positive relationship between access to
finance and enterprise investment and growth. The International Monetary Fund’s
“Financial System Stability Assessment” (IMF 2003) concluded that the depth and
efficiency of Tanzania’s financial system fell well short of what is needed to help support economic growth.
The Tanzania investment climate assessment (World Bank 2004c) identified the
cost of financing and access to finance as two of the main obstacles to enterprise
operation and growth. Only 20 percent of the firms in the investment climate survey
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MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
reported having loans from a financial institution. Investment is financed primarily
through retained earnings (68 percent of new investments). Close to two-thirds of enterprises that invested did not use the financial sector. Financing enterprise growth
through retained investment results in lower levels of investment and, therefore, reduced
business growth and competitiveness.
First-Generation Financial Sector Reform
Tanzania has undertaken substantial financial sector reforms since 1991. These reforms included liberalization of the banking system to allow the entry of private and
foreign banks, enhanced financial sector legislation, and strengthened supervision of
banking by the Bank of Tanzania. State ownership of financial institutions has been
significantly reduced with the sale of the National Bank of Commerce and the conclusion of the first phase of the privatization of the National Micro-Finance Bank, involving the sale of 49 percent of its shares to a consortium led by Rabobank of the Netherlands. The legal and regulatory environment for microfinance has been reformed,
including the approval of new microfinance regulations in 2004. In addition, the
payment and clearance system has been strengthened in recent years with the establishment of an electronic clearinghouse, an electronic funds transfer system, and realtime gross settlement facilities offered by the Tanzania interbank settlement system. A
credit reporting system is under development, and a credit bureau has been launched.
Recent reforms of the land legislation, which now provides for land to be used as collateral, represent important steps in supporting access to credit.
These reforms have resulted in a diverse financial system and significant changes in
financial and monetary indicators. The financial system comprises 21 banks; 9 nonbank financial institutions; several pension funds, 2 of which invest in financial assets;
14 insurance companies; 63 foreign exchange bureaus; about 650 savings and credit
cooperatives (SACCOs); several other microfinance institutions; and a stock exchange.
Foreign equity participation accounts for about two-thirds of banking system capitalization, and 57 percent of total banking assets are in banks that are majority owned
by foreign banks.
Access to financial services for households has declined over the past decade. In the
early 1990s, 19 percent of all households had a member with a savings or current account. The restructuring of the banking system, during which a number of bank
branches were closed, contributed to a decline in access in 2001 to only 6.4 percent
of all households and 3.8 percent of households in rural areas.
Table 10.2 presents monetary statistics for 1997 to 2005, using gross domestic
product (GDP) as a scaling device. Net foreign assets more than doubled between
1997 and 2005. This growth is primarily attributable to the rapid increase in international reserves held by the Bank of Tanzania. By contrast, net domestic assets of the
financial sector declined from 12 percent of GDP in 1997 to 3 percent in 2003, mainly
because of the sharp reduction in lending to the government by the Bank of Tanzania.
Subsequently, the rapid increase in credit to the private sector led to a recovery of domestic assets of the banking sector to 10 percent of GDP.
Financial intermediation by commercial banks has increased from 14 percent of GDP
in 1997 to about 21 percent in 2005. The most dramatic developments occurred with
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
219
TABLE 10.2 Financial Variables as a Percentage of GDP, 1997–2005
Percentage of GDPa
Variable
1997
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Monetary survey
Net foreign assets
8
9
12
13
17
18
19
Net domestic assets
12
8
6
6
3
4
10
12
Domestic credit
9
9
8
7
8
9
Net claims on government
5
5
3
2
2
1
2
Credit to private sector
3
4
5
5
6
8
10
Other items (net)
3
⫺1
⫺2
⫺2
⫺4
⫺5
⫺2
0
⫺4
⫺2
⫺1
⫺1
20
17
18
19
21
22
29
6
5
5
5
4
5
6
10
8
9
10
10
11
14
4
4
5
5
6
6
8
6
Liquidity paper (issued by the Bank of Tanzania)
Broad money (M3)
Currency in circulation
Deposits
Foreign currency deposits
Commercial banks
Foreign assets
5
6
7
6
6
6
Foreign liabilities
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Reserves
1
2
2
2
2
3
2
15
Domestic credit
9
10
8
10
10
11
Claims on government (net)
5
5
3
4
2
2
5
Claims on private sector
3
5
5
6
8
9
10
Demand deposits
4
4
4
5
5
5
6
Time and savings deposits
6
5
6
6
6
6
7
Foreign currency deposits
4
4
5
6
6
6
8
Source: Bank of Tanzania, various years.
a. End-of-year value as percentage of GDP for the preceding year.
respect to the structure of credit. Overall credit by commercial banks increased from
9 percent of GDP in 1997 to 15 percent in 2005. This expansion of credit was accompanied by a dramatic change in the composition of credit. In 1997, the bulk of credit
(5 percent of GDP) still went to the public sector, while credit to the private sector
amounted to only 3 percent of GDP. By 2005, credit to government was still about 5
percent of GDP, but credit to the private sector had increased to 10 percent.
Table 10.3 shows trends in the sectoral composition of lending by commercial
banks between 1997 and 2005. In 2005, mining and manufacturing and trade accounted for almost 50 percent of bank lending. Agricultural production and the transportation sector together accounted for another 20 percent. Credit between 1997 and
2005 grew at an average annual rate of 29 percent. Credit to agricultural production,
building and construction, tourism, and specified financial institutions saw the fastest
increases. Credit for marketing and exporting agricultural produce completely disappeared during that period. It is also worthwhile to note that the increase in credit to
the private sector is not reflected in an increase in private sector investment, because
most of the credit finances working capital. The sectoral pattern of increases in credit
is also consistent with the sectoral GDP growth patterns, where the fastest-growing sectors also experienced the largest increase in credit.
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MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
TABLE 10.3 Commercial Bank Lending to Some Sectors, 1997–2005
(percent)
Average growth
rate
Share in total domestic lending
Sector
1997
2000
2003
2005
1997–2005
Public sector
3
2
2
1
14
Agricultural production
8
6
12
12
37
Mining and manufacturing
24
31
26
23
28
Building and construction
2
3
5
6
45
Transportation
8
13
9
8
28
Tourism
1
1
2
2
38
Marketing of agricultural produce
1
0
0
0
Export of agricultural produce
2
0
0
0
Trade in capital goods
0
0
0
0
24
26
23
24
29
0
2
4
6
84
All other trade
Specified financial institutions
Other
Total
27
13
17
19
23
100
100
100
100
29
Source: Bank of Tanzania, various years.
Figure 10.6 shows real interest rate developments between 1993 and 2005. Real interest rates on savings were around –5 percent until 1998. Subsequently, between 1998
and 2005, real interest rates on savings were higher, although still negative in most years.
The development in the real savings rate seems to be closely related to domestic sav-
FIGURE 10.6 Real Interest Rates for T-Bills, Lending, and Savings, 1993–2005
20
15
rate (%)
10
5
0
⫺5
year
T-bills
savings
Source: Data from IMF, various years.
lending
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
20
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
19
93
⫺10
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
221
ing, which also has risen as real interest rates have increased. Interest rate spreads
have declined in recent years, from 18.4 percent in 1997 to 11.5 percent in 2005.
Despite these signs of progress, including growth in lending and increased competition in microfinance, credit to the private sector remains very small and mostly short
term, interest spreads are high, and banks accumulate extensive holdings of government paper and sizable offshore dollar placements. Unfinished privatization and, most
of all, a number of structural impediments to lending (including a poor credit culture,
difficult and slow enforcement of creditor rights, and lack of suitable collateral) are the
main factors limiting financial intermediation.
Second-Generation Financial Sector Reform
The financial system is ineffective in supplying long-term funds to the private sector. A large proportion of the long-term liabilities of the pension funds are invested
in bank deposits, treasury bills, or short-term bonds. As such, one important supply of long-term funds to finance private sector development fails to be passed
through.
A key issue is the distribution of liquidity. Although there is a perception of excess
liquidity, this is not the case for all the banks. Ninety percent of the excess liquidity is
concentrated in three banks, and a large part of this liquidity comes from government
deposits. Moreover, a large portion of this liquidity is invested in government securities.5 This situation implies that the commercial banks are not being provided the opportunity to compete for government deposits and that intermediation using these
funds is not taking place.
Overall, the picture reflects the low level of development of the financial sector in
Tanzania. In particular, access to credit is limited to a small number of enterprises
with solid collateral in key urban areas, while small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
and firms located outside the main urban areas are virtually excluded.
To address the challenges, the government has developed a roadmap for the SecondGeneration Financial Sector Reform Program. This program includes an implementation plan that is based on the recommendations of the Financial Sector Assessment Program and was prepared by an interinstitutional committee. Implementation of the
reform program involves a three-pronged approach: (a) strengthening the lending environment and the financial infrastructure, primarily through policy changes and institution strengthening; (b) facilitating the increase in lending to SMEs and long-term
lending by commercial banks through selective interventions by the government; and
(c) giving direct support to providers of financial services for micro and small enterprises.
Strengthening the Lending Environment and Financial Infrastructure
This aspect includes completing the task of divesting state-controlled entities in banking and insurance; strengthening the legal and judicial framework that supports lending; clarifying and deepening the regulatory and information and technology infrastructure for households and microenterprises; and encouraging long-term pension and
insurance funds to finance longer-term private investments.
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MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
Facilitating the Increase in SME and Long-Term Lending
The government is undertaking efforts to further improve the availability of mediumand long-term credit to key sectors of the economy. With the assistance of the World
Bank, it is taking initiatives in five areas:
• It has launched an SME Credit Guarantee Scheme to encourage commercial bank
lending for SMEs.
• It is expected to launch a development finance guarantee facility, which will be
managed initially by the Bank of Tanzania and will provide partial government
guarantees to commercial banks for their loans to development- and export-oriented
projects.
• It hopes to facilitate the creation of a privately owned and managed long-term
financing facility that would channel funds from nonbanks or banks and potential
development partners (without government guarantee) to be lent to commercial
banks on a long-term basis.
• It will introduce a development finance institution, most likely incorporating the Tanzania Investment Bank. The institution would channel multilateral and bilateral
donor funds and perhaps use government seed money from the budget, but it would
not take any new deposits from the public.
• It will advance reforms in the pension fund sector in order to unify the legal and regulatory framework for all pension funds, along with investment guidelines. It is expected that this effort, particularly the development of investment guidelines, will
facilitate the channeling of pension funds’ resources into longer-term lending through
commercial banks.
Giving Direct Support to Providers of Financial Services for Micro- and Small
Enterprises
The Second-Generation Financial Sector Reform Program also includes initiatives
related to micro and rural finance. These initiatives are designed to respond to the government’s vision for the development of pro-poor finance in Tanzania, as articulated
in the national microfinance policy. Some of these initiatives, such as strengthening
the regulatory framework, will be addressed as part of strengthening the lending environment and financial infrastructure. Others will require direct support to the
providers of financial services. It is expected that a large part of this support will be
provided by the Financial Sector Deepening Trust, funded by four bilateral development partners.6 The trust will provide assistance for the transformation of nongovernmental organizations focused on microfinance, the strengthening of networks of
SACCOs, and the development of links between banks and microfinance institutions.
Achieving the Plan
To achieve the objectives of the Second-Generation Reform Program, the government
must fully commit to timely implementation of the action plan. Considerable efforts
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
223
have gone into developing the strategies and building consensus. The challenge is now
to implement the plan.
With continued reform, it is reasonable to expect the expansion of credit to continue.
The solid expansion of credit, both in aggregate terms and to a wider range of smallscale borrowers, can be expected to continue given the growing confidence by lenders
that the credit environment has improved. Increasingly vigorous competition and the
availability of deposit resources point to the likelihood that banks will reach down further into serving small-scale clients. These efforts will be supported by continuing the
thrust of the overall financial sector policy environment.
Enhancing the Public-Private Interface
The public-private interface covers two important aspects of the business environment.
The first relates to the quality of regulation of private sector activities. The second,
whose importance for economic growth has only recently been stressed in the literature (for example, Rodrik 2004), relates to the quality of collaboration and coordination between the public and private sectors in an effort to foster economic growth.
Regulatory agencies, tax revenue authorities (including customs), business and land
registries, and the judicial system all form part of the public interface with the private
sector, which has an important bearing on the costs, risks, and barriers to business in
Tanzania. The costs influence the range of opportunities that are profitable. Because
investments are forward looking, risks and uncertainty determine the types and nature
of investments. Entry restrictions limit innovation and the efficient provision of goods
and services.
The quality of the public-private interface also is critical for ensuring that the government can play a supportive role in growth efforts led by the private sector. This role
relates to the flow of information between the private and public sectors, allowing
the government to play a supportive role by removing obstacles, collaborating in the
identification of growth opportunities, and ensuring that the provision of public goods
and services (especially infrastructure) is well aligned with private sector needs. An efficient public-private interface is part of the second-generation reforms that will determine the private sector’s response to productivity-based opportunities.
Factors that affect the public-private interface overlap with the broader concept of
governance. Box 10.1 describes the different aspects of governance: voice and accountability, political stability, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and
control of corruption. Figure 10.7 shows that in each of these aspects, Tanzania performs better than other low-income countries. For all indicators except political stability/no violence, Tanzania registered improvements between 1996 and 2005. With respect to control of corruption, Tanzania moved from being perceived as among the most
corrupt countries to a position in which about 29 percent of the 200 countries assessed are perceived as doing worse than Tanzania in controlling corruption. The slight
deterioration in Tanzania’s rating of political stability/no violence is likely related to continued political tensions between the ruling and the main opposition parties.
The World Bank’s annual Doing Business report provides an objective assessment
of the regulatory environment in 175 countries by measuring the number of procedures,
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MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
BOX 10.1
Aspects of Governance
Many researchers and practitioners have tried to produce aggregate statistics that make it possible to compare the quality of governance across countries and over time. Few of these
studies cover the entire world or all topics. Furthermore, the questions used to elicit responses are usually not comparable across surveys. To increase country coverage, Kaufmann, Kraay, and Mastruzzi (2006) combined information from as many as 60 mostly subjective indexes from other sources to produce six measures that capture different aspects of
regulation, corruption, and governance:
• Voice and accountability. The extent to which citizens of the country are able to participate in the selection of the government.
• Political stability. The likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown
by possibly unconstitutional or violent means, including terrorism.
• Government effectiveness. The quality of public service provision and the government bureaucracy, the competence and independence of the civil service, and the credibility of the
government’s commitment to announced policies.
• Regulatory quality. The quality of government policies. This measure focuses on the prevalence of market-unfriendly policies, such as price controls or inadequate bank supervision, and on perceptions of the regulatory burden facing businesses.
• Rule of law. The extent to which individuals have confidence in and abide by the rules of
society. This measure includes perceptions about the incidence of crime (both violent and
nonviolent), the effectiveness and predictability of the judiciary, and the enforceability of
contracts.
• Control of corruption. The extent of corruption (that is, the illegal use of public power for
private gain).
time required, and cost imposed on businesses through government regulation. In
2006, Tanzania ranked 142 among the 175 countries, which suggests that doing business in Tanzania is handicapped by severe weaknesses in the regulatory environment.
The business licensing regime, employment regulations, and registration of property
are particularly problematic areas. The situation is somewhat better with respect to the
administrative cost and procedures related to trading across borders and the enforcement of contracts, although even in these areas there is significant scope for improvement in order to enhance the attractiveness of Tanzania for investment. However,
Doing Business 2007 (World Bank 2006) also recognizes the efforts Tanzania is undertaking to improve its business environment. Indeed, Tanzania is assessed as being
among the top 10 reformers in 2005/06. Recent reforms include simplification of the
business licensing regime; reduction in the cost of registering property; revision of the
Companies Act to give investors greater protection; and reform of customs administration through the introduction of risk management techniques, electronic data interchange systems, and border cooperation agreements.
The indicators reported in Doing Business 2007 provide an objective assessment
of the regulatory environment. Information from the investment climate assessment
carried out in 2003 (World Bank 2004c) provides complementary information on
the extent to which weaknesses in the regulatory environment constrain enterprise
growth.
FIGURE 10.7 Governance Indicators for Tanzania, 1996–2005
(a) Comparison between 1996 and 2005
voice and accountability
political stability/no violence
government effectiveness
regulatory quality
rule of law
control of corruption
0
25
50
75
100
percentile rank
(b) Comparison with low-income country average, 2004
voice and accountability
political stability/no violence
government effectiveness
regulatory quality
rule of law
control of corruption
0
25
50
75
100
percentile rank
Source: Kaufmann, Kraay, and Mastruzzi 2006.
Note: The figure depicts the percentile rank on each governance indicator. Percentile rank indicates the percentage of countries worldwide that rate below the selected country (subject to margin of error). The selected comparator (if any) is depicted by the lower bar for each governance indicator. In the bar chart, the
statistically likely range of the governance indicator is shown as a thin black line. For instance, a bar of length
75 percent with the thin black lines extending from 60 percent to 85 percent has the following interpretation:
an estimated 75 percent of the countries rate worse and an estimated 25 percent of the countries rate better
than the country of choice. However, at the 90 percent confidence level, only 60 percent of the countries rate
worse, whereas only 15 percent of the countries rate better. Higher values imply better governance ratings.
225
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MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
Barriers to Entry
Although some entry restrictions are necessary—requiring enterprises to register with
tax authorities, for example—others do more harm than good. Several recent studies have shown that entry restrictions encourage firms to remain informal by making
it difficult and expensive to enter the formal sector (see figure 10.8).7 Entry restrictions can also lead to corruption and reduce competition, thereby hurting economic
performance in other ways.8 Within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD), for example, multifactor productivity and investment are
significantly lower in sectors that have greater restrictions on entry.9
Most enterprises in Tanzania did not rate business licensing as a serious obstacle to
enterprise operations and growth. Only about 27 percent of enterprises said that it was
a major or very severe problem. But these results probably understate the effect of
such regulations. Businesses that are already operating are much less likely to view entry restrictions as an obstacle. Indeed, they may even welcome regulations that limit
competition.
According to World Bank data on the cost of doing business,10 in 2006, it took
about 30 days to fulfill all legal requirements for starting a business in Tanzania (table
10.4). Although the same process takes five days or fewer in some OECD countries, such
as Australia, Canada, or Denmark, or the United States, this period is not exceptionally burdensome when compared with the time required in other developing countries.
For example, business licensing takes about 35 days in China and India, 54 days in
Kenya, and 30 days in Uganda. But the monetary cost of this process as a percentage
of per capita gross national income (GNI) is higher in Tanzania (92 percent) than in some
of the comparator countries. In contrast, business licensing costs 9 percent of per capita
GNI in China, 74 percent in India, 46 percent in Kenya, and 114 percent in Uganda.
Legal restrictions are not the only barrier to entry that new firms face. Access to infrastructure—especially electricity—is another important obstacle. The median wait for
FIGURE 10.8 Informality in Tanzania and in Comparator Countries
informal economy (as % of GNI)
80
60
40
20
0
China
India
Kenya
country
Source: Data from Schneider 2006.
Uganda
Tanzania
TABLE 10.4 Doing Business Indicators
Indicator
Ease of doing business (rank)
Tanzania
142
Botswana
Kenya
Malaysia
Thailand
South Africa
Uganda
48
83
25
18
29
107
Starting a business
Procedures (number)
13
11
13
9
8
9
17
Time (days)
30
108
54
30
33
35
30
Cost (% of per capita income)
91.6
10.6
46.3
19.7
5.5
0
0
0
5.8
6.9
0
0
114.0
Minimum capital (% of per capita
income)
0
Dealing with licenses
Procedures (number)
Time (days)
Cost (% of income per capita)
26
24
11
25
9
17
19
313
169
170
281
127
174
156
3,796.6
457.7
37.6
78.2
11.1
33.5
832.8
Hiring and firing workers
100
0
33
0
33
44
0
Rigidity of hours index (0–100)
Difficulty of hiring index (0–100)
40
20
20
20
20
40
20
Difficulty of firing index (0–100)
60
40
30
10
0
40
0
Rigidity of employment index (0–100)
67
20
28
10
18
41
7
Nonwage labor cost (% of salary)
16
0
4
13
5
2
10
Firing cost (% of salary)
32
90
47
88
54
24
13
Registering property
Procedures (number)
Time (days)
Cost (% of property value)
10
4
8
5
2
6
13
123
30
73
144
2
23
227
5.5.2
4.9
4.1
2.4
6.3
8.9
6.9
Getting credit
227
Strength of legal rights index (0–100)
5
7
8
8
5
5
3
Depth of credit information index (0–6)
0
5
2
6
5
5
0
Public registry coverage (% of adults)
0
0
0
42.2
0
0
0
Private bureau coverage (% of adults)
0
43.2
0.1
—
21.7
53.0
0
(continued)
228
TABLE 10.4 (continued)
Indicator
Tanzania
Botswana
Extent of disclosure index (0–10)
3
8
Extent of director liability index (0–10)
4
2
Ease of shareholder suits index (0–10)
7
3
Strength of investor protection index (0–10)
4.7
4.3
Kenya
Malaysia
Thailand
South Africa
Uganda
4
10
10
8
7
2
9
2
8
5
10
7
6
8
4
8.7
6.0
8.0
5.3
Protecting investors
5.3
Paying taxes
Payments (number)
Time (hours per year)
Total tax payable (% of gross profit)
48
24
17
35
46
23
31
248
140
432
190
104
350
237
45.0
53.3
74.2
35.2
40.2
38.3
32.2
Trading across borders
Documents for export (number)
Time for export (days)
Cost to export (US$ per container)
3
6
11
6
9
5
24
37
25
20
24
31
12
42
822
524
1,980
481
848
850
1,050
Documents for import (number)
10
9
9
12
12
9
19
Time for import (days)
39
42
45
22
22
34
67
817
1,159
2,325
428
1,042
850
2,945
Cost to import (US$ per container)
Enforcing contracts
Procedures (number)
Time (days)
Cost (% of claim)
21
26
25
31
26
26
19
393
501
360
450
425
600
484
51.53
24.8
41.3
21.3
17.5
11.5
35.2
Closing a business
Time (years)
3.0
1.3
4.5
2.3
2.7
2.0
2.2
Cost (% of estate)
22
15
22
15
36
18
30
Recovery rate (cents on the U.S. dollar)
21.9
64.7
14.6
38.7
42.6
34.4
40.4
Source: World Bank 2006.
Note: — ⫽ not available.
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
229
an electricity connection was 30 days in Tanzania, compared with 3 days in China, 14
days in Uganda, and 15 days in Kenya. Micro, small, and medium-size enterprises
faced much longer median delays (30 days) than large enterprises (21 days) and very
large enterprises (3 days). Obtaining a water connection also took longer in Tanzania
than in any of the comparator countries, but the median delay—7 days—was far
shorter than the wait for electricity. Getting a telephone connection was somewhat more
time consuming, but the median wait of 14 days was considerably shorter than in
Kenya (60 days).
Business Regulations and Inspections
Business regulations and inspections may impose significant cost on businesses and encourage enterprises to operate informally. Tanzania’s licensing regime is among the most
burdensome, according to the Doing Business 2007 data (World Bank 2006). For example, obtaining all the permits to build a warehouse involved 26 procedures that required together 313 days with a cost of 3,797 percent of GNI. In most other countries,
fewer procedures that consume less time are required, and the cost of obtaining the
required permits is significantly lower. In Kenya, the cost is only 38 percent of GNI,
and in Thailand it is only 11 percent.
According to the information from an enterprise survey (World Bank 2004c), on average, enterprises in Tanzania reported that senior managers spent about 15 percent of
their time dealing with government inspections, regulations, and paperwork. This figure was slightly higher than in Kenya (13 percent) and China (12 percent) and significantly higher than in Uganda (4 percent). Similarly, the median enterprise in Tanzania reported 15 inspections or meetings with government agencies (including tax
officials) per year, significantly more than in Uganda and India (5 and 6 inspections,
respectively). However, enterprises in China and Kenya each reported a slightly greater
number of inspections (16). Finally, the bureaucratic burden associated with regulation is much higher for exporters. The numbers of inspections and days spent dealing
with regulatory issues are higher for exporters (47 and 20, respectively) than for nonexporters (28 and 14). Figure 10.9 shows the types of inspections that may take place.
Overall, inspections do not appear to vary greatly by sector. The vast majority of
establishments are inspected by government agencies. For example, 92 percent of manufacturing firms, 85 percent of tourism establishments, and 71 percent of construction
firms reported tax inspections (table 10.5). But firms in the construction sector were
less likely to be inspected than enterprises in other sectors, while firms in the manufacturing sector were most likely to be inspected. For firms that were inspected, the average number of inspections was similar across sectors. For example, the median firm
in all sectors was inspected seven times by the tax inspectorate in 2002.
Customs and Trade Regulations
Exporting and importing in Tanzania are both hampered by poor customs administration. Among enterprises that engaged in foreign trade, the median firm reported that
it took 14 days on average for imports to clear customs and 7 days for exports, once
230
MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
FIGURE 10.9 Percentage of Firms Inspected and Number of Inspections
per Year, by Government Agency
% of firms inspected
number of inspections per year
9
100
80
6
60
40
3
20
0
tax
labor and
social
security
fire and
building
safety
sanitation
municipal
police
environment
0
government agency function
firms reporting inspections/required meetings
median number of meetings
Source: World Bank 2004c.
Note: Number of visits is the median number for firms with inspections.
TABLE 10.5 Percentage of Firms Inspected and Median Number of Inspections,
by Sector
Type of inspection
Indicator
Tax
Labor and
social
security
Fire and
building
safety
Sanitation
Municipal
police
Environment
Percentage of firms with inspections
Construction
71
30
19
19
21
19
Tourism
85
58
23
48
18
32
Manufacturing
92
66
50
52
31
48
2
Median number of inspections for firms with inspections
Construction
7
2
2
3
5
Tourism
7
3
1
3
5
2
Manufacturing
7
4
2
2
5
2
Source: World Bank 2004c.
they had reached the point of entry or exit.11 The median wait was considerably
shorter than the average typical wait because several enterprises reported exceptionally long delays.12 Managers also reported that clearance times were unpredictable, forcing them to hold additional inventory in anticipation of worst-case scenarios. For imports, the median enterprise reported that the longest delay was 21 days—considerably
longer than the typical 14-day wait. For exports, the median enterprise reported that
the longest delay was 12 days.
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
231
Port and customs delays are considerably longer in Tanzania than in any of the
comparator countries. The median delays for imports and exports in China were less
than half as long—five and three days, respectively. Similarly, reported delays for imports and exports were seven and four days, respectively, in Kenya and seven and
three days, respectively, in India.
Poor customs administration and overly restrictive trade and customs regulations
discourage enterprises from exporting. Indeed, as noted previously, trade and customs
regulation partially explain why enterprises in Tanzania export less than similar enterprises in Kenya. Because exporting has been linked to improved productivity—as
well as an improved balance of trade—these delays and restrictions can have a real effect on enterprise performance.
Land Registration
Land constitutes one of the most important asset bases for investments. The provision
of information on land in the form of a title and a certificate of occupancy or ownership can transform potential assets into tradable assets of capital. However, the value
of these assets and their economic potential are often jeopardized by the insecurity of
property rights. The transaction costs of using land as collateral are high. The title registration system is inefficiently administered and maintained, and poor security of the
physical files has provided opportunities for fraudulent and corrupt activity, compromising the integrity of the title registry. A poorly functioning land registry makes it costly
to verify the status of a land title, which in turn affects the ability to sell land or associated real estate. Existing title holders and banks have reported that it takes an average of three months to register a title for a mortgage in the land registry.
Legal System
Since embarking on economic reforms in the mid-1980s, Tanzania has witnessed significant social and economic changes, including the emergence and growth of a vibrant
private sector that has been able to stimulate economic growth and increase the country’s competitiveness, as well as to provide a variety of goods and services to citizens—
previously the domain of the state or state-run institutions. However, reform of the country’s legal sector to sufficiently support and enhance economic growth and efficiency
led by the private sector has not taken place at the same pace as economic reform. The
present legal system is mainly based on English laws introduced when Tanganyika
was a British mandate; in many aspects, it is outdated. In addition, a substantial part
of the legislation and the institutions, even where subsequently amended, were fashioned for the centrally planned economy and therefore cannot be efficacious in a competitive market system. With globalization, regionalization, and technological advances, the problem is more compounded as—inevitably—new demands are placed on
the economy and the conduct of its agents, creating the need for a more conducive environment for competitiveness.
Reform of the country’s legal sector began in 1997 when the government accepted
the recommendations submitted by the Legal Sector Task Force in 1996. Since then,
the government has designed strategies for implementation to ensure that priority
232
MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
needs in the legal sector are addressed accordingly. Problems identified by the Legal Sector Task Force, which are widely acknowledged, include inordinate delays in resolving disputes and dispensing justice in the justice system, inaccessibility of the justice system for the majority of poor and disadvantaged Tanzanians, low levels of public trust
in the justice system, and excessive prevalence of unethical behavior (United Republic of Tanzania 2004b). The key challenges identified for the sector include the rapid
social, political, economic, and technological changes taking place in the country and
internationally and, in particular, the need to rapidly develop a legal system to facilitate the efficient development of a private sector, market-led economy and provide
due protection of consumer rights.
Taxation
Tax administration was the area of regulation that enterprises were most likely to
identify as a serious problem, more than half of them rating it as a major or very severe obstacle. Some 92 percent reported that they had required meetings with tax inspectors; the median firm within this subset reported seven meetings per year. Fewer
enterprises reported having required meetings or inspections from other agencies, and
the number of required meetings was lower for those that did.
Almost 73 percent of enterprises in Tanzania rated tax rates as a major or very severe constraint on enterprise performance and growth—considerably more than rated
any other obstacle as a major constraint and more than in any of the comparator
countries (figure 10.10).13 Among the countries where investment climate assessments
were completed by the end of 2003, in only two (Brazil and Ethiopia) were enterprises more likely to rate tax rates as a serious obstacle. Fewer enterprises in Tanza-
FIGURE 10.10 Rating of Problems by Enterprises in Tanzania and Comparator
Countries
80
70
rating (%)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
China
Uganda
Kenya
country
tax rates
Source: World Bank 2004c.
tax administration
Tanzania
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
233
nia (58 percent) rated tax administration as a serious problem. However, tax administration ranked high among enterprises’ serious concerns, falling just below tax rates,
electricity, and costs of financing.
Problems with tax rates and tax administration were not unique to any one group
of enterprises. Medium, large, and very large enterprises all rated tax rates as the
greatest obstacle to enterprise operations and growth (that is, tax rates were the obstacle rated as major or very severe by the largest number of enterprises in each group).
Enterprises in tourism and construction also rated tax rates as a serious problem, as
did foreign-owned and domestically owned firms and both exporters and nonexporters. In addition, each group ranked tax administration among the top obstacles
it faced.
The data from Doing Business 2007 (World Bank 2006) put the information from
the enterprise survey into perspective. In Tanzania, entrepreneurs there must make 48
payments, spend 248 hours, and pay 45 percent of gross profit in taxes. Although the
number of payments is higher in Tanzania than the average for the region and for
OECD countries (41 and 15, respectively), the amount of time spent and the effective
tax rate are not too different from the regional and OECD averages (336 days and 203
days and 71 percent and 48 percent, respectively). This information suggests that
while entrepreneurs (not unexpectedly) feel that taxation is a major burden on their
businesses, the system is not significantly more burdensome than that of many other
countries.
Informality and Evasion
It is difficult to draw strong conclusions about tax evasion from investment climate surveys—enterprise managers being unlikely to be forthcoming in this respect. However,
the evidence from the survey is consistent with the macroeconomic evidence. Evasion
appears to be a greater problem in Tanzania than in the comparator countries. Managers in Tanzania estimated that the typical firm in their area of activity reported 69
percent of its sales for tax purposes.14 By contrast, the average estimates in Uganda and
Kenya were 77 percent and 86 percent, respectively. The high level of evasion is especially striking given that enterprises in Tanzania face a greater number of tax inspections and required meetings than enterprises in most of the comparator countries.
Estimates of amounts reported for small, medium, large, and very large enterprises
ranged between 68 and 83 percent of sales. Reporting rates were highest among very
large enterprises and lowest among microenterprises (about 25 percent). Consistent with
the observation that informal microenterprises were far less concerned about tax rates
and administration than other enterprises, they reported the smallest share of sales to
tax authorities—19 percent, compared with 28 percent for formal microenterprises.
The relatively small gap between informal and formal microenterprises may reflect
the fact that informality is a continuum, with many enterprises being informal to some
degree.15
One approach that the government could take to combat evasion would be to reduce the tax burden on formal enterprises. However, since the government’s fiscal discipline has underpinned Tanzania’s impressive macroeconomic performance, rate cuts
234
MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
would need to be combined with steps to improve revenue mobilization. One way for
the government to do this would be to reduce costly tax exemptions and incentives (IMF
2003). Another would be to encourage informal firms to enter the formal sector—and
in so doing broaden the tax base—by reducing the regulatory burden on formal
enterprises.
As a first step in improving revenue mobilization, the government must improve tax
administration, which remains problematic (IMF 2003). For example, the value added
tax (VAT) efficiency ratio (the ratio of VAT revenues to GDP divided by the VAT rate)
in Tanzania (0.20) lags the average for Sub-Saharan Africa (0.27). The government has
already taken some steps to strengthen administration, including the establishment of
the Large Taxpayer Unit in 2001, the introduction of taxpayer identification numbers
in 2000, and the five-year corporate plan for the Tanzania Revenue Authority.
Tax Administration
Improving collection should not be the only goal of tax administration reform. The government should also reduce the burden that tax administration imposes on enterprises.
Enterprise managers in Tanzania reported that in 2002/03, they spent about seven
days dealing with inspections or required meetings with tax officials. In comparison,
enterprise managers in China, Kenya, and Uganda reported spending two to three
days on such tasks. Despite recent reforms, managers generally did not report any reduction in this administrative burden. Although 36 managers reported fewer meetings
with tax officials in 2002 than in 2001, 59 managers reported more meetings, and 149
reported the same number.
The burden of tax administration is particularly high on more productive firms,
which tend to be larger and are more likely to be both foreign owned and exporters.
This acts as a tax on efficiency. In addition to discouraging firms from becoming more
efficient, it also discourages them from taking actions that might signal their efficiency,
such as entering export markets.
In addition, the government should combat corruption in tax administration. Despite recent reform efforts, 21 percent of enterprises that had required meetings with
tax inspectors reported that gifts or informal payments to inspectors were expected or
requested.16 The corresponding figures for the comparator countries were 7 percent
in Uganda, 21 percent in China, and 38 percent in Kenya. The median value of the gift
or informal payment was T Sh 400,000 (about US$400 in mid-2003).
Corruption
The government appears to have made some progress in reducing corruption since 1996,
when a presidential commission led by Judge Joseph Warioba produced the Warioba
Report.17 It is implementing a national anticorruption strategy and has strengthened
the institutional framework—notably through the Finance Act of 2001 and the Public Procurement Act of 2002—and adopted a clear zero-tolerance position on corruption (ESRF and FACEIT 2002). Nonetheless, corruption continues to have an important effect on businesses.
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
235
Grand Corruption
Enterprise managers in Tanzania see grand corruption—payments made to policy
makers or senior bureaucrats to win government contracts and influence lawmaking—as a serious problem (figure 10.11). Approximately 45 percent of managers said
that payments to government officials that affected the content of government decrees
had at least a moderate effect on their businesses, while 47 percent said the same of
payments to members of parliament that affected their votes. These figures were higher
than in Kenya (which reported 40 percent and 26 percent, respectively) and Uganda
(which reported 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively).
Informal payments to secure government contracts also appear common in Tanzania. Of enterprises that did business with the government, about 33 percent reported
that unofficial payments were needed to secure government contracts. Within the subset of firms reporting that payments were needed, the median firm reported that about
10 percent of the contract value was needed to secure government work. This result
was similar to the median percentages reported in Uganda and Kenya (both 10 percent), but significantly higher than the median percentage reported in China (2 percent).
The amount paid in bribes is strongly correlated with firm performance: firms with faster
sales growth and higher productivity pay larger bribes. Because corrupt officials often
target the most productive and profitable enterprises, corruption can act as a tax on
efficient firms.
FIGURE 10.11 Enterprises Reporting That Bribes to the Government Affect
Their Businesses in Tanzania and Comparator Countries
% of enterprises reporting bribes
have a moderate or greater impact
60
40
20
0
Uganda
Pakistan
Kenya
country
payments to parliamentarians
payments to government officials
Source: World Bank 2004c.
Tanzania
236
MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
Petty Corruption
Enterprises are also affected by petty corruption—payments made to lower-level government officials to “get things done” in connection with customs, taxes, licenses, and
other services. About 35 percent of enterprise managers said that informal payments
were typically needed for firms like theirs. Of the enterprises that reported that informal payments were needed, the median payment was about 0.3 percent of sales. Bribes
were fairly common for many transactions, such as getting utility connections and
applying for import licenses (table 10.6).
Informal payments and gifts were also common during inspections and mandatory
meetings with government officials. About 21 percent of enterprises that had inspections or meetings with officials from the Tanzania Revenue Authority reported that
TABLE 10.6 Likelihood of Reporting That Bribes Were Needed to Get Things Done,
by Size of Enterprise
(percent)
Size of enterprise
Report
Micro
Bribes needed to “get things done”
23
Small
30
Medium
44
41
Large
Very large
36
Gifts or payments required
Mainline telephone connection
—
26
27
14
0
Electrical connection
27
32
35
27
14
Water connection
33
22
24
13
0
Import license
—
0
19
12
9
Operating license
34
15
30
14
6
Source: World Bank 2004c.
Note: — ⫽ not available.
FIGURE 10.12 Requests for Bribes during Inspections
400
300
20
200
10
0
100
tax
labor and
social
security
fire and
building
sanitation
municipal environment
police
0
government agency function
percentage reporting bribe requests
median amount of bribes
Source: World Bank 2004c.
Note: “Percentage reporting bribe requests” includes only enterprises that were inspected. “Median
amount” includes only enterprises that report positive amounts.
amount of bribes
(T Sh thousand)
percent
30
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
237
bribes were requested, with the median amount being T Sh 375,000 (figure 10.12). Similarly, 25 percent of enterprises dealing with the municipal police reported requests
for bribes. The median payment in that case was T Sh 80,000. About 18 percent of
enterprises reported requests from labor or social security officials, 13 percent from
health and sanitation inspectors, 8 percent from environmental inspectors, and 7 percent from fire and building safety inspectors. Payments to these other inspectors were
generally lower than payments to tax officials.
Microenterprises are less likely than larger enterprises to find corruption a major
or very severe constraint. Only 18 percent of informal microenterprises and 30 percent of formal microenterprises found corruption to be a serious problem, compared
to 48 to 58 percent of small, medium, and large enterprises. Microenterprises were particularly unlikely to face requests for bribes. Only 15 percent of informal microenterprises reported that bribes were needed to get things done, compared with 38 percent
of formal microenterprises.
Although microenterprises were less likely to report that bribes were needed to get
things done, they were no less likely to report that bribes were needed for typical
transactions. For example, 34 percent of microenterprises reported that bribes were
needed to get an operating license, compared with 15 percent of small, 30 percent of
medium, 14 percent of large, and 6 percent of very large enterprises. The most plausible explanation is that microenterprises are far less likely to interact with bribetaking institutions but at least as likely to encounter corruption when they do. For example, only 5 percent of microenterprises reported getting an electricity connection in
the two years before the survey, compared with 30 percent of larger enterprises (figure 10.13). Microenterprises were also less likely to get operating licenses, water connections, and fixed-line telephone connections.
% of enterprises that obtained
connection or license through bribes
FIGURE 10.13 Interaction with Institutions That Demand Bribes:
Microenterprises versus Small, Medium, and Large Enterprises
100
80
60
40
20
0
mainline
telephone
connection
electrical
connection
water
connection
import
license
small, medium, and large enterprises
microenterprises
Source: World Bank 2004c.
operating
license
238
MICHAEL WONG, RAVI RUPAREL, AND PETER MWANAKATWE
Notes
1. These estimates are drawn from Chandra, Kacker, and Li (2005).
2. The ex post rates of return of the selected infrastructure projects should be interpreted in
the context of the policy and institutional environment during the particular time period.
It is also important to note that economic rates of return may not fully capture all the benefits of infrastructure investment, especially if those benefits occur in the form of externalities (see Canning and Bennathan 2003).
3. The preliminary results of this study are contained in Fan, Nyange, and Rao (2005).
4. The core road network required for poverty alleviation (that is, the network that provides
reliable access for roughly 90 percent of the population) is 45,000 kilometers long. This figure represents more than half of the existing network—emphasizing the importance of
roads for poverty reduction.
5. It is estimated that in April 2005, almost 50 percent of the T-bills were held by two banks.
6. Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
7. Using data from the World Bank’s Doing Business database for 85 developing and developed economies, Djankov and others (2002) find that informality is greater in countries with
greater barriers to entry.
8. Broadman and Recanatini (2001) find that corruption is higher in transition economies,
where entry barriers, which they measure using subjective data from the World Business
Environment Survey, are higher. Djankov and others (2002) find similar results using different data.
9. Using data from 17 high-income OECD economies for several manufacturing and business
service industries between 1984 and 1998, Scarpetta and Nicoletti (2003) show that multifactor productivity is lower in sectors where regulation is stricter. Alesina and others
(2003) present results for investment. Because the measures of regulation are sector specific
and are measured over time, both this study and Scarpetta and Nicoletti (2003) control for
country- and sector-specific effects that might affect investment and productivity.
10. Data are from the World Bank’s Doing Business database.
11. World Bank (2005d) asked enterprise managers how long it takes from the time that goods
arrive at the point of entry or exit to the time that they clear customs. It did not ask how
much time was attributable to customs processing and how much was attributable to port
operations because managers typically do not have access to this information. However, for
the most part, the problems in Tanzania appear to be related to customs, rather than port
performance. For example, the Economist Intelligence Unit (2004b, 26) notes, “One of the
more successful privatizations carried out by the government is that of Dar es Salaam container port. This is now being run by Tanzania International Container Terminal Services
(TICTS), a company that is financially controlled by a Hong Kong-based company. . . . While
TICTS has benefited from the long-term project embarked on by the government in dredging the port’s entry channel, its own investment in facilities has been a key factor in improving services and it now has the capacity to handle 250,000 containers annually.”
12. For example, nine enterprises reported typical delays of more than 50 days.
13. For example, enterprises in Tanzania were more likely to rate high tax rates as a major problem than firms in almost two-thirds of the countries in the 1999 World Business Environment Survey. The survey asked firms in all surveyed regions about infrastructure, access to
finance, policy instability and uncertainty, inflation, exchange rates, the functioning of the
judiciary, street crime, and organized crime. The survey also asked about regulatory constraints, including high tax rates and tax administration.
ENHANCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
239
14. Enterprise managers were asked about the “typical firm” in their industry rather than their
own firm so that they could avoid implicating themselves (World Bank 2004c).
15. It may also reflect the way that the question was asked. If registered enterprises felt that unregistered enterprises in the same sector and of similar size were an “enterprise like yours,”
they may have included those enterprises in their responses.
16. Reforms included the establishment of the independent Tanzania Revenue Authority in
1996, and measures designed to limit political interference in tax administration and to allow the authority to pay salaries that were higher than would have been possible had the
agency remained part of the civil service (Fjeldstad 2002).
17. See ESRF and FACEIT (2002) for a general summary of the Warioba Report and progress
against corruption over the preceding decade.
11
Harnessing Natural Resources for
Sustainable Growth
Kerstin Pfliegner
N
atural resources in Tanzania constitute a wealth asset. Since 1996, mining, fisheries, and tourism have been the most dynamic sectors in the economy. Although
tourism development is a success story in macroeconomic terms, local development spinoff effects could be explored more fully. Most known mineral deposits are already being tapped, but new mineral stocks are being discovered. The fisheries sector is still growing, but there are signs of decline in the catch per boat in Lake Victoria and the catch
of fish and prawn in the coastal zones, which point toward a deceleration of growth
in the medium and long terms.
Forestry, wildlife, and marine fisheries resources, though declining, are still relatively
abundant and have largely untapped growth potential. Although these natural resources, like labor and capital, contribute to the economy and the subsistence base of
the rural population, their value and potential are underestimated. This underestimation is partly based on missing markets for public goods, imperfect competition, distortions caused by government interventions, and pricing of natural resources below
market value. The result of all these market failures leads to suboptimal economic decision making and loss of income to the country.
The National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction of 2005 subscribes to the
principles of sustainable and equitable development. The operational starting points
of these principles include the following:
• Renewable resources should be exploited on the bases of maximizing profits
and sustaining yields. Resources should not be driven to extinction, regardless of
the dictates of present value maximization. Hence, harvesting rates should not
exceed regeneration rates and waste emissions should not exceed absorptive
capacities.
• Nonrenewable resources should be exploited at a rate equal to the creation of renewable substitutes. Revenue from the exploitation of nonrenewable resources
241
242
KERSTIN PFLIEGNER
should contain an income component and a capital component. The capital component should be used to invest in building up a new renewable asset to replace the
nonrenewable one at the point of its exhaustion.
• Revenue generated from natural resources should be shared equitably, in particular with the rural communities on whose land these resources are located.
The macroeconomics of sustainability require integrating qualitative development
and growth in gross domestic product (GDP) more fully, giving equal weight to the need
for pro-poor growth and the maintenance of a sustainable natural resource base. Because of policy failures, Tanzania’s natural resource endowments are not harnessed in
an optimal way to achieve both economic growth and poverty reduction.
On the contrary, owing to weak governance regimes in revenue-generating sectors,
resources are offered below market price to the benefit of a few powerful winners
and the loss of the majority of the rural population. Yet these natural resources provide substantive potential for income to communities in rural areas. The weaknesses
in governance regimes in forestry, wildlife, and fisheries include primarily (a) the
lack of transparency and accountability in issuing rights to extract resources and accrue revenues from them, (b) inequitable sharing of benefits with communities, and
(c) weak monitoring and surveillance of stocks. In all four principal sectors providing natural capital in the growth equation—forestry, wildlife, fisheries, and mining—royalties are set arbitrarily and do not reflect scarcity. Royalties are hence not
used as a policy instrument of intertemporal resource pricing and sustained yield management.
As long as these weaknesses are not addressed, a substantial base of economic
growth will slowly erode and poverty reduction objectives are unlikely to be achieved.
Contribution of Natural Resources to Growth and Government
Revenue
Commonly for forestry, wildlife, and fisheries, a great share of the economic contribution does not enter GDP and export statistics and is hence not taken into account
in analyses of growth. A general problem is the unavailability and poor quality of
data.
An overview of annual revenue earned by the Ministry of Natural Resources and
Tourism (MNRT) from its key departments in 2003 and 2004 is presented in table 11.1.
Although revenue is an important measure for growth, it does not capture all contributions to economic and rural development by the respective sectors.
Forestry provided more than T Sh 5 billion in government revenue in 2003 and 2004,
as table 11.1 shows. It officially contributes 2 to 3 percent to GDP and 10 to 15 percent to export earnings. Estimates that include unaccounted-for services and nonindustrial forestry reach 10 to 15 percent of GDP.
Forests provide about 75 percent of building materials and 100 percent of indigenous medicinal plants and supplementary food products. In addition, forests provide
an important component of value added to national income through their ecosystem
service functions—providing for industrial and domestic water and energy supply.
HARNESSING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
243
TABLE 11.1 Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism Annual Revenue, 2002/03 and
2003/04
Amount of revenue (T Sh billion)
Revenue source
2002/03
2003/04
Forestry
5.29
5.82
Wildlife
9.17
9.55
Fisheries
6.99
9.70
Tourism
0.83
0.96
Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism 2004.
Note: Amounts include revenue collected and retained at source.
Some 95 percent of Tanzania’s energy consumption is in the form of fuelwood; that
consumption includes major input factors in rural industries such as tobacco curing
and fish smoking. Forests provide watershed functions for major rivers feeding into the
national hydropower dams. The lack of reliable power and water supplies can hamper growth in the long term and is already being cited as a serious constraint in attracting private investment.
Further to their “source” functions, forests also have “sink” functions, absorbing and neutralizing the negative externalities of economic growth—most importantly pollution. The value of carbon sequestration services provided by Tanzanian
forests is estimated to be between US$700 and US$1,500 per hectare. Additional environmental service functions include inputs from land and forests into agricultural
production.
Revenue generated from wildlife resources accrues to the MNRT mainly from
hunting licenses; it was more than T Sh 9 million during 2003 and 2004 (table 11.1).
An independent study (Baldus and Cauldwell 2004) of the sector cites annual earnings in 2001 of about US$30 million from tourists’ hunting and an additional US$9
million generated by the private companies that lease hunting concessions from the
government. In 2002, earnings from live animal exports amounted to roughly
US$170,000.
The largest income earner is the nonconsumptive use of wildlife resources: game viewing by international tourists. In 2001, Tanzanian national parks drew more than
100,000 international visitors. This tourism generated receipts of almost 5 percent of
GDP, equivalent to about US$400 million.
In addition, wildlife provides unaccounted-for subsistence values. Well over twothirds of the people eat wild game, with up to 95 percent of the rural population
claiming it as their most important meat protein source.
Tanzania’s production in the fisheries sector has grown at 4 percent annually between
2000 and 2005. In 2005, the value of caught fish amounted to T Sh 339 billion, compared to T Sh 78 billion in 2000. About 75 percent of revenue comes from freshwater fisheries, and only 25 percent from marine fisheries. However, the number of foreign vessels licensed to operate in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on the mainland
and Zanzibar has increased from fewer than 10 in 1998 to more than 170 in 2004,
corresponding to revenue of US$3.3 million. In terms of export earnings, fisheries
contributed 8 percent of total exports in 2005 (US$142 million), the export value of
Nile perch alone being US$129 million.
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KERSTIN PFLIEGNER
A great share of the marine catch does not enter GDP and export statistics but
plays an important role in livelihood support. The official number of artisanal fishermen has doubled since 1995, reaching close to 115,000 in 2005.
Although the contribution of mining to GDP was still not more than 2.8 percent
in 2005, it is the single most important earner of foreign exchange. About 50 percent
of export earnings accrue from minerals, predominantly from gold mining by largescale, foreign-owned operators. In addition, mineral resources are important to the artisanal mining sector.
Public Investment in Natural Resource–Based Growth
It is obvious from these data that these natural resource–based sectors make an important contribution to both the formal and the subsistence economies. However, of the
three natural resource sectors, only fisheries represent a net contributor to the Treasury. Forestry and wildlife are subsidized through government allocations to cover
their recurrent expenditures and through foreign grant allocations to finance their
development budgets. Table 11.2 shows the government recurrent budget allocations
to the sectors: forestry and wildlife each received 29 percent of the MNRT budget in
2003/04, followed by fisheries (18 percent) and tourism (11 percent).
There is a mismatch between foreign resource allocation for sectoral development
activities and national funding allocation for recurrent expenditures. The large degree
of underspending of the development budgets in both sectors is a possible indication
of constraints on capacity to absorb foreign funding and institutional inefficiencies, aggravated by the uncoordinated policies of the development partners. In the forestry sector, a planned sectorwide approach is supposed to address the last problem.
There is a tendency to draw government allocation away from these sectors, because
they should finance themselves and move toward privatization. However, there are
trade-offs to this trend. There is a need for government to control and regulate, setting and enforcing fiscal and market instruments to ensure sustained growth and incorporation of externalities. Although the recurrent government budget allocations to
TABLE 11.2 Budget of Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, as Distributed by
Subsector, 2002/03–2003/04
2002/03
Subsector
2003/04
T Sh thousand
Percent
T Sh thousand
Forestry and beekeeping
4,897,656
24
7,633,912
29
Wildlife
6,593,025
33
7,586,736
29
Fisheries
3,688,280
18
4,648,202
18
Tourism
2,208,073
11
2,880,761
11
Other
2,856,131
14
3,507,741
13
20,243,165
100
26,257,352
100
Total
Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism 2004.
Note: Total includes other subsectors not listed here. The amounts are only recurrent expenditures.
Percent
HARNESSING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
245
these sectors are getting smaller and there is a trend toward privatizing some government functions, the need for sectorwide environmental management functions is increasing. Environmental impact assessments; market-based instruments for environmental protection (such as taxes, subsidies, standards, and permits); monitoring of
stocks; and legal enforcement are becoming more important as the economy grows.
Because of institutional failures, these overarching environmental management functions have basically been lacking in Tanzania for the past decade.
Although the new Environmental Management Act provides the necessary environmental framework law, the country is still a long way from seeing the effects of its
implementation. Increased public investments are needed to support these broad-based
environmental management activities.
Untapped Growth Potential
With regard to nonconsumptive use of wildlife for game-viewing tourism, the potential in the southern parks remains untapped. Although the Northern Circuit has supposedly reached maximum carrying capacity in terms of numbers of visitors, places such
as Ruaha and Katavi National Parks are still fairly unknown. Shifting marketing and
infrastructure development to those areas would provide new growth potential for
the tourism sector. In addition, there is scope to increase the concession fees of international tour operators and lodges, which currently account for only 2 percent of the
revenue of Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA).
Marine fisheries have recorded a sharp rise in revenue from licensing of foreign
vessels in the EEZ (figure 11.1). Some sources estimate that the present revenue does
not reflect the amount that the government could earn and that the real catch is much
higher than what has been assumed as the basis for setting license fees (between 200
and more than 400 tons per day per boat). Notably, there is no catch-based license or
fee, and vessels are allowed unlimited catch if they have a valid license. Although the
annual revenue, as shown in figure 11.1, is considerable, it is low compared with the
estimated value of fish caught by foreign vessels in Tanzanian waters and sold in foreign markets. One must thus assume that there is scope for revenue increases.
With regard to freshwater fisheries, past growth rates are based mainly on Nile
perch exports from Lake Victoria. Other lakes, such as Tanganyika and Nyasa, are commercially underdeveloped, as is the harvesting of other species.
Diversification could also be sought in terms of exploring additional export markets. Risks and vulnerability increase when export earnings in a sector depend entirely on a single market. For example, fisheries exports from Lake Victoria are destined mainly for the European Union. Following an unfavorable assessment of sanitary
standards by the European Union, Tanzanian fish-processing plants had to halt all
production for several months in 1999 because of a temporary ban.
Despite high growth in the fisheries sector and despite local production of fishnets,
95 percent of fishnets are imported. Hence, an important backward link to the industry and an employment opportunity remain unexploited.
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KERSTIN PFLIEGNER
4,000,000
180
3,500,000
160
3,000,000
140
120
2,500,000
100
2,000,000
80
1,500,000
60
1,000,000
40
500,000
20
0
number of vessels
revenue (US$)
FIGURE 11.1 Annual License Revenue and Number of Foreign Vessels in EEZ,
1998–2004
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
year
revenue
2002
2003
2004
vessels
Source: Data from Fisheries Department.
Commercial fisheries present an important, emerging revenue source for the country and the sector. If the sector is well managed, commercial fisheries can have positive effects on economic growth and poverty reduction at the same time. Principles of
management need to include retention and reinvestment of revenue into the sector
and safeguarding of the artisanal fisheries to protect their rights and access to the resource.
Potential for Local Spinoff Effects
Local spinoff effects are missing for marine fisheries in the EEZ. While new fisheries
agreements are being negotiated with foreign countries, no fish are expected to be
landed ashore, and few supplies will be sourced from within Tanzania. If no such spinoff effects are created, the net effect of commercial fisheries on poverty reduction may
be negative, increasing competition with artisanal fisheries over the same resource.
The fact that Tanzania is a net importer of forest products is a sign of lost opportunities for income generation for the local economy. Similarly, the mining sector seems
to have had limited influence on reducing poverty in the local economy. Employment
in the large-scale mining sector is limited, although younger employees especially may
receive significant salaries. The majority of those employed in the mining sector are selfemployed in the small-scale sector, typically as artisanal miners. Returns are very low,
especially when one considers the hardship associated with this kind of employment.
It seems, furthermore, that an increasing income disparity is emerging between those
HARNESSING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
247
employed in the small-scale mining sector and those employed in the large-scale one.
To the extent that those recruited by the large-scale mining sector are recruited outside the local community, the local community is thus restricted to opting for poorly
paid employment opportunities in the small-scale sector.
Large-scale mining may have positive effects for local communities through the improvement of basic infrastructure. There is, however, no indication that expansion in
the mining sector triggers significant growth in the local economy, because mining operations generally are detached from local supply chains and therefore primarily create employment in the services sector.
Potential for Poverty Reduction
In addition to their potential for generating government revenue, wildlife, fisheries, and
forestry resources provide the nonagricultural subsistence base for rural communities
in remote locations. Increased emphasis on natural resources–related enterprises has
the potential to create additional income opportunities for the rural population.
For example, in Loliondo Division in Ngorongoro District, seven villages earn more
than US$110,000 per year from joint ventures with wildlife tour operators. In Ololosokwan village, tourism revenue totals about US$55,000 per year. The income from
payments by one of four tour operators in Ololosokwan is shown in figure 11.2. If the
FIGURE 11.2 Income to Ololosokwan Village, Ngorongoro District Council,
1999–2003
12,000,000
income (T Sh)
10,000,000
8,000,000
6,000,000
4,000,000
2,000,000
0
1999/2000
2000/01
2001/02
year
village
district
Source: Reconstructed from Kallonga and others 2003.
Note: Figures are not exact.
2002/03
248
KERSTIN PFLIEGNER
effects of elite capture are avoided and income is equitably distributed within the communities, this income has large poverty reduction potential in a dryland area that does
not offer many other opportunities for diversification.
Although Ololosokwan is an exceptional example, the potential for local development from wildlife-related tourism has not been fully tapped in other areas. In the
Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, the number of households earning any income from tourism
varies from 86 percent in Talek, Kenya, to 12 percent and 3 percent at the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Loliondo Game Reserve on the Tanzanian side.
In the Southern Circuit, tourism is growing, offering potential scope for positive
effects on local economic development. Participatory wildlife management in communities close to Ruaha National Park in Iringa District generated T Sh 15 million in
local income in 1999, accrued through earnings from the residents’ hunting quota. An
additional T Sh 4.1 million was earned from the 25 percent share of license fees from
tourists’ hunting (figure 11.3).
The income from hunting quotas was sufficient to triple village-level communal income, enabling villages to pay district-level taxes that would otherwise be levied on
households, as well as to carry out social infrastructure investments. One of the success factors identified was that the project has emphasized institutional capacity building at village and intervillage levels.
Similarly, community-based forest management has provided revenue to villages
across Tanzania. The 2002 Forest Act authorizes villages to sell timber from their own
forest reserves, potentially providing a new source of forest revenue that would accrue
directly to the communities.
Despite the conducive policy framework in both the wildlife and forestry sectors,
weak governance systems at both the central and local levels have so far limited the
realization of the potential for poverty reduction through community-based natural
FIGURE 11.3 Village Incomes from Hunting in Lunda-Mkwambi (GameControlled Area), Idodi, and Pawaga Divisions, 1996–99
18,000,000
16,000,000
income (T Sh)
14,000,000
12,000,000
10,000,000
8,000,000
village income from
tourist hunting
6,000,000
4,000,000
village income from
resident hunting
2,000,000
0
1996
1997
1998
year
1999
Source: Data from Walsh 2000.
Note: Village receives 25 percent of license fees for tourists’ hunting.
HARNESSING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
249
resources management. The main focus in community wildlife management has been
on institutions and the distribution of benefits rather than on enterprise opportunities
at the household level. Fear of inequity has led to the relative neglect of entrepreneurship in Tanzania, reflecting a persistent and much broader philosophical bias against
private enterprise.
Sustainability of Growth
In the context of sustainability of natural resources–based growth, several constraints
are emerging that lead to revenue loss and possible deceleration of growth in the long
term:
• Underpricing of resources, thereby not allowing the capture of resource rents
• Weak environmental governance systems
• Limited knowledge of stocks, their values, and changes over time.
Underpricing of Resources
Sustainable growth based on renewable resources requires that the cost of extracting
a resource and the notional cost of replacing a unit of the resource, commonly known
as resource rent, be evaluated so that the wealth base is not eroded. Although royalties are the most important source of government revenue in forestry (83 percent),
wildlife (96 percent from hunting licenses), and fisheries (84 percent from royalties and
15 percent from export licenses), they are set arbitrarily and capture neither market
values nor resource rents.
Similarly, in the mining sector, licenses to foreign investors do not take the capital
component into account. Tax incentives for foreign investors have been generous, to
attract capital investment and to open the market, at the expense of sustainability
principles. In this scenario, the acceleration of growth comes at the expense of pricing resources below market value, which leads to loss of income, erosion of critical
stocks, and an associated deceleration of growth in the long term.
Estimates of resource rents from marine fisheries, computed from license fees as a
percentage of the value of revenue through licenses for foreign vessels fishing in the EEZ,
show that gross resource rent is approximately 2.2 percent. That percentage is less than
half of what might be expected in a Western industrial fishery. The current license fee
arrangements of private fisheries agreements in the EEZ generate not insignificant
amounts of revenue, and the level is too low to result in a reasonable return of revenue
(more than 5 to 7 percent of gross revenue) to capture a resource rent.
Similarly, in forestry, royalties have been fixed arbitrarily. The 2002 Forest Act demands the determination of royalties based on market value, profitability, and principles of sustainable harvesting. Improvement of the Forest Produce Pricing System
should include market-based pricing of forest produce and public auctions or tendering for timber lots. Royalties could also be used as an instrument to divert harvests from
pressured species toward lesser-known species.
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In the wildlife sector, the concession component of TANAPA’s earnings is only 2 percent, which most likely underrepresents the value of these concessions compared with
the income they generate for the foreign investor. Loss of revenue and unsustainable
use are also fostered through hunting quotas that do not reflect true market values and
are not based on ecological monitoring to maintain critical stocks. Presently, concessions are leased at rates far below true market value irrespective of size, quality, or
income potential. This situation represents a massive loss of income to the Wildlife
Division (estimated at more than US$7 million). The system promotes subleasing to
foreigners, with the result that much of the income generated by the industry never
enters the country and substantial tax revenue is lost.
Weak Environmental Governance
In forestry, an undercollection of 5 to 10 percent of revenue is reported to be due
to inefficiencies in revenue collection and to corruption in the sector. The 2004 logging scandal in Rufiji revealed that illegally harvested logs were valued at T Sh 382.65
million.
In marine fisheries, it is alleged that Zanzibar licenses for foreign vessels are registered in Muscat, Oman, the fees thus escaping the Zanzibar authorities. In EEZ fisheries, the lack of transparency is attributed to a large degree to the lack of catch reporting by foreign vessels. The governance regime in EEZ fisheries is unique in that it
imposes responsibilities for transparency and accountability on other nations whose
fisheries cover distant water.
In the wildlife sector, a nontransparent system of quota setting for the hunting industry by the government leads to imperfect competition in the market. There is no
competitive bidding for hunting concessions, but distribution through autonomous
government decision making. Effective market forces are hence not applied to optimize revenues. This policy intervention leads to a monopoly of knowledge by the
Wildlife Division and an oligopsony in access to the resource, a situation in which a
small number of large buyers controls the market. Consequently, quotas are sold below market value, leading to a loss in revenue. Although imperfect competition usually benefits a few powerful players, it usually disadvantages the majority of the population. It leads to loss of income and livelihoods for rural communities.
Limited Knowledge of Resources Stock Values and Stock Changes
The optimal scale of natural resource–based economic growth must be at a sustainable level. Hence, a general macrolevel constraint of growth is that the optimal scale
is the one at which the long-run marginal cost of expansion equals the long-term marginal benefits of expansion. This constraint cannot be operationalized if the true costs
of resource extraction are unknown.
Commonly in fisheries, forestry, wildlife, and mining, there are neither inventories
of the full availability of stocks nor complete information about their value. In addi-
HARNESSING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
251
tion, stock changes are not monitored comprehensively. In the absence of stock and
flow data, limits of extraction and quotas associated with licenses can be set only
arbitrarily. Hence, they are not based on sound ecological calculations and realistic
projections. For example, in marine fisheries, there are no catch limits attached to licenses, allowing vessels to take as many fish as are available, and foreign fishing vessels return only scant information on actual catch. Similarly in forestry, land coverage, deforestation, and values represented in the country’s forest estate are a matter
of speculation.
There is already a government effort in the fisheries and forestry sectors to address
some of these problems. For example, the Fisheries Department has lately increased
its monitoring, control, and surveillance with support from a South African Development Community regional project. The Forestry Department is in the process of developing a national forest monitoring facility and database.
Externalities
Consideration and efficient control of externalities is important to reflect the true cost
of the use of resources and to prevent their overexploitation. In addition, externalities
can cause trade-offs between economic growth and poverty reduction because they can
negatively affect local people’s access to natural resources. Finally, control of externalities can realize cost savings in monies otherwise spent on pollution control. Examples
are abundant:
• Economic growth is associated with an increased need for energy and water supply for domestic and industrial purposes. Currently, 95 percent of energy supply
comes from biomass energy. Because of incorrect pricing, the price of charcoal does
not represent the full value of the wood being harvested. In terms of providing
value added to growth through energy and water supply, Tanzania’s forests provide
critical capital. Catchment forests are an example, and their conservation is clearly
a binding constraint to be addressed.
• Increased agricultural production and intensification can create externalities. Large
commercial rice farming in the Usangu Plains has reduced the dry season flow of
the Great Ruaha River through intensified year-round irrigation, which is negatively affecting water use by small-scale farmers downstream.
• Commercial fish production for export markets at Lake Victoria erodes a base of
livelihood and food supply for local fishing communities. Similarly, the penetration
of foreign vessels into territorial seas affects the catch of artisanal fisheries.
• Mining poses a number of threats to and possibilities for local communities, as
well as for the miners themselves. The nature and extent of the threats and opportunities cannot be assessed in detail because of the lack of reliable data. There are
concerns that large commercial mining crowds out the artisanal sector. Also, there
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KERSTIN PFLIEGNER
are indications of a number of negative social effects, notably child labor, HIV/AIDS,
and gender imbalances.
• The evidence about the environmental effects of large-scale mining suggests that mining communities may suffer a number of severe effects, from direct and observable
noise and erosion to longer-term pollution of air, water, and soil, which in turn
may have serious health consequences. Still, the evidence does not allow for extrapolation; more comprehensive analysis is required to get a better idea of the environmental implications of large-scale mining in Tanzania.
The current policy framework does not provide for sound management of natural
resources and mitigation of externalities. Instruments applied at present for revenue
generation do not address externalities, nor are they used as instruments to capture rents
from natural resources. Rather than employing fiscal instruments to steer the exploitation of resources, there is, allegedly, tax evasion within the revenue-generating sectors
themselves.
Hence, in the present regime of environmental governance, increased growth will
come at the cost of running down the resource stocks, impeding long-term growth opportunities. To ensure a positive net effect of accelerated growth on poverty reduction,
a careful balance needs to be preserved between increasing export earnings and maintaining the resource base for the artisanal sector. In particular, in fisheries, certain safeguards need to be put in place for the artisanal fisheries to protect their rights, access
to the resource, and livelihoods.
Recommendations
Making sustainable development operational is an international political challenge. In
particular, in the context of globally shared resources such as fisheries, responsibilities
apply to both harvesting and host countries. True factor pricing and resource rent
capture are policy instruments that even some Western countries grapple with. Yet
some basic principles of governance are missing in Tanzania, which, if applied, could
regain some of the lost opportunities described in this chapter.
The single most important recommendation for capturing and maintaining natural
resource–based growth in Tanzania is to reform environmental governance so as to
achieve good governance, rule of law, and equity. Such reform includes ensuring greater
coherence between different national policies and instruments, particularly communitybased wildlife management, tourism development, rural growth strategies, investment
regulations and incentives, and poverty reduction strategies.
In addition, Tanzania needs to make investments in the improvement of its human
capacity and capital stock so that value-added processing of natural resources can
take place more often within the country. This investment is required to comply with
the principle stated in the National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction that
policies should be designed so that benefits from high-growth sectors are transmitted
to the poor in the form of better livelihood opportunities—for example, supporting supply links with local producers.
HARNESSING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
253
The recommendations below are divided into general recommendations, which apply equally to all natural resources sectors, and sector-specific recommendations.
General recommendations:
• Strengthen capacity for data collection, recordkeeping, monitoring, control, and
surveillance and enforce punitive measures to control illegal practices.
• Control externalities through fiscal instruments, royalties, and resource pricing and
increase revenue from rent capture rather than uncontrolled exploitation.
• Increase efficiency in revenue collection and administration, as well as full transparency and accountability over revenue generation and distribution.
• Promote market-based principles when appropriate, ensuring local spinoffs and allowing competition and entrepreneurial development.
Fisheries:
• Put in place a regulatory framework and sound governance regime for marine fisheries, comprising the EEZ and near-shore fisheries.
• Safeguard rights and livelihoods for coastal communities, for example, through demarcation of a community territorial sea.
• Conduct a fisheries sector review to assess the economic and social, ecological, and
fiscal perspectives and policy options. The review could inform policy makers and
influence the strengthening of the regulatory framework.
• Establish some form of EEZ inspectorate patrol to build a more accurate picture of
available resources.
• Investigate the potential for exports of marine products and for value adding of these
products to promote growth in the coastal zone.
Forestries:
• Introduce taxes for wood lot and plantation owners—in particular an income tax
based on timber sales and a property tax based on the average productive capacity
of different land categories.
• Enforce the collection of royalties and fees and eliminate the exemption for industries such as tobacco and fishing.
• Improve the forest produce pricing system through market-based pricing, public
auctions or tendering for timber lots, and cheaper royalties for lesser-known
species.
• Increase domestic and foreign private sector investment through reduction
of bureaucracy in the licensing system, clear investment guidelines, clearly defined ownership of all forestland, tax incentives, credit facilities, and technology
transfer.
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KERSTIN PFLIEGNER
• Increase the capacity utilization of the sector to reverse the trade balance to net exports of forest products.
• Introduce new revenue sources, such as watershed management fees from hydropower stations, sale of genetic resources, and carbon credits.
Wildlife:
• Encourage attitudinal change toward wildlife at the policy level so that policy makers see it as an asset for rural development and poverty reduction rather than as something looked after by conservationists. Such an attitude change will include a shift
in the emphasis of community wildlife approaches to focus on creating enterprise
opportunities.
• Ensure that local communities are the principal decision makers for allocation of
concessions and quota setting for hunting on their land and that they receive and
manage the funds generated on their land.
• Reform the tourist hunting industry to realize its true revenue potential. Such reform includes the introduction of market-based competition in the commercial
hunting industry through competitive bidding for concessions. It may have the positive side effect of naturally controlling subleasing and related revenue losses.
• Introduce performance-based independent monitoring of the hunting industry, possibly through certification, to ensure that certain standards are adhered to. Criteria should be set to consider the maximum income from the least number of animals hunted and contributions toward protection and community involvement.
• Revise the quota-setting system on the basis of more objective criteria, computerization of hunting data, and monitoring of trophy quality and age.
• Conduct a review (by the Ministry of Finance) of the financial management and taxation procedures of the Wildlife Division to assess strengths and weaknesses. This
review would include an inventory of the true value of hunting licenses.
Tourism:
• Integrate opportunities for pro-poor tourism into tourism strategies; set objectives
in terms of local development effects, not just numbers of tourists or foreign exchange
earnings.
• Establish a pro-poor tourism growth program to place attention on company practices, destination management, infrastructure development, procurement patterns,
national training, and regulation.
Mining:
• Improve data collection on externalities in the mining sector (for example, through
more rigorous and systematic enforcement of environmental impact assessments).
• Revise the pricing system to capture the capital component of nonrenewable mining resources.
12
Enhancing the Capacity of the
Poor to Participate in Growth
Johannes Hoogeveen
T
his chapter examines what strategies would enable poor people to participate in
growth. The most important assets of poor Tanzanians are labor and, in rural areas, land. A strategy that aims to enhance the capacity of the poor to participate in
growth should therefore focus on an intensification of the use of labor and land while
permitting poor Tanzanians to build up human and physical capital.
We first focus on those aspects that build human capital: education, nutrition,
health, and fertility. Next, we discuss aspects that allow poor people to build physical
capital and, in particular, the exposure to risk and the role of financial markets. Finally,
and starting from the realization that certain people may not be able to benefit from
growth, we discuss social protection and inequity.
Improving Human Capital of the Poor
Levels of human capital are low in Tanzania, and building human capital is an important element of the poverty-reducing strategy for at least two reasons. First, by building human capital, the foundation is laid for higher growth in the future (Barro 1991;
Mankiw, Romer, and Weil 1992). Second, by building the human capital of the poor,
the pattern of growth will be pro-poor.
In this section, we discuss three elements of human capital: education, nutrition, and
population (health care and fertility).
Education
Twenty-nine percent of Tanzanians age 15 and above are illiterate (National Bureau
of Statistics 2002), and according to the 2002 census, the average number of years of
education of the working population (ages 20 to 64) is 5.1. Not only is the lack of education one of the factors contributing to Tanzania being one of the poorest economies
in the world, but within Tanzania, differences in education are strongly associated
255
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JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
with income levels. In rural areas, where poverty is highest, the average level of education of heads of household is 4.3 years, compared to 7.8 years in Dar es Salaam, where
poverty incidence is lowest (National Bureau of Statistics 2002). Consumption regressions show that individuals living in Dar es Salaam in households headed by someone
who completed secondary education have a per capita income that is 49 percent higher
than those in households headed by someone with no education. In rural areas, the difference is even larger: 70 percent (table 12.1).
Education is associated not only with income but also with nonincome dimensions
of poverty. Low levels of education lead to higher total fertility, lower levels of child
nutrition (Lindeboom and Kilama 2005), higher child mortality (Rafalimanana and
Westoff 2001), and an intergenerational transfer of poverty because children from
poor households are less likely to attend school themselves. The total fertility rate of
women ages 40 to 49 is 6.5 if they do not have any education but drops to 4.9 if they
completed at least primary education (National Bureau of Statistics and Macro International 2000). Evidence from Kagera shows that children with educated parents have
better nutritional outcomes (Alderman, Hoogeveen, and Rossi 2006). And according
to the Household Budget Survey (HBS), 52 percent of Tanzanian children ages 7 to 10
attended school, but only 44 percent from the first two quintiles did so (National Bureau of Statistics 2002).
With the prevailing low levels of education, one can see that educational attainment
needs to be raised in order to reduce poverty and to raise income in general. In recent
years, important initiatives to that end have been undertaken, of which the Primary
Education Development Program (PEDP), introduced in July 2001, and the Secondary
Education Development Program (SEDP), started in September 2004, are the most
important. PEDP’s aim is to increase overall gross and net enrollment of girls and
boys. In recognition that some parents fail to send their children to school because of
cost or distance, the program has abolished all school fees and other mandatory
parental contributions and started an investment program in school buildings and
classrooms. SEDP’s main objective is to ensure that more of the increased numbers of
primary school graduates can be absorbed into secondary schools.
Under PEDP, enrollment in standard I in primary schools increased tremendously
(figure 12.1). With a net enrollment rate of 90 percent (and a gross enrollment rate that
exceeds 100 percent), Tanzania has now put in place one of the essential preconditions
TABLE 12.1 Increase in Per Capita Consumption Relative to Households Headed by
Individuals with No Education
(percent)
Level of education of head of household
Dar es Salaam
Other urban areas
Rural areas
Some primary education
25
19
17
Completed primary education
57
30
42
Some secondary education
36
42
48
Completed secondary education
49
52
70
Postsecondary education
90
73
90
Adult education only
43
⫺1
⫺2
Source: Author’s calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics 2002.
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
257
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1,800,000
1,600,000
1,400,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
net enrollment rate (%)
number of students
FIGURE 12.1 Primary Education Performance, 1995–2004
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
year
number of students in standard I
net enrollment rate
Source: Ministry of Education and Culture 2004.
to attain the Millennium Development Goal of ensuring that, by 2015, children will
be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.
Not only did net enrollment increase dramatically with PEDP from 59 percent in
2000 to 91 percent in 2004, evidence from Kilimanjaro and Ruvuma suggests that inequalities in access to primary education have disappeared. Figure 12.2 presents, for
rural Kilimanjaro, concentration curves for 2001 and 2003. In panel (a), the concentration curve for 2001 shows how pre-PEDP access to primary education was unequally distributed: children from wealthier households attended school relatively
more often than children from poorer households. The distribution of access was as
unequal as the distribution of consumption, represented by the Lorenz curve. With
PEDP, inequalities in access to education disappeared, and the concentration curve
coincides with the 45-degree line. Though not shown in the figure, results for Ruvuma
are comparable.
Despite major progress in enrolling children and in addressing aspects of the gender gap (box 12.1), implementation of PEDP lags behind in certain regions, particularly the poorer and more isolated ones, as is evident from net enrollment figures. In
2004, enrollment was 90 percent for the country as a whole, but in Tabora it was
only 68 percent and in Kigoma, 77.2 percent, whereas in Dar es Salaam it was 93.1
percent. Interestingly, some poor regions do particularly well. For example, Ruvuma
has a net enrollment of 99.3 percent; thus, poverty is not the only explanatory factor
for the divergence in performance.
After an intense focus on expanding access to primary education, there is now increased focus on addressing concerns about the quality of education. Teacher-pupil ratios of 1:52 (up from 1:46 in 2001) are hardly an enabling environment for learning.
The availability of textbooks leaves much to be desired as well, although it improved
from 8 students per textbook in 2001 to 4 students per textbook in 2004. That lack
258
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
FIGURE 12.2 Changes in the Distribution of Access to Education in Rural
Kilimanjaro, 2001 and 2003
(a) 2001
cumulative distribution of service (%)
100
80
60
Lorenz curve
40
concentration curve
20
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
cumulative distribution of population (%)
(b) 2003
cumulative distribution of service (%)
100
80
concentration curve
60
Lorenz curve
40
20
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
cumulative distribution of population (%)
Sources: Author calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics 2002 and United Republic of Tanzania
2004c.
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
BOX 12.1
259
Gender Differences in Education
With PEDP, some gender biases in education disappeared. Gender parity in enrollment has
almost been attained: 49 percent of those attending primary schools are girls (Ministry of Education and Culture 2004). Information from the 2002 census also suggests that the gap in
education attainment has been closed. As the figure below indicates, although women age
60 and above received only 30 percent of the education of men of the same age, girls below
age 15—the youngest age cohorts—are actually better educated than boys of the same age.
Gender Differences in Education by Age
7
male
years of education
6
female
5
4
3
2
1
70
–
–2
4
25
–2
9
30
–3
4
35
–3
9
40
–4
4
45
–4
9
50
–5
4
55
–5
9
60
–6
4
65
–6
9
–1
20
9
4
15
–1
10
5–
9
0
age category
Source: Data from 2002 census.
However, not all gender differences disappeared. Pass rates for girls at the Primary School
Leavers Exam are lower than those for boys. In 2004, 48 percent of all boys passed, compared to 33 percent of all girls. That 15 percentage point gap in pass rates has persisted over
the past 10 years and leads to a gender imbalance at the end of the primary curriculum, which
is corrected at enrollment in secondary school in form I. Form I enrollment data for 2004
show, again, a near gender balance at entry level. Yet gender imbalances reappear later. Between form I and form IV, the girl-to-boy ratio drops gradually until it reaches a ratio of one
girl to two boys in form VI (United Republic of Tanzania, Vice President’s Office 2005).
of quality is reflected in the pass rate at the Primary School Leavers Exam. At 62 percent in 2006 (up from 22 percent in 2000), the pass rate remains low, which implies
that more than one-third of the students do not learn the material expected for primary
school. However, pass rates are only a proxy of quality and do not really reflect what
children learn.
In secondary education, there have been improvements in recent years. The number of primary school leavers entering secondary school increased from a low of 3.4
percent in the mid-1980s to 22 percent at the start of the millennium. By 2004, that
number had increased further, and approximately 30 percent of those who finished
primary school got a place in a secondary school (figure 12.3). As a result of the expansion of public secondary schools, the share of private secondary schools in total
secondary education has gradually dropped from 60 percent in the early 1990s to about
260
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
70
30
60
25
50
20
40
15
30
10
20
5
10
0
0
market share of private
secondary schools (%)
35
19
8
19 0
81
19
8
19 2
8
19 3
8
19 4
8
19 5
86
19
8
19 7
8
19 8
8
19 9
9
19 0
9
19 1
92
19
9
19 3
9
19 4
9
19 5
9
19 6
97
19
9
19 8
9
20 9
0
20 0
0
20 1
0
20 2
03
20
04
primary school leavers enrolled (%)
FIGURE 12.3 Enrollment in Secondary Schools, 1990–2004
year
fraction of primary school leavers transitioning to secondary school
market share of private secondary schools
Source: Ministry of Education and Culture 2004.
33 percent in 2004. Nonetheless, secondary education remains a relatively exclusive
affair that is skewed toward the nonpoor, which the HBS data illustrate. The probability that a child age 14 to 18 attends secondary school is 2 percent if the child
is from a household in the first consumption quintile and 13 percent if the child comes
from a household in the top quintile.
Investing in human capital has a long lead time, and it will take many years before
the current investments in education translate into higher income and reduced poverty.
Even if, over the coming 10 years, those ages 10 to 19 manage to raise education levels to 7 years and those ages 5 to 9 raise education levels to 10 years, the average level
of education in the working population (ages 15 to 65) will have risen from 5.1 years
to only 6.8 years. Levels of education among the youth (ages 15 to 29) will have risen
considerably, however, from 5.6 years now to 8.1 years, which should enhance their
ability to escape poverty.
The long lead time before current investments in education will pay off in higher
income and reduced poverty is reason to consider whether levels of education of
those in their productive years can be raised through adult or youth education. According to the HBS, in 2000/01 26 percent of households were headed by someone
with no education, which demonstrates a need for education (National Bureau of
Statistics 2002). And youth and adult education potentially has a large effect on a
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
261
household’s earning capacity. That effect can be illustrated by the consumption level
of those who benefited from some primary education: it is 17 to 25 percent higher than
the consumption level of those who did not receive any education (table 12.1). In Dar
es Salaam, consumption levels in households in which the head received adult education only are 43 percent higher than in households in which the head has no education. A word of caution seems justified however, as the data show no significant beneficial effect of adult education in rural and other urban areas.
Nutrition
Improving the nutritional situation of Tanzania’s population is another element in a
strategy aimed at building human capacity for growth and poverty reduction. The
prevalence of undernutrition in Tanzania is high. As of 2004, nearly 40 percent of the
children ages 0 to 59 months are chronically undernourished or stunted (low height
for age) (figure 12.4). About 3 percent are wasted (low weight for height), and 22 percent of children are underweight (low weight for age), which is a composite measure
of long- and short-term undernutrition and one of the Millennium Development Goal
indicators.
Nutrition rates are worst among the poor. According to the 1999 Tanzania Reproductive and Child Health Survey (TRCHS), 50 percent of children in the bottom two
quintiles are stunted and 34 percent are underweight. In comparison, 23 percent of children from the top quintile are stunted and 22 percent are underweight. Tanzanians are
FIGURE 12.4 Percentage of Undernourished Children under Age Five,
1991–2004
50
45
40
% of children
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
stunting
underweight
1991
1996
wasting
1999
2004
Source: Data from Demographic and Health Surveys of 1991, 1996, and 2004; National Bureau of Statistics
and Macro International 2000.
262
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
not only affected by protein-energy malnutrition, but many suffer from deficiencies of
micronutrients such as iodine, iron, and vitamin A (National Bureau of Statistics and
Macro International 2000). According to the 2004 Tanzania Demographic and Health
Survey (DHS), only 43 percent of households used adequately iodized salt, and 46 percent of children ages 6 months to 59 months benefited from vitamin A supplementation
in the six months preceding the survey (National Bureau of Statistics and ORC Macro
2005). Approximately two-thirds of children and 43 percent of women are anemic.
Both types of nutrient deficiencies have negative consequences for the ability to be
economically active. Undernutrition retards physical growth directly as well as indirectly by increasing the susceptibility to disease. It affects cognitive and mental development and educational attainment and leads to reduced productivity and reduced income. Iron-deficiency anemia, for instance, has been shown to reduce productivity by
5 to17 percent, with the higher percentage holding for the heavier manual work such
as farming, typically carried out by the poorer segments of the population (Horton 1999;
Horton and Ross 2003).
Undernutrition is closely associated with the inability of HIV/AIDS-infected people
to undergo antiretroviral treatment. It is also associated with under-five mortality. A
high correlation exists at the regional level (a correlation coefficient of 0.27) between
the fraction of children ages zero to five that are underweight and the under-five mortality rate. The correlation with stunted children is even higher at 0.57 (figure 12.5).
Undernutrition is a factor that stretches across generations. Evidence from Kagera
suggests, for instance, that parents of small stature are more likely to have children of
small stature as well (Alderman, Hoogeveen, and Rossi 2006). And children who are
stunted at a young age are shorter later in life (figure 12.6).
In the face of high rates of undernutrition, large-scale interventions to address nutrition deficiencies are limited even though most nutrition interventions have attractive benefit-cost ratios (table 12.2).
Interventions that focus on micronutrients, improve infant and child nutrition, or
reduce low birth weight have the highest benefit-cost ratios. However, the more challenging interventions, such as mother-child care programs or integrated child care programs, also have attractive benefit-cost ratios. In fact, if one were to consider large-scale
interventions, such challenging interventions would have to be part of the package because of the nature of Tanzania’s nutrition problems.
Undernutrition in Tanzania takes shape during pregnancy (many babies are born
underweight) and during the first months following birth. According to the 1999
TRCHS (National Bureau of Statistics and Macro International 2000), the proportion
of stunted children increases more than fivefold between 0 to 6 months and 13 to 24
months (from 9 percent to 53 percent). The proportion of severely stunted children increases more than sevenfold (from 3 percent to 21 percent) (figure 12.7). A strong
negative association exists between nutritional status and being born during the rainy
season, when demands on labor are highest and illness is most prevalent (Alderman,
Hoogeveen, and Rossi 2006; Lindeboom and Kilama 2005). There is a strong positive association of nutritional status with breastfeeding, but a negative one exists for
low birth weight, the birth interval, and long duration of breastfeeding because children need additional nutrients after six months of age (Lindeboom and Kilama 2005).
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
263
70.0
250
60.0
percentage stunted
200
50.0
150
40.0
30.0
100
20.0
50
10.0
0
Ar
us
ha
&
M
an
M yar
K an a
D ilim ya
ar a ra
es nja
Sa ro
la
Si am
ng
Ta ida
b
M or
w a
a
K nz
Sh igo a
in ma
ya
ng
T
M an a
or g
og a
o
M ro
be
Pw ya
a
Iri ni
n
Ru g
vu a
m
Ru a
kw
Ka a
ge
r
M a
D ar
od a
o
M ma
tw
ar
Li a
nd
i
0
under-five mortality rate (per 1,000 live births)
FIGURE 12.5 Fraction Stunted, by Region (1992–99), and Under-Five Mortality
Rate per 1,000 Live Births (2002)
region
stunted
under-five mortality rate
Source: Author’s calculations using data from DHS 1991, 1996; National Bureau of Statistics and Macro International 2000 (stunting); and 2002 census (under-five mortality rate).
Evidence also suggests that children living in households consuming more milk are better nourished (Beegle, De Weerdt, and Dercon 2006; Lindeboom and Kilama 2005).
No correlation (even a negative one) exists between food insecurity as measured in the
HBS and the incidence of malnutrition at a regional level. Because undernutrition rates
are high even in the wealthiest households, undernutrition seems to be less the result
of a lack of food availability than one of dietary knowledge, hygiene, and care for pregnant women and young children (UNICEF 1990).1 That pattern is consistent with
global experience.
Not only are community interventions attractive for their rate of return and from
a human development perspective, but they are also likely to be pro-poor. Because
nutrition problems affect poor households more severely, the poor stand to benefit
more from interventions. Evidence to that effect comes from Kagera, where it has
been shown not only that community-based interventions had a considerable beneficial effect on nutritional status (Alderman, Hoogeveen, and Rossi 2006), but also that
poor households benefit disproportionately (figure 12.8).
264
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
155
145
138
height (centimeters)
163
FIGURE 12.6 Height of Children in Kagera in 2004 by Stunting Status in 1993
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
age (years)
stunted in 1993
not stunted in 1993
Source: Data from Kagera Health and Development Survey.
TABLE 12.2 Benefit-Cost Ratios of Nutrition Interventions
Benefit-cost ratio
Type of intervention
Low
High
Improving infant and child nutrition
Breastfeeding promotion in hospitals in places where infant formula is normally used
5.6
67.1
Integrated child care programs
9.4
16.2
Intensive preschool program with considerable nutrition for poor families
1.4
2.9
15.0
520.0
Reducing micronutrient deficiencies
Iodine (per woman of childbearing age)
Vitamin A (child under age six years)
Iron (per capita)
Iron (pregnant women)
4.3
43.0
176.0
200.0
6.1
14.0
Source: Behrman, Alderman, and Hoddinott 2004.
The challenge for community interventions, however, is less whether they can be successful than whether they can be introduced in such a way that they are sustained
over time. Evidence to date suggests that vertical, project-type interventions are difficult to maintain and hard to scale up (TFNC 2004a). Interventions that are integrated
within the sectors (health, agriculture, and education) and that facilitate increased human and financial resource allocation to nutrition at subregional and community levels should be considered.
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
FIGURE 12.7 Nutritional Status of Children by Age, 1999
percentage undernourished
60
40
20
0
0
20
40
60
age (months)
underweight
wasted
stunted
Source: Author’s calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics and Macro International 2000.
FIGURE 12.8 Effect of Community Interventions on Average Nutrition Scores in
Kagera, 1992–94
height for age z-score
⫺1.0
⫺1.5
⫺2.0
⫺2.5
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
per capita consumption
nutrition program present
nutrition program absent
Source: Author’s calculations based on Kagera Health and Development Survey data for 1992 to 1994.
265
266
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
Health
Health is another important determinant of human capacity. Many factors affect the
health of individuals, including where one lives, the state of the environment, genetics, nutritional status, income, and education. Access to and use of health care services
are another determinant of health outcomes.
In recent years, progress was made in improving the health of Tanzanians. According to the 2002 census, life expectancy increased from 44 years in 1978 to 49 years in
1988 and to 54 years for males and 56 years for females in 2002. Infant mortality
dropped in all regions (figure 12.9), and nationally it fell from 115 per 1,000 in 1988
to 95 per 1,000 in 2002.2 In addition, child malnutrition, which remained unchanged
over the course of the 1990s, declined rapidly between 1999 and 2004 (figure 12.4).
Other health indicators saw less progress or even deterioration. Maternal mortality,
which was 529 per 100,000 births in 1996, did not decline and may even have increased,
though the increase to 578 in 2004 is not statistically significant. The fraction of blood
donors infected by HIV/AIDS increased from 7 percent in 1994 to 12 percent in 2003
for women and from 5 percent to 8 percent for men.3
The prevalence of illness in Tanzania remains high. According to the 1999 TRCHS
(National Bureau of Statistics and Macro International 2000), 35 percent of children
under age five were affected by fever in the preceding two weeks, 12 percent were affected by diarrhea, and 14 percent experienced acute respiratory infections. The HBS
2000/01, which reports on adults and children, stated that 27 percent of its respondents indicated having experienced illness in the preceding four weeks (National Bureau of Statistics 2002). Malarial fever and diarrhea are the most common types of illness. Such high levels of illness have economic consequences. Almost one in four
people missed at least one week of school or work as a consequence of illness, and that
finding is evenly distributed across consumption quintiles (table 12.3).
One-third of those who reported being ill in the preceding four weeks indicated not
having consulted a health provider. And of those who had been unable to work for at
least two weeks, 17 percent did not consult a health provider. Among those who did
not consult a health care provider, 7 percent indicated that care is too expensive and
2 percent stated that it is too far away.4 Households from the poorest quintile were more
likely to mention cost as an obstacle to seeking health care than were households from
the top quintile, but the difference is not very pronounced (8 percent versus 6 percent).
And the percentage of households from the poorest quintile that mentioned distance
as an obstacle to seeking health care was as high as that among the wealthiest quintile (2 percent).
The percentage of households indicating that distance or cost is an obstacle to seeking health care seems low but may be underestimated. One could conceive that among
the 91 percent of respondents who indicated no need for health care despite being
sick, some may have done so because of the distance to health care providers, the opportunity costs of time, the confidence in the providers, and the quality of care provided. Because 9 percent of the population lives more than 10 kilometers from a dispensary or health care center, the importance of distance in seeking health care is likely
underestimated (table 12.4).
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
267
FIGURE 12.9 Infant Mortality, 1988 and 2002
Arusha
Coast
region
Dar es Salaam
Dodoma
Iringa
Kagera
Kigoma
Kilimanjaro
Lindi
Mara
Mbeya
Morogoro
Mtwara
Mwanza
Pemba North
Pemba South
Rukwa
Ruvuma
Shinyanga
Singida
Stone Town
Tabora
Tanga
Unguja North
Unguja South
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
deaths per 1,000 population
1988
2002
Source: Data from 1988 and 2002 censuses.
Likewise, costs probably play a more important role than the responses from the
HBS suggest. The legislation of private practice and the introduction of user fees
likely contributed to a doubling in the share of health expenditures in nonfood consumption during the 1990s to about 8 percent. That percentage is almost identical
across quintiles, suggesting that, in absolute Tanzanian shillings, poor households
spend considerably less on health than do wealthier households. Such spending is
unusual and deserves consideration, because poor households typically spend a greater
share on health.
More than one-half of the individuals who consulted a health care provider visited
a government provider. Use of private services is highest in Dar es Salaam, but in rural
268
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
TABLE 12.3 Number of Days of School or Work Missed Because of Illness, by
Consumption Quintile
Consumption quintile
Days missed
Lowest
Second
Middle
Fourth
Highest
Average
None
0.30
0.31
0.29
0.30
0.32
0.30
One week or less
0.45
0.46
0.46
0.46
0.43
0.45
One to two weeks
0.13
0.11
0.11
0.12
0.13
0.12
More than two weeks
0.13
0.11
0.11
0.12
0.13
0.12
Source: Author’s calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics 2002.
TABLE 12.4 Distance to Health Facilities, 1991 and 2000
Percentage of population living at a distance
Dispensary or health care center
Distance (km)
Hospital
1991
2000
1991
2000
Less than 2
34.3
37.9
13.6
13.3
2–5.9
41.0
37.5
18.4
19.1
6–9.9
15.3
15.9
10.2
13.5
10⫹
9.4
8.6
57.7
54.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
4.4
3.9
19.7
21.3
Total
Mean distance
Source: National Bureau of Statistics 2002.
areas, private providers also play an important role with traditional healers and missionary facilities. Poor and nonpoor households have a remarkably even use of private
and public health care providers: poor households tend to visit traditional healers relatively more frequently, whereas the differences between visits to public facilities and
private or mission facilities are negligible, as illustrated by the fact that the concentration curves for visits to those institutions almost coincide with the 45-degree line in figure 12.10.
Though few differences exist between poor and nonpoor households in their exposure to major diseases like malaria, diarrhea, or respiratory infections or in the fraction of budgetary expenses for health services, health outcomes differ considerably by
wealth status. Infant and child mortality is 15 to 20 percent higher among the poor
than among those in the top quintile (table 12.5). The difference for nutritional indicators is even larger: 30 to 50 percent. The one indicator in which poor households
do substantially better than nonpoor households is HIV prevalence, which is 3.4 percent among those in the poorest quintile and 10.5 percent among individuals in the
wealthiest quintile.
The health outcome differential may be explained in part by differences in coverage of preventive health services. Poor children, for instance, are less likely to be
reached by vaccination services, and women from poor families are almost three times
less likely to have their birth attended by trained medical personnel than are nonpoor
women (table 12.6).
269
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
FIGURE 12.10 Concentration Curves for Different Health Care Consultations
cumulative distribution of access
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
cumulative distribution of the population
public facility
private facility
traditional healer
mission facility
Source: Authors’ calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics 2002.
TABLE 12.5 Differences in Health Outcomes, by Quintile
Quintile
Indicator
Lowest
Second
Middle
Fourth
Highest
Average
Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000)
114.8
107.5
115.4
106.8
91.9
107.8
Under-five mortality rate (deaths per 1,000)
160.0
159.3
192.7
155.0
135.2
161.1
Stunted children under age five (%)
49.5
52.5
45.0
36.6
23.4
42.7
Underweight children under age five (%)
32.2
35.1
28.8
23.9
21.7
28.8
3.4
4.5
5.6
9.4
10.5
7.0
HIV prevalence (%)
Sources: Gwatkin and others 2003 from 1999 DHS data; HIV prevalence, from Tanzania HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey
2004 data.
Differences in behavior or economic circumstances also explain differences in
health outcomes between poor and nonpoor households. For instance, poor individuals have less access to clean water and are less well educated. Children from the
poorest quintile are five times less likely to sleep under a bednet than children from
the top quintile. Individuals living in poor households are less likely to consume
iodized salt, and women in the poorest quintile are almost three times more likely to
270
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
TABLE 12.6 Access to Preventive Health Services, by Quintile
(percent)
Quintile
Preventive health service
Lowest
Second
Middle
Fourth
Highest
Bacille Calmette-Guerin coverage
88.8
96.9
87.3
93.7
99.9
Average
92.7
Measles coverage
63.4
84.2
72.2
88.4
89.0
78.1
Diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus coverage
66.2
86.1
78.5
91.1
88.7
81.0
Fully immunized (diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus)
53.1
74.3
61.7
80.8
78.4
68.3
Birth attended by a medically trained person
28.9
35.0
33.3
48.4
82.8
43.8
Source: Gwatkin and others 2003 from 1999 DHS data.
have experienced female genital cutting than are those from the wealthiest quintile
(table 12.7).
In acknowledging that nonhealth factors play an important role in determining
health outcomes, one can put into perspective the role of the health sector in improving the health of the poor (and the population at large). Improving the health outcomes
of Tanzanians requires a broadly shared effort across different sectors, including health,
education,5 and water.
The health sector faces several challenges. Funding is one. Though funding has improved—the total per capita allocation of public expenditure to health increased from
T Sh 5,100 in 2001 to T Sh 7,374 in 2004 (Makundi and others 2004)6—it remains
extremely low. Furthermore, with the rising costs of drugs, the observed increase in the
budget (45 percent) overstates the possibility of providing additional care. Drug resistance to antimalarials and increasingly to tuberculosis treatment demands new, expensive drugs, thereby inflating the cost of health care without offering new services.
Another challenge is the high cost of treatment for HIV/AIDS, which creates pressure on the overall budget. Moreover, because of the pattern of HIV/AIDS, which affects nonpoor households much more than poor households, increasing the share of
financing that supports treatment will make the health budget less pro-poor.7
Some developments also work in the opposite direction. The current allocation formula for the distribution of the health budget across districts, for instance, takes the
degree of poverty into account. Other efforts to provide greater financial protection
of poor households that seek medical care are ongoing.
TABLE 12.7 Socioeconomic Aspects of Health, by Quintile
(percent)
Quintile
Socioeconomic aspect
Lowest
Second
Middle
Fourth
Highest
Average
Access to piped water
30.9
31.3
34.2
43.6
56.1
39.2
9.4
12.1
12.2
27.8
52.2
22.3
Availability of iodized salt in the household
52.1
60.0
61.7
71.3
86.0
66.9
Female genital cutting
29.2
16.4
16.7
18.2
11.0
17.7
Children under five who use a bednet
Source: Access to piped water, National Bureau of Statistics 2002; female genital cutting, Tanzania HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey 2004 data; other indicators, Gwatkin and others 2003 from 1999 DHS data.
271
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
In addition, a serious human resource crisis affects the health sector. Only onethird of the positions for medical officers (going by the staffing norms) are filled and
only 23 percent of the positions for assistant medical officer and public health nurse
are filled (Makundi and others 2004). That human resource crisis goes back to the mid1990s, when the total health workforce was about 67,000. By 2002, however, it had
decreased to 49,000, with the population increasing during the same period from 25
million to 33 million inhabitants. That decrease affects people living in poor areas especially, because in the absence of additional incentives, motivating medical personnel to take up positions in areas with a lack of houses, with poor schools, and with
low-quality medical facilities is difficult.
Household Size and Fertility
A strong association exists between nutritional outcomes and household size (Lindeboom and Kilama 2005), between educational attainment and household size, and between consumption poverty and household size (Mkenda 2005). With respect to the
last, children living in a household with three people have a 16 percent probability of
living in poverty, whereas children living in a household with six people have a 35 percent probability of living in poverty.8
Living in a large household not only increases the risk of poverty, but it affects
other dimensions of welfare as well. Even if one controls for the consequences of
household size on income, living in a large household has negative consequences for
a child’s educational outcomes.9 Those consequences are illustrated in table 12.8,
which presents a regression of the education gap10 for children ages 8 to 11 as a function of household size. It shows that the education gap increases for children with
more siblings ages 0 to 6. The regression also illustrates the direct effect of income on
educational attainment: relative to those in the poorest quintile, children from households in the wealthier quintiles have a smaller education gap.
TABLE 12.8 Ordinary Least Squares Regression of the Education Gap of Children
Ages 8–11
Indicator
Coefficient
T-statistic
Number of household members ages 0–6
0.0502
Number of household members ages 7–15
0.0036
0.5
⫺0.0168
⫺2.9
Number of household members age 16 and above
Age of child
6.0
0.4961
50.3
D-second wealth quintile
⫺0.1998
⫺7.0
D-third wealth quintile
⫺0.4484
⫺14.6
D-fourth wealth quintile
⫺0.6218
⫺18.5
D-fifth wealth quintile
⫺0.9130
⫺22.5
Constant
⫺3.0194
⫺30.9
Source: Author’s calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics 2002.
Note: The education gap measures the number of years missed by the child and is defined as the years of education minus the age of the child minus 7.
272
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
The strong correlation between human resource outcomes and family size is reason
to consider one of the key determinants of family size: fertility. One is not surprised
to see that the strong association between income poverty and household size is found
between household wealth and fertility as well (figure 12.11). The total number of births
is more than twice as high in the poorest quintile as in the wealthiest quintile. The difference in the number of births is also distinct between the poorer rural and the wealthier urban areas.
There are additional reasons to consider the consequences of high fertility. Having
a large family (or high dependency ratio) lowers—all other factors being the same—
the savings rate, which means that the capital stock cannot expand as fast as it could
have. High fertility thus leads to a decline in per worker output, which, as empirical
analysis has shown, results in the decline in the growth of per capita income (Mkenda
2005).
High fertility is also associated with short birth intervals, which, in turn, cause
higher child mortality. However, if preferred rather than actual birth spacing prevailed,
then the fraction of children with a birth interval of less than two years would drop
by 27 percent (from 13.2 percent to 9.6 percent), which would lead to an estimated
decline in neonatal mortality of 7 percent and in under-five mortality of 3 percent
(Rafalimanana and Westoff 2001).
High fertility also contributes to inequalities. It causes gender inequalities because,
in a society where female life expectancy at birth is 56 years and where women from
the poorest quintile have a total fertility rate of close to eight (not counting unsuccessful pregnancies), about one-half of a woman’s adult life is spent either carrying a
child in her womb or breastfeeding it (Dasgupta 1995). And because poor families
spend less on their children’s human resource endowments than do wealthy families,
and because well-endowed children stand a better chance of earning higher income,
high fertility contributes to the perpetuation and possibly even worsening of existing
inequalities.
FIGURE 12.11 Births per Individual Women Ages 15–49, by Wealth Quintile
births per woman
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0
1
2
3
4
5
wealth quintile
Source: Gwatkin and others 2003 from 1999 DHS data.
urban
rural
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
273
The fact that high fertility can engender negative consequences for human resource
building, inequality, and economic growth is already recognized in policy. The National
Population Policy states, “Rapid population growth tends to increase outlays on private and public consumption, drawing resources away from saving for productive investment and, therefore, tends to retard growth in national output through slow capital formation” (United Republic of Tanzania 1992). The policy also recognizes the
pressure on national resources that population growth engenders: “the strains caused
by rapid population growth are felt most acutely and visibly in the public budgets for
health, education, and related fields of human resource development. The need to feed
a rapidly growing population also means that part of the gains from increased agricultural production [is] eroded” (United Republic of Tanzania 1992).
The contraceptive prevalence rate has increased. The length of actual birth intervals
increased from 30 months in the 1970s to 33 months in the 1980s and 35 months in
the 1990s. Yet after an initial drop in the fertility rate in the early 1990s, the decline
stopped. Total fertility per woman declined from 6.3 in 1991 to 5.8 in 1996 and remained statistically unchanged thereafter. Total fertility was 5.6 in 1999 and 5.7 in 2004.
In combination with a drop in infant mortality, the situation causes concern as it suggests an acceleration in population growth, which underlines the case for an active population policy. There is certainly scope for improvement. Total fertility could fall considerably, even if only the difference between the total wanted fertility rate and actual
fertility were closed. The poor would benefit most from the gap’s closing because the
difference for them is largest: 5.6 versus 6.5.11
Building Physical Capital of the Poor
For the poor to participate in growth, building human capital alone is insufficient.
Complementary assets need to be created.
In the longer run, one expects the economy to transform from an agricultural one
to a service- and manufacturing-based one. A strategy that enhances human capital
prepares for that transition, and building assets outside agriculture seems a logical first
step. However, the majority of people work as own-account workers in agriculture
(figure 12.12), and only a small fraction are employed in the secondary and tertiary
informal and formal sectors. So to address poverty in the meantime (and how long
does the meantime last?), a focus is needed on strategies that allow poor households
to accumulate physical capital so as to expand and improve their on- and off-farm
enterprises.
Such a rural development strategy has proved to be very successful elsewhere (Klasen
2003). Evidence from rapidly growing East Asian countries shows that poverty reduction is largest when growth makes use of the assets that the poor possess (Drèze and
Sen 1989; Ravallion and Datt 1996). And when poor households build their physical
capital and increase their incomes, a virtuous cycle is started of enhanced resources that
are used for additional investments in physical and human capital, which, in turn,
lead to higher incomes.
274
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
A
es rus
Sa ha
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D aam
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om
a
Iri
ng
Ka a
g
Ki era
Ki go
lim ma
an
ja
ro
L
M ind
an i
ya
ra
M
ar
M a
b
M eya
or
og
o
M ro
tw
M ar
w a
an
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Pw a
a
R ni
uk
R wa
Sh uvu
in ma
ya
n
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ng
Ta ida
bo
r
Ta a
ng
a
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
D
ar
fraction working as own-account laborers (%)
FIGURE 12.12 Fraction of People Working as Own-Account Laborers in
Agriculture
region
Source: Data from 2002 census.
In previous chapters, we discussed various ways to strengthen the incentives to invest, such as higher agricultural prices, improved infrastructure, and greater access to
markets. In short, those improvements in the business climate increase returns to income-generating activities and make investing in assets or new income-generating activities more attractive. As box 12.2 illustrates, investments in assets are less likely to
be made without such improvements. This chapter focuses on one aspect of building
physical capital that has received little attention so far: exposure to risk. We also discuss another aspect of building physical capital: access to financial markets.
Risk, Growth, and Asset Accumulation
Risks are pervasive in Tanzania. Disease, fluctuating prices, erratic availability of marketing opportunities, climate variability, uncertainty around governance, and the loss
of major assets through theft, fire, death of livestock, or otherwise have major effects
on the lives of poor and nonpoor Tanzanians. In Kilimanjaro, for instance, serious adult
illness was found to lead to a reduction in per capita consumption of up to 17 percent
(Christiaensen, Hofmann, and Sarris 2004). For Kagera, evidence shows that chronic
illness leads to a 6 percent decline in consumption growth (Rossi 2004).
Exposure to risk contributes to large variability in well-being over time. Consider,
for instance, table 12.9, which shows the transition between consumption quintiles for
a sample of individuals from Kagera who were interviewed in 1994 and tracked and
interviewed again in 2004.12 It shows some persistence in that individuals remain in
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
BOX 12.2
275
Marketing Opportunities and Crop Adoption
Without proper incentives, investments in assets and improved production technologies will
not be made. The adoption of improved banana varieties in Kagera was less successful in areas with limited marketing opportunities. Farmers living in areas where they had to travel
far to sell their bananas preferred to hack their unsold bananas to pieces rather than carry
the bananas on the exhausting journey home. That practice hindered the successful adoption of new banana varieties (personal communication, Joachim De Weerdt, March 2004,
in Bukoba).
A qualitative study on income mobility (Kessy 2004) illustrates the consequences of lack
of marketing opportunities well:
During a village transect walk, the research team observed bananas left to rot
in the farms. This was especially the case with matooke, the staple type of banana that is not used in local brewing. Not only was the banana market a problem: respondents mentioned that sometimes maize is used to feed chicken because there is no market. The market for cotton is also a problem but the
situation is improving through private traders visiting the village. A market for
tobacco is readily available.
TABLE 12.9 Consumption Transition Matrix in Kagera, 1994 and 2004
(percent)
Quintile, 2004
Quintile, 1994
Lowest
Second
Middle
Fourth
Highest
Lowest
7
3
4
4
2
20
Second
6
4
4
3
3
20
Middle
5
3
4
3
5
20
Fourth
5
3
3
3
6
20
Highest
1
2
3
5
9
20
24
15
18
18
25
100
Total
Total
Source: Author’s calculations based on Kagera Health and Development Survey data for 1994 and 2004.
their initial quintile. Yet the percentages on the diagonal, which reflect no change in
wealth status, are relatively low. Of those in the bottom quintile in 2004, one out of
four (6 percent) originated from the top two quintiles in 1994. With such movements
across wealth classes, it follows that considerable uncertainty exists about one’s future
well-being. Arguably, exposure to risk is such that considerations of risk inform many
economic decisions, including the choice of the income portfolio, the amount to save,
or the assets to invest in.
There are at least three ways in which exposure to risk affects income generation
and the accumulation of assets. First and best known are the consequences (or ex post
effects) that follow from the materialization of risk as a shock. A shock can lead to direct losses of assets (for example, livestock die) or indirect losses because the household is forced to lay off assets to deal with the crisis (for example, cattle are sold to
buy grain after a harvest has failed).13
276
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
In addition to those ex post effects, exposure to risk has an effect on accumulation
decisions even before it materializes. Those ex ante effects are potentially even more
costly, though less visibly so, than the ex post effects. In the presence of risk, households may try to minimize their exposure and, in doing so, allow the composition of
their income portfolio to be informed less by profitability and more by the security provided by the resulting income stream. Farmers, for instance, prefer to grow safe but
low-return crops over high-return but risky crops. Households may opt to invest their
savings in assets that can be easily sold during a crisis (cash and livestock) rather than
in the most productive ones (bicycle, plow, or sewing machine).
Exposure to risk not only has static consequences in that the loss of assets pushes
people back on their accumulation path or in that people opt for less profitable means
of income generation, but it also has dynamic consequences. It may lead to lower
growth because, in anticipation of risk, households may save and invest less than they
would do otherwise.14
Little empirical work is available that estimates the effect of risk on asset accumulation, and no such evidence exists for Tanzania. Elbers, Gunning, and Kinsey (2003)
estimate the effect of risk on smallholder farm households in Zimbabwe that rely on
rain-fed farming. They find that the mean of the asset distribution is 46 percent lower
than it would be in the absence of risk and that the annual growth rate would be 20
to 50 percent higher in the absence of risk. The ex ante effect is the most important
and explains 33 percent of the growth shortfall: the remaining 13 percent is attributable to the ex post effect. Other empirical work (Rosenzweig and Wolpin 1993) similarly suggests large costs of exposure to risk.
Risk affects poor households disproportionately. One reason is that once shocks occur, poor households have less ability to cope. In Kilimanjaro, following the low coffee prices, for instance, poor households with few assets for coping were forced to uproot their coffee trees to make room for other crops. However, wealthier households
were able to maintain their trees and wait for better prices (Christiaensen, Hofmann,
and Sarris 2004).
In addition, because the poor have less ability to cope with shocks, ex post, they bear
the high costs of an ex ante risk-avoidance strategy. In Shinyanga, for instance, households with limited options for consumption smoothing have been found to grow lowerreturn, safer crops such as sweet potatoes, sorghum, and millet. Wealthier households
with a greater number of options for ex post coping are likelier to cultivate more profitable but risky crops such as cotton and paddy. The cost to the poor of such a diversification strategy is high. Depending on the area planted, some farmers forgo up to
20 percent of their income (Dercon 1996). It should be noted, however, that shocks
can have positive consequences, as box 12.3 illustrates.
Reducing Risk
The negative consequences of exposure to risk for asset accumulation and growth and
the disproportionate effect risk has on the poor are reasons to consider what can be
done to reduce risk and exposure to it. To that end, one should consider the risks that
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
BOX 12.3
277
Positive Consequences of a Shock
Among the top two events that led to increased economic prosperity in Mkalanga village in
Ruvuma was the outbreak of a crop disease known as gray leaf spot (GLS). The GLS outbreak occurred in 1998 and lasted four years. Together with the failure by the Mbinga Cooperative Union (MBICU) to pay farmers in 1997/98 and the breakup of MBICU in 1998,
GLS was a major contributor to the hunger in Mkalanga village in 1998 and 1999.
The GLS outbreak, however, also led to innovations in the farming system. Before the
outbreak, cassava was grown only in the bordering western lowland belt (Lake Shore) of Lake
Nyasa. Because cassava appeared to be less susceptible to the disease, it became more widely
adopted. Before then, many believed that cassava could not grow in the cold Livingstone
Mountains, where Mkalanga is located. Since then, cassava has been growing very well,
and it is now cultivated in large volumes.
Source: Kessy and Mashindano 2005.
affect households most. Information from Kagera is informative in that respect because
households were asked to identify those shocks that had a major effect on their wellbeing during the past 10 years (table 12.10).
Death and illness make up about 50 percent of the major shocks affecting households; poor harvest and low crop prices explain another 25 percent of all shocks. Less
important, but nonnegligible are shocks related to the labor market (7 percent). Some
are risks that feature prominently in qualitative analyses but less so in the Kagera
Health and Development Survey (Beegle, De Weerdt, and Dercon 2006). Those include
TABLE 12.10 Shocks with Major Consequences for Well-Being in Kagera, by Quintile,
1994–2004
(percentage of households experiencing incident)
Quintile
Consequence
Lowest
Second
Middle
Fourth
Highest
Average
Death of family member
31.4
29.6
31.1
30.7
34.3
31.3
Poor harvest because of weather
20.6
25.5
13.3
12.0
16.1
17.7
Serious illness
16.9
19.1
16.0
19.9
13.2
17.2
Loss of assets
6.1
4.9
5.8
6.4
7.1
6.0
Few opportunities for wage
5.0
4.6
3.8
7.7
8.6
5.7
Poor harvest (for other reasons)
employment
2.8
5.4
5.0
3.7
1.1
3.8
Low crop prices
1.4
2.8
7.3
2.8
2.9
3.5
Eviction or resettlement
3.1
2.1
2.3
2.5
3.2
2.6
Off-farm employment
1.7
1.0
2.0
0.9
1.8
1.5
Remittances
1.4
0.0
3.8
0.6
1.4
1.5
Other
9.7
4.9
9.8
12.9
10.4
9.4
Source: Author’s calculations based on Kagera Health and Development Survey data for 2004.
278
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
governance risks (Kessy 2004; United Republic of Tanzania 2004c), which vary from
sins of omission, such as substandard service delivery (clinics that run out of medication, absence of veterinary services, extension workers who do not show up, and roads
that are not maintained), to sins of commission, such as harassment by government
officials or inhibiting rules and regulations. Theft—particularly of movable assets,
livestock, bicycles, and cash—also features relatively prominently.
An important point is that many risks are preventable or their effect can be reduced. Governance-related risks can be avoided altogether because they are human
made. The most important diseases and causes of death (table 12.11) can also be
treated effectively (malaria, diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, and even HIV/AIDS)
or are preventable (malaria, diarrhea, and HIV/AIDS) by stressing the importance of
promoting insecticide-treated bednets and safe sex, by providing access to clean water, and by ensuring that the health sector can effectively deliver treatments for the most
prominent diseases and causes of death.
Weather and price risks cannot be prevented, but their effects can be mitigated.
One way is through irrigation. Another is through improved infrastructure, access to
markets, and storage facilities. Especially in isolated markets, climatic shocks lead to
large changes in prices. Especially after a weather shock, the livestock and food terms
of trade tend to deteriorate because failed harvests result in an excess demand for
food and an excess supply of livestock. The 2004 Participatory Poverty Assessment
(United Republic of Tanzania 2004c) notes, for instance, how the price of cows expressed in maize declines to one-third the normal value during drought years and to
one-twelfth the value during extreme droughts.
Agricultural research can also contribute to a reduced effect of weather shocks if
high-yielding, drought-resistant crop varieties are developed. Experience from Dodoma
suggests that even if high-yielding crop varieties are less marketable, farmers very
much value the security provided, which, in turn, frees resources to invest more in
higher-value activities.
That experience shows that much can be done to reduce risk through existing sector policies. It also shows that a key element of a strategy that reduces downward
economic mobility and enhances growth opportunities for poor and nonpoor Tanzanians alike is an effort to reduce exposure to risk or its consequences in various
sectors, including health, water, nutrition, agriculture, infrastructure, extension, and
education.
TABLE 12.11 Five Main Causes of Mortality, by Age Group
Under 5
Ages 5–14
Ages 15–59
Malaria
Malaria
HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis
Age 60ⴙ
Malaria
Stillbirth
Diarrhea
Malaria
Diarrhea
Perinatal causes
HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis
Diarrhea
Heart problems
Diarrhea
Acute respiratory
Heart problems
Acute respiratory
Acute respiratory
infections
infections
Unintentional injuries
Source: Lorenz and Mpemba 2005.
Unintentional injuries
infections
Neoplasms
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
279
Asset Accumulation and Financial Markets
Another element in a strategy to promote investments is the improvement of financial
markets. Financial markets play a crucial role in facilitating growth in at least three
ways: (a) access to savings accounts permits people to store their cash in a safe place
and to slowly build sufficient capital to buy expensive assets, (b) credit allows people
to buy assets even before they have accumulated sufficient savings, and (c) access to
insurance reduces the effect of risk on economic decision making.
Unfortunately, access to financial markets is very limited and virtually nonexistent
in rural areas. Insurance and credit markets are ill developed, and even savings accounts
are used very little. At a mean distance to a bank of more than 30 kilometers, households’ limited use of savings accounts and other financial services is unsurprising. And
with the restructuring of the banking sector during the 1990s, limited access to formal savings declined even further and was not compensated by an associated increase
in informal savings groups (table 12.12).
Whereas the loss in access to formal savings increased the obstacles to asset accumulation, low inflation meant that cash could become a more attractive store of
wealth. Kessy (2004) reports how cash savings are an important means for consumption smoothing. Christiaensen, Hofmann, and Sarris (2004) note that in Kilimanjaro
monetary savings are the most important means of coping with the coffee price
shock.15
Despite the great advantages that functional rural financial markets would bring,
there are structural reasons for the highly imperfect financial markets in rural areas.
Geographic isolation, moral hazard, and the high cost of information preclude forms
of insurance that cover actual losses. Large fixed costs and volumes make futures markets unavailable for small farmers. The absence of collateral also prevents credit markets from developing. The credit and insurance that are provided are mostly informal
and are based on high observability and repeated interaction.
That situation does not mean that formal forms of financial services cannot be
developed. Greater access to formal savings mechanisms is possible, for instance, by
relying on local institutions, such as funeral groups, that already manage financial
resources (see Dercon and others 2004). Mobile banks and cell phone technology also
present possibilities to increase access to savings. Numerous other initiatives exist that
try to overcome the constraints to financial markets by focusing on group responsibility to overcome collateral constraints (microcredit initiatives), by offering insurance contracts against indexes (as is the case of weather-based insurance contracts), by using
lease constructions, or by organizing rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs)
and savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs).
TABLE 12.12 Access to Savings Services in Rural Areas, 1991 and 2000
(percent)
Type of service
1991
Savings or current account
12.9
3.9
3.6
2.8
Informal savings group
Source: National Bureau of Statistics 2002.
2000
280
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
The literature on those various arrangements is adequately surveyed elsewhere
(for example, Larson, Anderson, and Varangis 2004). Suffice it to say that financial
markets do matter; that great gains can be reaped if they can be improved, even
marginally; and that various very promising initiatives exist in that area that warrant
attention.
Dealing with Vulnerability
One vision of economic growth considers poverty a transitory phenomenon. In the long
run, everyone will converge toward an equilibrium steady state, and if investment opportunities with sufficiently high returns exist, then this steady state will lie above the
poverty line. However, certain groups lack the ability to benefit from growth opportunities. In this section, we consider those vulnerable groups, which could comprise orphans, people with disabilities, and households headed by the elderly or a child, but
which also could simply consist of a high concentration of poor people (Klasen 2003).
Social Protection and Vulnerable Groups
A common reflex in thinking about vulnerable groups is to call for a safety net. However, vulnerability is probably best addressed through a mix of economic growth, attention to risk reduction, and a selective use of safety nets. In an economy in which
income is low and inequality limited, income growth is a prerequisite to moving people away from the poverty line.
However, as the poverty transitions of table 12.9 have shown, a large group of
households experience downward mobility in wealth status. If such downward
movement could be reduced, much poverty could be prevented. Hence, reducing
risk is another important element in a strategy to reduce vulnerability. Such interventions not only are part of an economic growth strategy but also are essential to
social protection.
Safety Nets
Returning to table 12.9, one sees that of those households in the bottom quintile in
1994, about one-half managed to improve their well-being and enter the middle quintile or higher. Surely a social protection strategy has to focus on those households that
are not able to move upward. But how do we identify those households or individuals? A useful concept in this context is that of a poverty trap, which may be defined
as a condition in which an individual is pushed below the poverty line and is unable
to climb out of poverty without external assistance. Yet once assistance is provided,
the individual should be able to sustain a living above the poverty line unless pushed
back again.
The concept of a poverty trap is intuitive, until one asks why individuals are not
able to climb out of poverty themselves. After all, in an environment where investments
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
281
provide sufficiently high returns, people have a strong incentive to benefit from such
opportunities. If that benefit requires investments, they will have a strong incentive to
save to self-finance the investment. Because marginal returns to capital are also high,
especially when few assets are available, one expects poor households to have a large
incentive to save and invest.
By trying to understand how poverty traps come about, one can gain insight into
the types of interventions that would allow people to move out of poverty. Typically,
the presence of a poverty trap requires the existence of one or more critical wealth
thresholds that people have difficulty crossing from below. The presence of a threshold by itself is not sufficient to explain the presence of a poverty trap, because even if
investments are lumpy, households could slowly accumulate wealth and purchase the
investment good later. Hence, the presence of a wealth threshold has to be compounded
by something else—for instance, the lack of safe savings instruments, the inability to
save from low income (because of minimum consumption requirements), or the malfunctioning of credit markets.
A typical threshold is minimum requirements in nutrition, education, and nonfood
consumption items such as clothing that are needed before a person can participate in
the labor market. Because borrowing is difficult in Tanzania in general—especially
for poor people—once they are destitute, poor people may be permanently excluded
from entering a home-based growth path or participating in the labor market.
Addressing poverty traps is attractive because the interventions are temporary and
the benefits permanent. Social protection that manages to address poverty traps
strengthens the economic self-reliance of the poor and their ability to invest.
It requires, however, the identification of a poverty trap, which is not always evident, especially because poverty traps are almost always the result of a combination
of factors, typically including a threshold, imperfect credit markets, and the absence
of safe assets. If the causes for a poverty trap have been identified, one needs to decide
whether to assist those trapped (for example, through asset transfers) or to attack the
causes of the trap itself. A few illustrations follow.
Lumpiness in combination with inadequate credit markets may prevent poor households from entering high-return activities (box 12.4). One response could then be
transfers, in this case in the form of livestock. Another would be to address the lumpiness constraint by improving the means of capital accumulation by stimulation of
ROSCAs and SACCOs; through the provision of credit or options for leasing; or, as
is suggested in United Republic of Tanzania, Vice President’s Office (2005), through
vertically integrated agricultural production such as outgrower schemes, whereby a
processor provides associated farmers with inputs and access to technology.
Lack of a clear regulatory framework, underpricing, and weak enforcement lead to
an irreversible decline of common property resources, such as the fish stock in the Exclusive Economic Zone, a decline that threatens to permanently disenfranchise the local fishing communities from their main source of livelihood. Prevention through the
promotion of good governance, a clear regulatory framework that is enforced, and
proper pricing are policy interventions that may be preferred over the provision of transfers (COWI 2005).
282
JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
BOX 12.4
A Poverty Trap in Shinyanga
In Shinyanga, cattle are a high-return investment (25 to 30 percent annually). Cattle are
also a liquid asset that can be used for consumption smoothing, which makes cattle ownership attractive. But they are also a lumpy investment. Wealthier rural households have been
found to specialize in cattle rearing, while poorer households derive a larger share of their
income from off-farm activities. Differences in comparative advantage do not offer a convincing explanation for this phenomenon. Households specializing in off-farm activities have
much lower incomes but are unlikely not to have the skills required because cattle rearing is
a traditional activity in the area.
The lack of credit markets and the indivisibility of cattle imply that households must be
able to put up relatively large amounts of money to invest in cattle rearing. However, poor
households with low initial endowments from which only low incomes are earned find it hard
to save enough to invest in cattle. That problem is exacerbated by the fact that, because of
low endowments, the poor have limited ability to cope with shocks. Consequently, such
households enter into safe, lower-return activities, making saving even harder. That combination of factors explains why poorer households specialize in off-farm activities (such as
weeding or casual labor) that require few skills or investments but are safe. That pattern effectively traps poor households in poverty, despite the attractive investment opportunities that
exist in the area.
Source: Dercon 1998.
Adults require a threshold of physical and human capital to be productive. That capital is typically obtained during childhood, when one is not yet able to decide for oneself or to borrow against future income. Hence, there is an economic argument to
provide transfers in the form of education, nutrition interventions, or assistance to
orphans and homeless children.16
Once one has identified the causes of a poverty trap and discovered why households
are not able to deal with the poverty trap themselves (after all, doing so would be
very attractive because it would allow people to attain their productive potential and
escape poverty), one should obtain guidance on potential interventions. For instance,
if difficulties in undertaking collective action explain the limited presence of ROSCAs
and SACCOs, public interventions to convene people may help. But if the issue is one
of lack of skills or the absence of safe places to store cash, an entirely different course
of action should be taken.
Likewise, the high opportunity costs and discount rates of poor parents and the inability of young children to borrow for their own capacity building affect the human
capital accumulation of children. One way to intervene is to eliminate any financial barriers to education, as was done with PEDP for primary education.
If one is clear as to why and how to intervene, then priorities may have to be set
for whom to target. The HIV/AIDS crisis has placed much attention on the plight of
orphans. According to the 2002 census, 493,000 children (or 1.5 percent of the total
population) between ages 7 and 14 are double orphans, and their educational attendance lags behind that of nonorphans (figure 12.13). However, an almost equally large
group of 438,000 children with disabilities receives a lot less attention despite their
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
283
fraction attending primary school (%)
FIGURE 12.13 Disability and Orphanhood Relative to Primary School
Attendance
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
7
8
9
10
disabled
11
12
13
age (years)
orphaned
14
15
16
17
nondisadvantaged
Source: Data from 2002 census.
worse plight.17 If the conclusion is that more attention should be paid to children with
disabilities (see also box 12.5), then specific measures in the context of PEDP may be
called for. But again, understanding the cause for nonaccess is most important. Depending on the type of disability, other measures, including medication (for diseases such
as leprosy) or provision of prostheses, may be more effective.
Conclusions
Enhancing the capacity of the poor to participate in growth requires building human
capital as well as accumulating physical assets. With regard to building human capital, considerable progress has been made in education—primary education especially.
It will take time, however, for the current investments in primary education to contribute
to poverty reduction, which is a reason to pay attention to adult education also.
Some progress has been made in health, but major challenges remain. Tanzanians
are very often sick. Illness and untimely death have large social and considerable economic consequences. It has been argued that improving the health of Tanzanians is a
responsibility that goes beyond the health sector and also involves sectors such as education, extension, or water.
Nutrition and population growth are areas receiving little policy attention, despite
their importance for human capacity building. Whereas the trends with respect to fertility are encouraging, no improvements in nutritional status have been observed since
the early 1990s. Because only limited benefits can be expected from the current episode
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JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
BOX 12.5
Analysis Helps Clarify Whom to Target
Few people would argue against the case for providing safety nets to people with disabilities. Yet a study by Lindeboom (2005) suggests that the incidence of poverty among people
with disabilities is only somewhat higher than that among the population at large. Forty percent of those living in a household in which the household head is disabled are poor, compared to 34 percent of those living in a household headed by a person who does not have a
disability.
As the figure below illustrates, disabilities often occur late in life. For most people, disabilities occur after the age at which they attend school; oftentimes, disabilities (for example, blindness) occur toward the end of one’s productive life. The implication is that many
people with disabilities are disadvantaged in their ability to earn an income but are not
disadvantaged in their educational attainment or job experience. That situation helps explain, in part, why poverty is only slightly higher among households in which the household head is disabled.
Number of People in Different Age Groups Reporting Disability at the Time of
the Census
50
45
per 1,000 population
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
age
60
70
80
90
100
albinism
hearing or speech impairment
multiple handicaps
visual impairment
inability to speak
mental handicap
physical disability or leprosy
Source: Data from 2002 census.
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
285
BOX 12.5 (continued)
Further analysis, presented in the main text, shows that children with disabilities are severely disadvantaged in their schooling attainment. And in chapter 3, we have shown how
educational attainment is one of the key determining factors for one’s ability to earn an income. That evidence is cause for concern because the combination of having a disability
and having low educational attainment probably presents a poverty trap that is hard to
escape.
of high economic growth, large-scale interventions in nutrition seem justified. International evidence suggests that such interventions can be economically attractive because they are associated with very high benefit-cost ratios.
A prerequisite to building the physical asset base of poor households is a business
climate that promotes competition, provides access to markets, and is embedded in an
environment with predictable governance. Risk and financial markets are argued to be
additional, important elements to a rural investment strategy.
Risk matters because it is a structural determinant of poverty and because its presence reduces the long-run value of the capital stock and, consequently, growth. We have
shown that much can be done to reduce exposure to risk through sector interventions.
Dealing with risk should therefore be considered an important crosscutting issue of relevance to many sectors, including health, infrastructure, agriculture, and water.
The financial sector plays an important role in promoting investments, especially
when insurance instruments to deal with risk and access to credit can be provided.
Because those products are difficult to develop, especially in a rural context, other
financial products such as savings promotions or microcredit and leasing may be
considered. And because many people resort to keeping savings in the form of
cash, maintaining low inflation will allow poor households to accumulate through
cash savings.
Finally, the discussion of social safety nets suggests that reducing risk is not only key
for a growth strategy but also for social protection: reduced exposure to risk will prevent households from being pushed back on their accumulation path. Social protection therefore needs to look beyond safety nets and to engage sectors so as to promote
risk-reducing policies (World Bank 2001). It has been argued that reducing the plight
of vulnerable groups requires an understanding of poverty traps. Such an understanding will allow one to identify whether transfers are needed or whether bottlenecks
should be addressed to allow vulnerable groups to participate in growth.
Notes
1. The finding that caring practices, diet, and hygiene are important determinants of undernutrition explains why income growth alone will not be sufficient to address Tanzania’s undernutrition problems (chapter 4).
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JOHANNES HOOGEVEEN
2. The decline in infant mortality is contested. Surveys carried out during the 1990s (the DHS
and TRCHS) show a stagnation of mortality rates up to 1996 and a slight increase thereafter. Data from surveillance sites, on the other hand, support the decline in infant and
child mortality. The 2004 DHS, which will be released soon, will shed more light on the actual trend.
3. There is some evidence of a decline in the infection rate among blood donors. Whether this
finding is a statistical artifact or a reflection of an actual decline in the infection rate is not
clear.
4. Those percentages are likely to be underestimates. Ninety-one percent indicated not needing health care, yet that percentage probably also comprises those who did not find it worthwhile to seek care because of concerns about distance, cost, or quality.
5. Apart from an intervention to teach students proper care practices, one low-cost nutrition
intervention to reduce anemia would be deworming of all children on their first day of
school.
6. Those amounts are in constant 2001 Tanzanian shillings. The nominal amount for 2004 is
T Sh 8,815. The price index for 2001 to 2004 is calculated from table 11 of the United Republic of Tanzania (various years).
7. We are not saying that the use of antiretrovirals should not be promoted or that no pro-poor
elements to antiretroviral treatment exist. Apart from the cost of the life-saving benefits,
HIV/AIDS and the prolonged illness that precedes death from HIV/AIDS create a large economic burden. And because many infected urban people decide to go home, poor, rural
households carry a disproportionate share of this burden.
8. Anand and Morduch (1996) and Lanjouw and Ravallion (1995) have urged caution in interpreting the apparent positive relationship between household size and poverty at the
household level. They note that a scope for economies of scale exists at the household level
afforded by the presence of public goods such that an increase in the household size leads
to a less-than-proportionate need for consumption. However, the association between
poverty and household size disappears only at a scale parameter of 0.6. And as Deaton and
Zaidi (2002) argue, in a developing country where as much as three-fourths of the total
household budget is spent on food, little scope exists for economies of scale, and an economies
of scale parameter of close to 1 is to be expected. (In contrast, for industrial countries, a parameter of 0.75 appears reasonable.) Consequently, one can safely assume that the relation
between poverty and household size is robust.
9. Such an association was not found for undernutrition.
10. The education gap is the difference between the number of years of education a child should
have received and those actually received.
11. Being poor is approximated here by those with no education.
12. Some of the people interviewed in 1994 could not be reinterviewed in 2004. Some had
passed away, could not be traced, or refused to be interviewed again. Ranking is done by
the quintile in 1994 using consumption expressed in 1994 prices for those who were present in both rounds and thus does not refer to the overall population.
13. In an environment where negative and positive shocks occur and where the production
function is concave, exposure to shocks has negative consequences for growth because of
the asymmetric impact it has on production: a negative shock in assets leads to a greater
loss in production than a positive shock of equal size would add to production.
14. Whether households save more or less following an increase in risk depends on the curvature of their utility function and is essentially an empirical matter. The evidence presented
for Zimbabwe suggests that households save less.
ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE POOR TO PAR TICIPATE IN GROWTH
287
15. Christiaensen, Hofmann, and Sarris (2004) and Kessy (2004) report that cash and savings
are used in the more affluent villages; however, in poorer communities, households lack the
monetary reserves to do so. Presumably, the opportunity costs in terms of forgone consumption are too high for poorer households to keep unproductive monetary savings.
16. Remarkably, no one disputes that investing in the education of children is wise, but investing in the nutrition or care for orphans or homeless children is less accepted.
17. Whereas orphans appear less disadvantaged in school attendance, Alderman, Hoogeveen,
and Rossi (2006) show that orphaned children are significantly more prone to being stunted
or underweight.
PART IV
Managing Policies and
Expenditures for Shared
Growth
13
Scaling Up Public Expenditure for
Growth and Poverty Reduction
Robert J. Utz
S
ustaining economic growth and reducing poverty will require increased levels of
investment in public infrastructure and human capital. The United Nations (UN)
Millennium Project (2005) estimates the annual cost of achieving the Millennium
Development Goals (MDG) targets in Tanzania as increasing from US$82 per capita
in 2006 to US$161 by 2015 (in constant 2003 dollars), as shown in table 13.1. Even
though other methodologies (World Bank 2005e) produce significantly lower estimates of the resource requirements, there is nonetheless a growing consensus that
achieving the targets for the MDGs and the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction in Poverty (NSGRP) will require a significant increase in public expenditure.
Per capita government expenditure in 2004/05 is about US$90, of which about US$39
is directly related to the achievement of the MDG targets (both domestically and
donor financed), according to the Millennium Project estimates.
Although there is uncertainty about the actual financing need and the capacity of
Tanzania to scale up MDG-related activities, given human resource constraints, there
is little doubt that significantly increased resource availability would be a necessary, although by no means sufficient, condition for accelerating progress toward the MDG
targets. The challenge is to progress toward the targets while managing the macroeconomic implications for an overall favorable development outcome, with options
strongly grounded in the microeconomic and sectoral underpinnings of the economy.
In the following sections, we look at the prospects and implications of scaling up
spending and resource mobilization.
Potential sources of financing for government expenditure are taxation, seignorage, domestic and foreign borrowing, and foreign aid. Each source has a different
macroeconomic cost. Conceptually, as long as the marginal benefits of government
spending are higher than the marginal cost of the resources, it is advisable to increase
spending. The marginal benefit of additional government spending is likely to be
291
292
ROBER T J. UTZ
TABLE 13.1 Per Capita MDG Investment Needs and Financing Sources, 2006–15
Amount (2003 US$)
Category
2006
2010
2015
MDG investment needs
Hunger
Education
Gender equality
Health
4
7
14
11
13
17
2
3
3
24
33
48
12
Water supply and sanitation
4
5
Improvement of lives of slum dwellers
3
3
4
Energy
14
15
18
Roads
13
21
31
Other
8
9
13
Total
82
111
161
17
Sources of financing
Household contributions
9
11
Government expenditures
24
32
46
MDG financing gap
50
67
98
Current ODA for direct MDG support
15
15
15
Shortfall of ODA for direct MDG support over 2002 level
35
52
83
Source: U.N. Millennium Project 2005.
Note: ODA ⫽ official development assistance.
declining while the marginal cost of finance is increasing. Policy making in Tanzania
is typically based on the assumption that the marginal costs of resources are relatively
low for foreign aid inflows (but constrained by the amount donors are willing to provide) and for domestic revenue. Since 1995, when the government’s primary objective was to achieve fiscal stabilization and sustainability, the costs of domestic borrowing (in the form of crowding out private credit and generating inflationary
pressures) and of foreign, nonconcessional borrowing were considered exceedingly
high. Thus, they were excluded from the financing package. However, as Tanzania has
achieved macroeconomic stabilization and is putting more emphasis on achieving
high growth, there is also scope to reconsider the appropriateness of fiscal deficit targets, especially in light of high needs for spending on economic infrastructure.
In the following sections, we look at the potential for expanding domestic resources
and aid inflows. Cost sharing and private participation in service delivery, especially
infrastructure, are important complements to public financing. However, these issues
are not discussed in this section.
Domestic Resources
The NSGRP emphasizes the importance of domestic resource mobilization as the main
source of financing its implementation. Domestic resource mobilization is also seen as
important in the context of efforts to reduce Tanzania’s aid dependency in the medium
SCALING UP PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
293
to long run. The amount of domestic resources available for reaching the MDG targets depends on three parameters: the rate of growth of gross domestic product (GDP),
the share of GDP collected as revenue, and the share of revenue spent on MDG-related
activities. Table 13.2 shows various scenarios of the evolution of domestic revenue and
spending on MDG-related activities. Economic growth by itself is an important source
of increased revenue. GDP per capita growth rates of 2, 4, and 6 percent would lead
to increases in per capita government revenue to US$67, US$98, and US$144, respectively, by 2025. This projection assumes that the revenue-to-GDP ratio remains constant at 14 percent throughout the period. If revenue were to increase gradually to 20
percent of GDP by 2015 and remain at that level, available resources would be almost
50 percent higher by 2025 than if the revenue-to-GDP ratio holds constant.
These simulations underline the importance of economic growth as a means for generating resources for investment and poverty reduction. Although these simulations have
focused on the effect of growth on available government revenue, the effect of growth
on incomes for households and firms is equally important. More resources for households provide the means to spend on health and education and to save for investment.
In an environment in which most investment is financed from own savings and retained
earnings, such resources are particularly important. Efforts to raise the ratio of revenue
to GDP should therefore carefully consider the effects of doing so on the competitiveness of Tanzanian businesses and on the ability of the private sector to save and invest.
It is worth emphasizing that economic growth generates additional resources for
growth and poverty reduction, whereas an increase in the revenue-to-GDP ratio only
transfers resources from the private sector to the public sector. The marginal effect of
private sector spending on growth and poverty reduction compared with that of public sector spending is thus critical in forming views on the appropriate level of revenue
generation in the Tanzanian economy.
Domestic borrowing could be another source of finance. Until recently, during the
period of macroeconomic stabilization, concerns about crowding out credit to the private sector and generating inflationary pressures have led the government to refrain from
domestic borrowing. Those concerns remain relevant. In the context of the NSGRP,
however, with increased emphasis on poverty reduction through high economic growth,
TABLE 13.2 Potential Contribution of Domestic Revenue to Finance MDGs, 2006–25
Per capita GDP
growth (%)
Revenue per capita
(2003 US$)
2006
2015
MDG spending per capita
(2003 US$)
2025
2006
2015
2025
Scenario I: Constant revenue to GDP ratio
2
45
55
67
24
29
36
4
45
66
98
24
35
53
6
45
80
144
24
43
77
Scenario II: Increase in revenue-to-GDP ratio to 20% by 2015
2
45
78
95
24
42
51
4
45
95
140
24
51
75
6
45
115
205
24
62
110
Source: Author’s calculations.
294
ROBER T J. UTZ
there is now scope to revisit the appropriate level of domestic borrowing—especially
since domestic debt levels are relatively low in Tanzania. Because higher growth will
require significant investments in infrastructure, an assessment of the appropriateness
of the fiscal position should be undertaken. It should take into account the mediumto long-term effects of debt-financed infrastructure investment on future growth and
government revenue, as well as the recurrent cost implications and the efficiency of government expenditure. Domestic resource mobilization has a critical role to play, but
even under relatively optimistic scenarios it will be insufficient to meet all investment
needs.
Scaling Up Foreign Aid
Domestic revenue is clearly insufficient to finance the implementation of the NSGRP
and to reach the MDG targets. Official development assistance (ODA) plays an important role in the economy and is likely to remain important as long as Tanzania remains
a low-income economy. The discussion of the financing needs of the MDG implementation clearly presumes a positive effect of ODA on economic growth and poverty reduction. In the short to medium term, aid-financed expenditures can provide an important demand-side stimulus to the economy. In the medium to long term, aid-financed
investments in human and physical capital are intended to strengthen the supply side
of the economy as the basis for sustained growth.
However, higher aid flows do not necessarily lead to higher economic growth and
the achievement of targeted development objectives. Examples abound of countries that
saw economic stagnation or decline despite high inflows of foreign aid.1 International
experience suggests that it is critical to manage two separate but related sets of problems that could undermine the positive effect of aid:
• Weakening of institutions
• Weakening of competitiveness through Dutch disease effects.
A weakening of institutions may occur if aid undermines accountability to domestic stakeholders, distorts incentives for public sector performance, or removes the pressure for an efficient revenue collection system. It is thus important that scaled-up aid
goes hand in hand with reforms that improve governance and domestic accountability. In addition, the design of aid delivery mechanisms should support domestic accountability rather than replace it with accountability to donor agencies. In this respect,
processes such as the Tanzania Assistance Strategy and the Joint Assistance Strategy
have an important role to play in the development of appropriate accountability mechanisms. Efforts to fully integrate foreign aid into Tanzania’s budget system and thus
make aid subject to the same accountability process as domestic resources are also important.
The effect on competitiveness occurs through a spending effect and a resource
movement effect, which are commonly labeled Dutch disease effects. A spending
effect arises from the fact that unless all inflows are spent on imports or exportable
SCALING UP PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
295
goods, the real exchange rate will increase. This outcome implies a deterioration of a
country’s competitiveness. In addition, there is a resource movement effect, as resources move into the booming sector (that is, the government and development bureaucracy) and the nontraded sector.
The spending effect has typically received most of the attention in the literature. Aid
inflows to Tanzania have fluctuated significantly since the 1990s, with no apparent statistical relationship between aid inflows and the real effective exchange rate (REER).
As figure 13.1 illustrates, between 1990 and 1995, the REER was relatively stable, while
aid inflows increased from US$1.166 billion to US$1.259 billion and then declined to
US$745 million. Since then, aid inflows have been gradually increasing, to US$1.450
billion in 2003. The REER appreciated by about 50 percent between 1995 and 1998
and remained at that level until 2001. Since then, the REER has depreciated significantly and is now back to its 1995 level, which is estimated to represent equilibrium.
Exports of manufactured goods increased from US$30 million in 1999 to US$80 million in 2004.
The absence of a clear relationship between foreign aid inflows and the REER is
partly attributable to efforts by the government to sterilize these inflows through the
sale of liquidity paper and the accumulation of reserves. Recently, however, the sale of
bonds has exerted pressure on the interest rate and has the potential to crowd out private sector investment. It is noteworthy that sterilization through the sale of liquidity
paper has been only partial and that aid flows have resulted in relatively high rates of
monetary expansion. This rapid expansion of the money supply has been consistent
with a low and declining rate of inflation, since it was accompanied by financial deepening of the economy. Continued financial deepening of the economy is thus a crucial
element in increasing the capacity of the economy to absorb large inflows of aid without direct effects on the real exchange rate.
140
35
120
30
100
25
80
20
60
15
40
10
20
5
0
0
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
year
consumer price index–based REER
Source: World Bank staff calculations.
ODA
2004
ODA (% of GDP)
REER (2000 ⫽ 100)
FIGURE 13.1 Effective Exchange Rates, 1990–2004
296
ROBER T J. UTZ
Although most of the discussion of Dutch disease focuses on real exchange movements, the ODA may primarily affect the relative growth of the tradable and nontradable sectors, without actually causing movements in the real exchange rate.2 In Tanzania, sectoral and balance of payments developments since 1995 display symptoms
that are frequently associated with Dutch disease. On the sectoral side, aside from the
booming mining sector, growth appears to be heavily concentrated in the nontraded
sector. The balance of payments shows a relative sharp decline in merchandise exports over the past decade, which could indicate a loss of competitiveness of the traded
sectors versus the nontraded and so-called booming sectors. However, since 2000, exports of manufactures have been recovering, and more recently, agricultural exports
have also started to grow (figure 13.2).
The resource movement effect works through two principal channels. The first concerns the direct involvement of Tanzanians in managing donor-related activities. Estimates suggest that there are more than 1,000 donor-funded projects on the ground,
ranging from relatively simple technical assistance projects to complex, multimillion
dollar projects. Management of donor assistance requires a staff in the offices of the
donor agencies in Tanzania and a project staff, as well as a staff in the government that
is devoted to managing and monitoring donor-funded activities and ensuring that a variety of donor requirements for financial management and reporting are met.
Salaries for local donor agency staff members and project staff members are typically highly competitive and thus draw the best-qualified staff to those activities. Gov-
FIGURE 13.2 Exports of Manufactures as a Percentage of GDP and Exports of
Goods and Services, 1990–2002
16.0
14.0
2.0
12.0
10.0
1.5
8.0
1.0
6.0
4.0
0.5
2.0
0.0
19
9
0
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
0.0
year
manufactures as a % of GDP
Source: United Republic of Tanzania, various years.
manufactures as a % of exports
manufactures as a % of exports
manufactures as a % of GDP
2.5
SCALING UP PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
297
ernment staff members are frequently enticed with salary top-ups or specific benefits
that derive from involvement in donor-funded activities. Not only do such enticements
draw human resources away from regular private and public sector positions and
tasks, but they likely also exert upward pressure on wages in the public and private
sectors, with implications for Tanzania’s competitiveness as well as for the cost of
public service delivery.
Simulations of the effect of aid-financed increases in spending on HIV/AIDS
of US$300 million (or 2.9 percent of GDP) and increases in spending on education of
US$500 million (or 4.9 percent of GDP) show only a small appreciation of the real exchange rate as a result of these foreign exchange inflows.
Although it may be difficult to establish whether the low level of manufacturing exports and the poor growth of the tradables sectors in Tanzania are indeed directly related to the inflows of foreign aid and gold exports, both clearly highlight an international competitiveness problem. The recent recovery of manufactures exports gives some
cause for optimism, but enhancing the competitiveness of the economy must be a central element of Tanzania’s strategy to enhance and accelerate economic growth. In
particular, the following set of measures should accompany scaling up of aid (Foster
and others 2005):
• Ensure that increased aid-financed spending is accompanied by increased absorption of the foreign exchange, which (assuming that government spending continues
to have a high local content) will probably require acceptance of exchange rate appreciation. Spending the aid without absorbing the foreign exchange does nothing
to increase the real resources available to the economy, but it increases the likelihood
that government will crowd out the private sector.
• Further liberalize imports to help increase absorption and reduce the need for real
exchange appreciation or reserve accumulation.
• Focus on expenditures that will quickly release supply constraints and have a higher
import content, including transport investments.
• Continue to improve the efficiency of the banking sector to ameliorate the need for
high real interest rates.
• Consider adopting a more relaxed monetary policy.
• Coordinate exchange rate, monetary, and fiscal policy with the implications of aid
inflows in mind.
Debt Sustainability
To the extent that scaled-up aid is in the form of concessional credits, the issue of debt
sustainability needs to be considered. After Tanzania received HIPC (Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries) Initiative debt relief in 2001 and further debt relief through
the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative, the ratio of the net present value (NPV)
of debt to exports declined to about 64 percent. Panel (a) of figure 13.3 shows the
298
ROBER T J. UTZ
FIGURE 13.3 Multilateral Credit Disbursements and Debt Sustainability:
Net Present Value of Debt-to-Export Ratio, 2006–26
72
600
500
68
70
66
400
300
200
64
62
60
100
0
58
NPV of debt-to-export ratio
800
700
20
06
20
08
20
10
20
12
20
14
20
16
20
18
20
20
20
22
20
24
20
26
multilateral credit
disbursements (US$ million)
(a) Growth of multilateral credit disbursements by 2 percent
year
74
1,200
72
70
1,000
68
66
800
600
64
62
400
200
60
58
26
24
20
22
20
20
20
18
20
16
20
14
20
12
20
10
20
20
20
20
08
0
NPV of debt-to-export ratio
1,400
06
multilateral credit
disbursements (US$ million)
(b) Growth of multilateral credit disbursements by 5 percent
year
120
1,400
1,200
100
80
1,000
800
60
600
400
40
20
200
0
0
year
multilateral credit disbursements
NPV of debt-to-export ratio
Source: International Monetary Fund and World Bank staff estimates.
Note: NPV ⫽ net present value.
NPV of debt-to-export ratio
1,600
20
06
20
08
20
10
20
12
20
14
20
16
20
18
20
20
20
22
20
24
20
26
multilateral credit
disbursements (US$ million)
(c) Doubling of multilateral credit disbursements in 2011
SCALING UP PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR GROWTH AND POVER TY REDUCTION
299
baseline projections of the net present value of exports-to-GDP ratio. The ratio is
projected to increase initially to 71 percent by 2010, but to decline subsequently to
63 percent by 2026, assuming average export growth of 8.5 percent and annual
growth of concessional credit disbursements (primarily from World Bank and African
Development Bank credits) by 2 percent. Although debt ratios are relatively low, the
debt sustainability analysis also suggests that Tanzania remains vulnerable to negative shocks on exports and GDP growth, which could lead to a significant deterioration in the debt indicators.
Panels (b) and (c) of figure13.3 show the effect of a significant scaling up of multilateral credit disbursements, which would allow a matching increase in imports. As
shown in panel (b) of figure 13.3, if disbursements were to grow annually by 5 percent instead of 2 percent, the NPV of debt-to-exports ratio would increase from 64 percent in 2006 to 73 percent by 2021 and decline thereafter.
A doubling of multilateral credit disbursements in 2011 and subsequent annual
growth by 2 percent would result in a gradually increasing NPV of the debt-to-export
ratio, which would reach 101 percent by 2021 and decline thereafter.
In summary, from a debt sustainability perspective, there seems to be significant scope
to expand Tanzania’s fiscal space. However, doing so requires that expenditures financed through increased borrowing are indeed used to ensure the sustained growth
of exports and GDP. The primary constraint is the availability of concessional funds
rather than their effect on Tanzania’s debt sustainability.
Reducing Aid Dependency
Dependency on foreign aid for financing public expenditures poses various risks for
Tanzania:
• Distortion of Tanzania’s development priorities
• Distortions in incentives in the public sector
• Exposure to fluctuations in aid flows
• Exposure to shortfalls in disbursements as compared with commitments.
The conventional approach to reducing aid dependency is to argue for an increased
revenue effort. However, given the magnitude of Tanzania’s aid dependency, increasing the revenue-to-GDP ratio is not going to address the issue. Indeed, the only way
to reduce aid dependency is to increase economic growth and to reach a level of income at which an adequate level of infrastructure and service delivery can be financed
from domestic resources. Raising the revenue-to-GDP ratio may have a negative effect
on economic growth and thus prolong rather than reduce aid dependency. The key challenges for Tanzania and its development partners are thus the following:
• To adopt aid modalities that reduce the potential negative effect of aid dependency
• To develop mechanisms that allow Tanzania to deal with fluctuations in aid.
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Tanzania has been a pioneer in developing modalities that reduce the potential negative effects of aid dependency. In particular, the NSGRP provides the overall framework that sets the priorities for both domestic and foreign resource use. The Tanzania
Assistance Strategy sets out principles that would enhance ownership and aid effectiveness, and an increasing share of aid resources is fully integrated into the budget.
With respect to managing fluctuations in aid, most of the attention has been focused
on reducing them up front. All development partners have made efforts to enhance the
predictability of aid flows by providing more accurate information to the authorities
and, in the case of general budget support, to provide the resources at the beginning
of the fiscal year—July.
Relatively less attention has been paid to dealing with fluctuations after they happen. Indeed, with Tanzania’s cash budget system, shortfalls in aid disbursements (or
domestic revenue) result immediately in expenditure cuts. As argued in various Public Expenditure Reviews, though this mechanism has been instrumental in achieving
macroeconomic stability, it has a severe negative impact on the implementation of expenditure programs. Domestic borrowing may be an appropriate way to deal with unexpected fluctuations in foreign aid.
Permanent changes in aid flows will require permanent adjustments in expenditure
and revenue. Hence, on the expenditure side, the government needs to be cautious
about the composition of expenditure and avoid a situation in which spending that is
difficult to scale back, such as wages and salaries, dominates. Similarly, there is also a
need to evaluate carefully the recurrent cost implications of donor-financed projects.
Outsourcing and public-private partnerships may also be useful instruments to facilitate expenditure-side adjustments in case there is a shortfall in aid. They would also
be a means for developing the private sector, by using aid inflows to provide business
opportunities. On the revenue side, an appropriate strategy may be to not fully exploit
the revenue potential but to focus on strengthening tax administration so as to be able
to scale up revenue collection to compensate for a permanent decline in aid, if it were
to occur.
Conclusions
Estimated resource requirements for achieving the MDG and NSGRP targets exceed available resources from both domestic and foreign sources. Increases in domestic
resource mobilization should rely primarily on expanding the revenue base through
sustained economic growth and further improvements in tax administration, with the
objective of further progress toward an equitable and efficient tax system. Increasing revenue through tax policy measures needs to be approached carefully, considering the
efficiency of investment and spending by the public sector compared with that of the private sector and households. Concerning external resources in the form of grants and concessional lending, under the assumption of sustained growth of exports and GDP, the
binding constraint is likely to be the availability of these resources rather than debt sustainability. Although the effect of aid inflows on the REER seems to be moderate, raising the competitiveness of the Tanzanian economy remains nonetheless critical in order
to offset any aid-induced loss in competitiveness and shifts to the nontradables sector.
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301
Notes
1. Rajan and Subramanian (2005) provide a concise summary of the debate.
2. See discussion in Rajan and Subramanian (2005). In the standard Swan-Salter trade model
with two traded goods and one nontraded good, aid reduces the size of the traded good sector without any changes in relative prices between tradables and nontradables. This result
underscores the need to focus on quantities rather than prices.
14
Coordination of Economic Policy
Formulation and Implementation
Robert J. Utz and Allister Moon
D
uring the past decade, Tanzania has made significant progress in implementing
economic reforms aimed primarily at macroeconomic stabilization, the liberalization of the economy, and the withdrawal of the public sector from commercial activities. The reforms have resulted in an acceleration of economic growth. To sustain
economic growth, policy makers face two challenges.
The first is to continue these orthodox reforms, especially in areas in which progress
has been limited and the marginal returns to reform promise to be high. They include
a further reduction in rent-seeking opportunities for public officials who interfere with
private sector activities and the improvement of the policy and institutional framework
for infrastructure providers.
The second challenge arises from the changing role of economic management in Tanzania. To date, areas for economic reforms have been fairly easy to identify and implementation has required primarily political will to overcome vested interests and a minimum of technical competence in government, often supplemented by technical assistance.
However, future economic management is likely to require (a) close collaboration between
the private sector and the government, to make economic management more responsive
to the proactive identification and pursuit of new opportunities by the private sector, and
(b) stronger harmonization and coordination among government agencies to ensure
consistent policies and the efficient use of scarce human and financial resources in pursuit of higher economic growth. This chapter assesses the state of affairs in these two areas and provides recommendations on how to strengthen the institutional framework
for policy coordination and the dialogue between the private and public sectors.
Review of Institutions for Economic Policy
To understand Tanzania’s situation with respect to policy coordination and planning,
one may find it instructive to review approaches to policy coordination and planning since independence.
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The first comprehensive statement of the country’s economic policy after independence is found in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development, published in 1965.1 Central planning was introduced in Tanzania in the 1970s following
the promulgation of the Arusha Declaration in 1967. As in other socialist countries,
the Planning Commission, with the president as its chair, was at the center of planning,
policy formulation, and coordination. Until the mid-1980s, the Planning Commission
enjoyed significant power, particularly because it played a pivotal role in resource allocation and price setting.
The initial response to the economic crisis that emerged in the early 1980s was the
formulation of a National Economic Survival Program (1981) followed by a homegrown Structural Adjustment Program (1982), and a campaign against economic saboteurs (1983). These programs tried to address Tanzania’s economic crisis by intensifying the control regime and the degree of government intervention. Alongside these
government-led efforts was an intensifying public debate on measures to overcome the
economic crisis, which resulted in recognition of the failure of the centrally planned
economy. The government started a process of reforms that would change Tanzania
from a command to a market-driven economy. The failure of the efforts to address the
crisis through more state intervention also led to a loss of confidence in planning and
the role of the Planning Commission.
The introduction of far-reaching economic recovery programs in 1986 replaced
medium-term planning with short-term economic management focused on fiscal and
monetary stabilization as well as liberalization of the economy. This reform implied
a shift in institutional responsibility and power from the Planning Commission to the
Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Tanzania, which held the key responsibility for
the implementation of the economic recovery programs. The initial efforts and relative successes in economic stabilization during the second half of the 1980s were not
sustained during the second term of President Ali Hassan Mwinyi. The government’s
inability to control credit expansion to public enterprises, massive tax exemptions, poor
revenue collection, and tax evasion resulted in severe macroeconomic disequilibria,
such as large fiscal and balance of payments deficits, high inflation, and a decline in
growth.
In 1996, the new, third-phase government under President Benjamin Mkapa made
it a top priority to restore macroeconomic stability and to control corruption. In addressing these issues, the government made bold reassignments for economic management in an attempt to ensure that the capacity and credibility of institutions matched
the task at hand. Specifically, an extraordinary amount of power and influence in the
economic management of the country was transferred to the Bank of Tanzania. Not
only was the bank responsible for monetary management, but with the introduction
of a cash budget in 1996, it was also given the responsibility for determining monthly
aggregate expenditure ceilings for the government in line with resources available
from domestic revenue and foreign aid. The bank also took the lead in managing
Tanzania’s public debt. The reforms further weakened the Planning Commission, as
the responsibility for preparing the development budget shifted from the Planning Commission to the Ministry of Finance in an effort to unify the budget and strengthen budgetary control. The Rolling Plan and Forward Budget, which until 1996 had been prepared by the Planning Commission but had since become virtually irrelevant for
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305
economic management, was replaced by the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework
(MTEF), which is being prepared by the Ministry of Finance.
With the shift to a market-based economy, the government rightly embarked on efforts to replace government planning of the economy with a process based on greater
dialogue between the government and the private sector. These efforts required strengthening private sector institutions that could effectively engage in this dialogue. The
Tanzania Private Sector Foundation was established to represent the private sector.
The dialogue between the government and the private sector takes place in various forms. First, in most policy areas the government has adopted participatory
processes that allow the private sector to feed its views into government policy making. Recent examples are consultations on the formulation of a new income tax act
and the preparation of the rural development and agriculture sector strategies. In addition, the government has established the Tanzania National Business Council
(TNBC), chaired by Tanzania’s president, as the main forum for consultation between the government and the private sector. Since its establishment, the TNBC has
very successfully organized annual international investor round tables, during which
the government receives private sector input but also commits to and reports on
progress in implementing specific policy reforms.
Another significant development with regard to economic management was the
adoption in 2000 of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) process, which aims
to align government policy and public resource allocation with Tanzania’s objective of
reducing poverty. The key responsibility within government for the preparation and
monitoring of the PRSP was initially with the Vice President’s Office, while the Ministry of Finance took the lead role in coordinating the PRSP implementation. This assignment of responsibilities implied a further weakening of the role of the Planning Commission (which was then the President’s Office—Planning and Privatization) and a
further fragmentation of economic management in Tanzania. However, with the
creation of the Ministry of Planning, Economy, and Empowerment in early 2006, the
responsibility for the PRSP was shifted to the newly created ministry, which also took
over the responsibilities of the President’s Office—Planning and Privatization.
Finally, ongoing decentralization efforts also have a significant effect on economic
management in Tanzania as responsibilities for the formulation, coordination, and implementation of government programs are shifted from the national level to the district
level. An example is the redefinition of the role of government in the agriculture sector. Under the Agriculture Sector Development Program, responsibility for the design
of agriculture sector programs has shifted from the national level to the district level,
which is now responsible for preparing district agriculture development plans. Similarly,
responsibility and related resources for the development and maintenance of district
roads have been shifted from the Ministry of Works to local government authorities.
Challenges
As we have mentioned, the focus of economic policy during the late 1990s and early
2000s has been primarily on macroeconomic stabilization and more recently on
poverty reduction, with relatively little emphasis on the quality of economic growth
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and structural transformation. In addition, economic management has been fragmented among a variety of institutions, causing a certain lack of coordination of policy formulation and implementation. The new PRSP (the National Strategy for Growth
and Poverty Reduction, or NSGRP) rightly puts greater emphasis on economic growth
as a key mechanism for reducing poverty and suggests a more proactive role for government in the pursuit of economic growth. This increased focus on economic growth
raises a number of important institutional issues that need to be addressed. We see six
key challenges that need urgent attention to ensure that economic policy making can
support and sustain high economic growth and react appropriately to the evolution
of Tanzania’s domestic and international economy.
Challenge 1: Strengthen Coordination of Economic Policy Formulation
and Implementation
While the Ministry of Finance and Bank of Tanzania are doing a commendable job managing the economy for stability, coordinating and formulating the broader growth
agenda exceeds their institutional mandates and capacities and also threatens to dilute
their focus on their core responsibilities. Discussions with a variety of stakeholders reveal a clearly perceived lack of an institutional setup that could perform this coordination function.
Challenge 2: Create a Platform for a National Dialogue on
Growth-Related Issues
In line with the transformation from a centrally planned to a market-oriented economy, the process and content of policy formulation and coordination clearly need to
encourage dialogue and participation by stakeholders. Hence, the process must be an
open one, rather than the preparation of strategies and plans behind closed doors. In
various areas, Tanzania has been very successful in establishing processes that allow
for continuous dialogue between the government and stakeholders and that draw on
resources outside government for the formulation of plans and strategies. Such processes
include the Public Expenditure Review and MTEF processes, in which the Ministry of
Finance has opened up the budget process while establishing a framework in which analytic work by various parties is coordinated and brought to bear on government
processes. Similarly, the Vice President’s Office has complemented the broad consultative processes that take place during the preparation of the PRSP or progress report
with the establishment of the Research and Analysis Working Group. The group serves
as a platform for an ongoing dialogue between government and stakeholders on
poverty-related issues and also as an instrument to coordinate analytic work in this area.
In the areas of economic and structural growth, such a platform is currently not available. This lack produces a situation in which a variety of initiatives proceed in parallel with minimal interaction or coordination. A setup similar to that of the Public Expenditure Review process could be envisaged in the areas of economic growth and policy
formulation. An existing or a newly established institution would primarily serve as
a convener of stakeholders for the coordination and formulation of economic policy,
rather than as a mechanism for establishing a capacity to carry out all aspects of policy coordination and formulation.
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307
Challenge 3: Ensure Adequate Governance Arrangements for GrowthEnhancing Government Interventions
Where market failures such as technological externalities, coordination externalities,
or informational externalities exist, government interventions can play an important
role in fostering private sector activities and economic growth. The government of
Tanzania has recently launched several such initiatives, including targeted credit guarantee schemes, export processing zones, and targeted agricultural subsidies. However,
experience with such interventions also has brought to the fore a range of potential government failures, which can reduce the effectiveness of such interventions. Government
failures can be caused by (a) a lack of complete information about the nature, source,
and magnitude of the relevant market failures; (b) the possible capture of policy interventions by firms whose behavior the interventions are aimed at regulating; and (c) the
ability of the private sector to game policy makers when policies suffer from dynamic
inconsistency (that is, when the promise to withdraw support from poorly performing activities lacks credibility).
Thus, to enhance the likelihood of success of government interventions, policy makers must put appropriate governance rules and monitoring mechanisms in place that
would allow the weeding out of ineffective interventions. Box 14.1 provides a summary
of such design rules, as proposed by Hausmann and Rodrik (2005).
Challenge 4: Redefine the Government–Private Sector Relationship
Recent research on economic growth (Rodrik and Hausmann 2003) highlights the
importance of public-private sector interactions in finding appropriate approaches
that result in higher growth at the micro- and macroeconomic levels. In particular, such
an approach would require revisiting the private-public sector interface that takes
place through central government institutions such as the Tanzania Investment Center, the Tanzania Revenue Authority, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the agriculture sector ministries, with a view toward redefining the interaction from a purely
regulatory or administrative one to a problem-solving one.
Challenge 5: Strengthen Private Sector Institutions
As mentioned above, an important aspect of economic policy formulation is input by
the private sector. Having such input requires the private sector to develop appropriate institutions to make its views heard. A variety of such institutions exists, including the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation; the Confederation of Tanzania Industries; the Tanzania Bankers Association; the Tanzania Chamber of Mines; the Tourism
Council of Tanzania; the Tanzania Oil Marketing Companies; the Tanzania Chambers
of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture; the Tanzania Association of Consultants;
and the Tanzania Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock. An important issue is to survey these institutions about their roles in the government–private sector dialogue, their
satisfaction with the dialogue, and their capacity to effectively represent their
constituents.
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BOX 14.1
Governance Arrangements to Strengthen the
Effectiveness of Growth-Enhancing Interventions
Hausmann and Rodrik (2005) suggest principles that provide an initial basis for formulating an effective program:
• Clear criteria for success and failure. Not all entrepreneurial investments in new activities
will pay off. In fact, only a small fraction of business ideas are likely to be successful.
From the perspective of the program objectives, however, one success can pay for scores
of failures. The program must therefore clearly define what constitutes success and identify observable criteria for monitoring it. Otherwise, recipients of incentives can game
public agencies and can continue to receive support despite poor outcomes. The criteria
should ideally depend on productivity—both its progress and its absolute level—and not
on employment or output. Although productivity can be notoriously difficult to measure,
project audits by business and technical consultants at set intervals can provide useful indications.
• Sunset clause. The program must contemplate a built-in sunset clause. Financial and human resources should not remain tied up for a long time in activities that are not paying
off. Every publicly supported project must have not only a clear statement ex ante of what
constitutes success and failure, but also an automatic sunset clause for withdrawing support after an appropriate period has elapsed.
• Targeting of activities rather than sectors. Public interventions should support activities
that suffer from externalities, not the sectors that confront them. This approach facilitates
structuring the support as a corrective to specific market failures instead of as generic industrial policies. Rather than providing incentives, say, for electronics, tourism, or call centers, government programs should subsidize bilingual training, feasibility reports for nontraditional agriculture, infrastructure investment, adaptation of foreign technology to
Tanzanian conditions, risk and venture capital, and so on. The government should not
promote specific sectors but should support growth-enhancing activities that often span
several sectors. Similarly, the deciding factor should not be the size of the recipient enterprises. A sectoral approach may be required, however, to get the right people around the
table when coordination is an issue or when the relevant public goods and regulations have
a sectoral nature. In principle, interventions should be as horizontal as possible and as sectoral as necessary.
• Spillover and demonstration effects. Subsidized activities need to have a clear potential for
providing spillover and demonstration effects. Public support must be contingent on an
analysis of the activity’s ability to attract complementary investment or to generate information or technological spillovers. Moreover, supported activities should be structured in
such a way as to maximize the spillovers.
• Autonomous agencies. The agencies carrying out promotion must be autonomous and,
therefore, must have demonstrated their competence. Subject to certain constraints discussed
below, the authorities responsible for carrying out promotion need to have enough autonomy and independence that they can insulate themselves from lobbying, design their work
agenda appropriately, and have the flexibility to respond to changing circumstances. This
requirement, in turn, means that the agencies selected for the purpose must have a prior
track record of professionalism, technical competence, and administrative effectiveness.
When administrative and human resources are scarce, it may be better to lodge promotion
activities in agencies with demonstrated competence than to create new institutions from
scratch, even if doing so restricts the range of available policy tools.
• Monitoring. The relevant agencies must be monitored closely by a principal who has a
clear stake in the outcomes and has political authority at the highest level. Autonomy does
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309
BOX 14.1 (continued)
not mean lack of accountability. Close monitoring and coordination of the promotion activities by a cabinet-level politician—a principal who has internalized the agenda of economic restructuring and shoulders the main responsibility for it—is essential. Such monitoring not only guards against self-interested behavior on the part of the agencies but also
helps protect the agencies from capture by private interests. This principal might be the
minister of the economy, for example, or the president. If he or she is not the president,
the principal must have the ear of the president and must be viewed as the latter’s associate rather than rival.
• Communication with the private sector. The agencies carrying out promotion must maintain channels of communication with the private sector. Autonomy and insulation do not
mean that bureaucrats should isolate themselves from entrepreneurs and investors. Ongoing contact and communication allow public officials to establish a good basis of information on business realities, without which sound decision making would be impossible.
This combination of bureaucratic autonomy and connectedness is what Evans (1995)
terms embedded autonomy in his discussion of successful economic strategies in East Asia
and Latin America.
• Mistakes in the discovery process. Public strategies of the sort advocated here are often
derided because they may lead to picking the losers rather than the winners. However, an
optimal strategy of discovering the productive potential of a country will necessarily entail some mistakes of that type. Some promoted activities will fail. The objective should
not be to minimize the chances that mistakes will occur, which would result in no selfdiscovery at all, but to minimize the costs of the mistakes when they occur. If governments
make no mistakes, it means only that they are not trying hard enough.
• Flexibility in agency design. Promotion activities need to have the capacity to renew themselves so that the cycle of discovery becomes an ongoing process. Just as there is no single blueprint for undertaking promotion, the needs and circumstances of productive discovery are likely to change over time. The agencies carrying out these policies must
therefore have the capacity to reinvent and refashion themselves to fit the changing circumstances.
Source: Hausmann and Rodrik 2005.
Challenge 6: Strengthen the Capacity of Institutions at the Regional and
District Levels
Tanzania is characterized by a high level of regional diversity with respect to potential sources of growth, access to infrastructure, and natural resource endowment. The
lack of diversification of regional economies also makes them vulnerable to external
shocks such as changes in commodity prices. A shared-growth strategy thus requires
strong institutions not only at the national level but also at the local level to ensure that
growth-enhancing measures are tailored to local circumstances.
Tanzania’s ongoing decentralization process touches on important elements of
the growth agenda. In particular, responsibility for service delivery in agriculture
and infrastructure (district roads, water) is being shifted to local authorities, while the
role of the central government in these areas is limited to policy formulation and
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monitoring. Funding for these activities is primarily provided through earmarked
transfers from the central government. A formula-based system for budgetary transfers to the districts has been adopted that takes into account demographic and social
indicators. It is important to ensure that local authorities play a supportive role for regional growth; therefore, the use of these resources must be guided by a regional
growth strategy developed by a partnership of local authorities, the private sector, and
other stakeholders. Strengthening of accountability arrangements at the local level
needs to accompany increased resource flows to local authorities. Regional- or districtlevel growth strategies combined with strong accountability arrangements also form
the basis for a successful switch from conditional to unconditional transfers, which is
envisaged in the medium term. Unconditional transfers will provide local authorities
with greater scope to implement a growth strategy that is tailored to the specifics of
the district or region.
In this context, the division of revenue sources between the central government and
local governments is also important. At present, the revenue sources for local authorities are limited to a closed list and typically provide only 10 to 20 percent of a district’s revenue. The current system provides scope for redistribution of resources across
districts. However, a system in which resource availability at the local level is more
closely linked to revenue generation at the local level might provide more incentives
for a greater focus on economic growth at the local level.
Implementation of the Growth Agenda of the NSGRP
The NSGRP, Tanzania’s PRSP, has evolved as a broader instrument of national policy,
with an explicit emphasis on the broader agenda of policies for shared economic
growth. Links between the NSGRP and other instruments have also evolved:
• The government has continued to encourage an open process of consultation on these
instruments of policy coordination.
• The decentralization process that is under way gives greater responsibility to local
authorities, including for the management of infrastructure and water.
The task facing the government now is to translate the renewed emphasis on growth
into specific strategies, detailed implementation plans, and proposed resource allocations. Several challenges arise in this task:
• The link between the NSGRP and the MTEF appears to have immediate potential
for translating individual sector strategies into programs and expenditure plans. A
higher degree of coordination may be needed to make this work for the relatively
diffuse, cross-sectoral agenda that is the key for growth.
• Growth requires increasing public investment. It also requires enhanced capacity for
scrutiny of public investment proposals, both at the sector level and in the overall
coordination of public investment, ensuring maximum efficiency, complementarity
with the private sector, and so on.
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311
• The open process of consultation on policy coordination has attracted support of
and interest, largely along sectoral lines, in sector programs. It is less clear that
there is a strong and vocal constituency pressing the claims of an effective crosssectoral strategy to promote growth.
• Numerous channels exist for interfacing with the private sector on issues that are
highly relevant for growth but do not yet provide the forum for a coalition for
growth across central agencies, sectors, civil society, and the private sector.
• This book underlines the specificity of growth opportunities at regional and district
levels. A key challenge is to support regionally specific growth strategies that recognize these different opportunities while ensuring that institutions at regional and
lower levels of government are consistent with this objective.
The broadened scope of the NSGRP offers an opportunity to review the institutions
for coordinating policy on economic growth. The following may be some immediate
entry points for strengthening the institutional environment for steering the growth
agenda:
• Institutions related to the earlier narrower scope of the PRSP, such as the structure
of the poverty monitoring system, require reorientation to a broader role so that they
can capture the renewed emphasis on growth. This effort may also require evolution in the roles of the Vice President’s Office, the Ministry of Planning, Economy,
and Empowerment, and other central agencies involved in organizing NSGRP coordination and implementation.
• Implementing the NSGRP will require action plans based on its broad objectives.
In most cases, at the sector level, action plans can be derived from individual sector strategies and programs, but there appears to be a case for stronger coordination of sector plans within a cross-sectoral growth strategy that adequately reflects
the objectives of the NSGRP.
• The current budget guidelines do not appear to reflect the strong emphasis on
growth-enhancing investment implied by the NSGRP. More work is needed to
translate the NSGRP objectives in this area into detailed proposals, particularly for
infrastructure investment, preferably in the course of developing the current year’s
MTEF.
• Reorientation of public expenditure toward a greater focus on growth will also
have implications for the use of external financing. The dialogue in the context of
the Public Expenditure Review process is an important opportunity to ensure that
this strategic challenge is addressed.
Note
1. This section draws on Mjema (2000) and Muganda (2004).
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Index
Boxes, figures, notes, and tables are indicated by b, f, n, and t, respectively.
accountability. See transparency and accountability
African Development Bank, 299
Agricultural Sector Development Programme
(ASDP)
district level responsibilities under, 305
economic growth and, 10, 141
expenditures and, 136, 138–39
principles of, 112
projections of, 133t, 133–34
Agricultural Sector Development Strategy
(ASDS), 132–34, 136
agriculture, 97–142
asset accumulation and, 275–76
credit and, 219, 220t
employment in, 5, 53, 54t, 55, 55t, 56–57,
57t, 58t, 66
exports, 296, 296f
externalities and, 251
external shocks, regional difference in coping with, 66b
foreign direct investment (FDI) and, 26,
33
government role in, 305
growth and, 1, 20, 22, 84, 84t, 85, 85t,
97–105, 98f, 98t, 99f, 100f, 102t,
103t
informal economy and, 169
infrastructure improvements and, 213–14
manufacturing and, 68
marketing
crop adoption, 275b
exports, 127–30
orange and onion exports, 127–29,
128b
producer prices and, 118–30
MDG and NSGRP targets and, 85–86,
87f, 87t
private sector in, 71, 103, 104, 107–8
promotion of, 197, 198
pro-poor growth strategies and, 7–8
public expenditures to support, 130–41
balance, efficiency, and timing of expenditures, 130–32
policy framework, 132–34, 133t
present expenditure patterns, 134t,
134–41, 135t
regional income patterns and, 68, 69f, 72
removal of constraints on, 105–30
exports, 22, 118–30, 119f, 120f, 122f,
156
irrigation, 113–18, 116t
land management, 106t, 106–8
marketing and producer prices, 118–30
marketing chain for oranges and onions,
127–29, 128b
nontraditional exports, 127–30
technological change, 108–13
traditional export crops, 118–27, 119f,
120f, 122f
risk reduction and, 278
service delivery to, 309–10
technology and, 108–13, 195b
See also innovation, productivity and
technology change
tourism industry and, 160, 162, 166
AIDS crisis. See HIV/AIDS
airport facilities, 167
Air Tanzania, 19b
Animal Diseases Research Institute, 110
Argentina, 101
Arusha Declaration (1967), 304
323
324
INDEX
Arusha region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
electricity in, 67
groundwater in, 113
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267t
investment projects in, 67
mining in, 68
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65f,
72
tax revenue from, 68
tourism in, 68
ASDP. See Agricultural Sector Development
Programme
asset accumulation, 5, 49, 50, 51t, 274–76,
279t, 279–80
Aubert, Jean Eric, 181
Australia, 101, 226
autonomous agencies, 308b
balance of payments and exchange rate, 29–
30, 32f
banking, 72, 194, 218–19, 279
See also capital and finance; specific institutions
mobile banks, 279
Bank of Tanzania, 19b, 28, 222, 304
benchmarking Tanzania in global context,
182–83b, 199
biogas, 215
borehole tubewells, 114, 115, 117
Botswana, 172, 182b, 186, 199
brain drain, 190–91
breastfeeding, 90, 91, 92, 262
bribes, 152, 236–37
See also corruption
British Airways, 167
Budget Forward, 304
budget system, 22, 300
bureaucracy, 20b
Burundi, 66
Business Competitiveness Index (BCI, World
Economic Forum), 182b
business environment, 207–39, 208f, 209f
capital and finance, 217–23
first-generation policy sector reform,
218–21, 220f, 220t
second-generation policy sector reform,
221–22
infrastructure access, 208–17, 210f
policy recommendations for investment
in, 215–17
relationship to growth and poverty reduction, 211–17, 212f, 212t
public-private interface, 223–37, 224b,
225b
barriers to entry, 226f, 226–29, 227–28t
business regulation and inspections,
229, 230t
customs and trade regulations, 229–31,
230f, 230t
land registration, 231
legal system, 231–32
taxation, 232f, 232–37
Business Registration and Licensing Agency,
173, 177
Business Strengthening Program, 10
Canada, 226
capital and finance
access to capital, 72, 148
agriculture and, 105, 140
asset accumulation and financial markets,
279t, 279–80
banks. See banking; specific institutions
business environment, 217–23
first-generation policy sector reform,
218–21, 220f, 220t
second-generation policy sector reform,
221–22
capital stock, 33, 39nn2–3
credit, 2, 26, 27f, 219, 220f, 220t, 221–
22, 299
domestic borrowing, 293–94
domestic savings rate, 27–29, 30f, 220–21
financial sector structural reforms, 19b
formalization of businesses and, 175
informal economy and, 177
investments. See investments
lending environment and financial infrastructure, 221–22
manufacturing sector and, 146, 148, 153
micro and small enterprises, 222
monetary policy, 25–26
nationwide innovation support system,
196
start-up, 146, 148, 154, 172–73
cash budget system, 22, 300
Cashew Act (1994), 123
cashews, 122–23, 126
cash savings, 279
CBOs. See community-based organizations
INDEX
CDTT (Centre for the Development and
Transfer of Technology), 193
cell phones. See mobile telephones
Celtel, 200, 202
Central Bank of Uganda, 129
Centre for the Development and Transfer of
Technology (CDTT), 193
CET (common external tariff), 19b
Chandra, Vandana, 143
children
disabilities and, 282–83, 283f, 284–85b
education. See education
morbidity and mortality, 256, 262, 263f,
264f, 265f, 266, 267f, 268, 285n
number of children and poverty rate, 50,
53t
See also fertility
nutrition. See nutrition
orphans, plight of, 282, 283f, 287n
Chile, 149
China
business regulations and inspections in,
226, 229
corruption in, 235
exports and, 153, 155, 207
infrastructure in, 208
power sector in, 214
taxation in, 234
civic development forums, 71–72
client-oriented research management approach, 109
Climate Survey for Tourism in East Africa,
164–65
clothing and footwear, 44, 45t
Coast region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
electricity in, 67
export crops in, 119, 121
human capital development in, 72
industry in, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
regional income patterns and, 64, 65f
coffee, 13, 66b, 123, 124–25, 127, 140
colonial legacy, 66
Commercial Court Division, 173
common external tariff (CET), 19b
communication technology. See information
and communication technologies
(ICTs)
community-based nutrition interventions,
92, 93, 263–64, 264t, 265f
325
community-based organizations (CBOs),
107, 116
competitiveness, 3, 11, 294–95, 297
Confederation of Tanzania Industries, 307
Congo. See Democratic Republic of Congo
construction sector, 21, 22
consumer durables, 50, 52t
consumption, household. See household consumption
consumption poverty, 85–89, 86t, 87f, 87t,
89f
contraception, 273
corruption
business formalization and, 176
grand, 235, 235f
manufacturing sector and, 152
petty, 236f, 236t, 236–37, 237f
structural reforms and, 20b, 234–37
cotton, 124, 125–26
Country Policy and Institutional Assessment
(CPIA, World Bank), 79, 94n
courts. See judicial system
CPIA. See Country Policy and Institutional
Assessment
credit. See capital and finance
customs and trade regulations, 229–31, 238n
Customs Union Protocol, 19b
DADG. See District Agricultural Development Grants
DADP. See District Agricultural Development Plan
Dar es Salaam
air transportation to, 167
education in, 58, 58t, 60, 256
employment in, 53, 54t, 55, 55t, 60
food and food security in, 49, 49t, 97
GDP contribution by, 66
growth in, 61
health services in, 267
household consumption in, 60
income patterns in, 63, 64, 65f, 66
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
informal economy in, 3, 170, 174
investment projects in, 67
manufacturing in, 66, 143
parastatal sector, 70
poverty reduction in, 5, 41, 44, 47, 47t,
48t, 49, 55, 56, 58
regional income patterns and, 66, 67, 67t
See also spatial dimensions of growth
and poverty reduction
326
INDEX
Dar es Salaam (Cont.)
rural-urban migration and, 6
tax revenue from, 67–68
tourism sector and, 159
urban strategy for, 11
welfare improvement in, 50
Dar es Salaam Water Sewerage Authority
(DAWASA), 19b
death, causes of, 278, 278t
debt
collection, 173
public, 30, 31f, 32f
sustainability, 297–99
decentralization, 73
Democratic Republic of Congo, 66, 129
Denmark, 226
Department of Research and Development
(DRD), 109–10
Development Alternative Inc., 128b
Development Vision, 75–76
disabilities, 282–83, 283f, 284–85b
District Agricultural Development Grants
(DADG), 112, 138–39
District Agricultural Development Plan
(DADP), 112, 133, 139
District Agricultural Sector Office, 112
district institutional capacity, strengthening
of, 309–10
doctors, migration of, 190–91
Dodoma region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
groundwater in, 113
human capital development in, 72
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65f
Doing Business 2007 (World Bank), 172–73,
223–24, 229, 233
domestic borrowing, 293–94
domestic resource mobilization, 292–94,
293t
domestic savings rate, 27–29, 30f, 220–21
donor agency staff, 296–97
Draka Comteq, 206n
DRD (Department of Research and Development), 109–10
drinking water. See water and sanitation
Dutch disease effects, 217, 294–96
Dutch Program for Cooperation with
Emerging Markets, 197
East African Community (EAC), 19b, 34,
129, 195b
East Asia, GDP growth in, 17
economic growth
determinants of, 30–38, 31f, 32f, 33t, 34f,
35t, 36t, 37f, 38f
factors in, 1–4
government spending and, 37b
growth scenarios, 75–78, 76f, 77t, 77f
infrastructure access and, 211–17, 212f,
212t
NSGRP and, 1
outlook for, 75–94
pro-poor strategies for, 7–14
approaches to, 12
international competitiveness and diversification, 11
issues for future study, 14
policies and resources for shared
growth, 13–14
public expenditures for poverty reduction
and, 291–301
spatial dimensions of, 63–74
economic policy, 303–11
challenges, 305–10
coordination of formulation and implementation, strengthening, 306
governance arrangements for growth enhancement, 307, 308–9b
government-private sector relationship, redefining, 307
institutional capacity, strengthening of,
309–10
institutions for, 303–5
NSGRP, implementation of growth agenda
of, 310–11
platform for a national dialogue on
growth-related issues, 306
private sector institutions, strengthening,
307
economic saboteurs, campaign against, 304
education
in Dar es Salaam, 58, 58t
gender differences, 92–93, 130, 185, 186,
259b
of head of household, 58, 58t
human capital development and, 31, 35–
36, 255–61, 256t, 257f, 258f, 259b
gender differences, 259b
growth and, 73, 80f, 80–81, 81t
household consumption and, 60
informal economy and, 171
INDEX
information and communication technologies (ICT) and, 203
innovation, productivity and technology
change and, 183–89, 184f, 185f,
187–91f, 203
literacy rates, 184, 184f, 192
manufacturing sector and, 150–51, 153,
154, 157, 187, 188f
MDGs and, 92–93, 94
poverty rate and, 50, 53, 54t
primary, 185–86, 256–57, 257t, 258f,
282–83, 283t
quality of, 10, 257, 259
regional income patterns and, 71, 71t, 72
secondary, 186, 203, 259–60, 260f
technical and vocational education and
training (TVET), 189–90
tertiary, 186–87
See also universities
textbooks for, 257
EEZ. See Exclusive Economic Zone
electricity
See also power sector
business environment and, 210–11, 214–
15
manufacturing sector and, 150
regional income patterns and, 67
rural areas and, 215
tourism industry and, 164–65, 165t, 167–
68, 168t
Electricity Act, need for, 216
employment
agriculture and. See agriculture
in Dar es Salaam. See Dar es Salaam
effect of, 60
of households, 53–58, 54–58t
of spouses, 56–57, 57t
gender issues in, 56–57, 57t
heads of household, 56–57, 57t
of households, 53–58
informal economy and. See informal economy
in manufacturing sector, 143–45
See also manufacturing sector
rural areas. See agriculture; rural areas
self-employment, 53, 54t, 55, 56, 57, 60,
170, 172, 246
in tourism sector, 162
See also tourism industry
urban areas, 55t, 55–56
Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), 214–15
327
energy consumption, 243
See also power sector
Enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries
Initiative, 30
enterprises, typology of forms of, 169, 170t
environmental issues. See natural resources
Environmental Management Act (2004), 245
Enza Zaden, 142n
Euromoney assessment, 79, 94t
Europe, 129, 153, 154
EWURA (Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority), 214–15
exchange rate, 3, 29–30, 32f, 295, 295f
See also nominal effective exchange rate
(NEER); real effective exchange rate
(REER)
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), 243, 245,
246, 246t, 249, 250, 253, 281
exports
agriculture, 22, 103, 118–30, 156, 296,
296f
nontraditional, 127–30
traditional crops, 118–27, 119f, 120f,
122f
bans and taxes, effect of, 19f
CET, 19f
customs and trade regulations, 229–31,
230f, 230t
debt-to-export ratio, 30, 32f
effect of increase in, 38
government promotion programs for, 154,
156
maize and pulses, 102–3
manufacturing sector, 22, 152–56, 157–58
rail service and, 214
reforms and, 9
regional income patterns and, 68
value of, 3
extension service, 109
external shocks, regional differences in coping with, 66b
factor accumulation, 83–84
factor markets, 20b
factor productivity
contribution to economic growth, 83, 83t
growth potential based on projected factor
accumulation and productivity increases, 83–84, 84t
increased, 3, 33, 34–36, 35t
total, 3, 34
economic growth and, 83, 83t
328
INDEX
farmer organizations, 111
farming, 50, 55, 55t
See also agriculture
farmings system approach, 109
FDI. See foreign direct investment
female genital cutting, 270, 270t
fertility
household size and, 10, 271t, 271–73, 272f
levels, 256
fertilizers, 136–37, 139, 212
Finance Act (2001), 234
finance and capital. See capital and finance
financial intermediation by commercial
banks, 218–19
financial markets. See capital and finance
Financial Sector Assessment Program, 221
“Financial System Stability Assessment”
(IMF), 217
Finland, 194b
First Five-year Plan for Economic and Social
Development, 304
first-generation policy sector reform, 218–
21, 220f, 220t
fishing and fisheries
exports and, 3
externalities and, 251
governance arrangements and, 10
growth, contribution to, 20, 22, 194, 243–
44, 245–46, 246f, 250
households and, 50, 55t
natural resources growth and, 250–51, 253
nontraditional exports and, 103
regional income patterns and, 72
sustainability and, 249
floriculture industry, 127, 129, 142n
food and food security, 49t, 49–50, 50t, 97,
101
See also agriculture
foreign aid, 23, 26, 294–97, 295f, 296f,
299–300
foreign direct investment (FDI), 2, 3, 5, 11,
26, 33–34, 193–94
foreign ownership and managers in manufacturing sector, 146, 154
Forest Act (2002), 248
forestry, 138, 249, 250–51, 253–54
formalization of informal economy. See informal economy
Fox, Louise, 41
fuelwoods, 243
Fundación Chile, 149, 158
furniture and utensils, 44, 45t, 50
See also asset accumulation
gender issues
education and, 92–93, 130, 185, 186, 259b
employment and, 56–57, 57t
fertility and, 10
genital cutting, 270, 270t
head of household and poverty rate, 50, 53t
high fertility, effects of, 272
HIV/AIDS and, 93
household consumption and, 60
poverty rate and, 50, 53t
generators, 210
Ghana, 81, 84
Global Competitiveness Index (GCI, World
Economic Forum), 182b
gold mining, 3, 20, 22, 194
See also mining
Gordon, Henry, 97
governance
See also public-private interface; publicprivate partnerships
aspects of, 223, 224b
environmental, 250, 252
growth enhancement and, 307, 308–9b
policies and resources for shared growth
and, 13–14
government expenditures. See public sector
Green Revolution, 101, 137
groundwater irrigation. See irrigation
growth. See economic growth
head of household
education of, 58, 58t
employment of, 56–57, 57t
occupation of, 53, 54t
poverty rate and, 50, 53t
health services
communicable diseases, 10, 215, 268,
278, 283
See also specific diseases
growth and, 73
health care workers, shortfall of, 190–91,
191f, 271
personal care and health, 44, 45t
poverty and, 266–71, 267f, 268t, 269f,
269t, 270t
tourism industry and, 168
traditional healers, 268
vaccination services, 268, 270t
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative debt relief, 297
HIV/AIDS
agricultural technology reforms and, 112
antiretrovirals, 285n
INDEX
blood donors and, 266, 285n
cost of treatment of, 270
foreign aid and, 297
health care worker shortfall and, 191
investment for control of, 130
malnutrition and, 90, 262
manufacturing sector and, 151
MDG targets and, 93
orphans and, 282
risk reduction and, 278
homesteading program, 107–8
Hoogeveen, Johannes, 41, 75, 91, 255
horticulture sector, 127, 129, 195b
hotel occupancy, 160, 163, 164t
See also tourism industry
household consumption, 44–46, 45t, 46f,
58t, 58–60, 59t
household size and fertility, 271t, 271–73,
272f
housing, 44, 45t, 49, 50, 52t
human capital
accumulation of, 4, 5
development of, 66
economic growth and, 31, 34, 35–36
education, 255–61
See also education
estimates of, 39n2
government expenditures and, 3
poor and, 255–73
regional income patterns and, 71t, 71–72
skill deficiency and, 190
Human Development Report 2001, 194b
human resources, 80f, 80–81, 81f, 168
hydro systems, 215
ICRG. See International Country Risk Guide
ICTs. See information and communication
technologies
IFC (International Finance Corporation), 210
ILD. See Instituto Libertad y Democracia
ILO. See International Labour Organization
IMF (International Monetary Fund), 217
imports and government spending, 40n10
income, regional patterns of, 63–72, 65f,
66b, 69f, 70t, 71t, 72f
incorporation of businesses, 173, 177–78
India, 84, 137, 149, 207, 214, 226
Indian Institutes of Technology and Manufacturing, 158
Indonesia, 84
industry sector
growth and, 1, 22, 84, 84t, 85, 85t
region income patterns and, 66, 67t
329
infant mortality. See children
inflation, 22, 25, 25f, 37b, 279, 285, 292–
93, 295, 304
informal economy, 169–78, 170f, 170t
benefits of increasing formalization, 174–
76, 176b
constraints to growth and formalization
of, 172–74
development and, 6
forms of enterprise and, 169, 170t
growth in, 3
policy implications, 176–78
taxation and, 233–34
voluntary formalization, 176b, 177
information and communication technologies (ICTs)
business environment and, 210–11
FDI and, 194
innovation, productivity and technology
change, 167–68, 182, 196, 198–203,
200–201f, 202t, 204–5
international competitiveness and diversification and, 11
manufacturing sector and, 150
tourism industry and, 165t, 167
infrastructure
business environment and, 208–17, 210f
formalization of businesses and, 177
local government’s role and, 309–10
manufacturing sector and, 149–50, 153,
155
parastatal sector and, 19b, 26, 28–29f
power and transportation sectors and, 20b
private investment and, 94
public investment and, 4
public-private partnerships for, 19b, 20
regional, 67
tourism industry and, 164, 167–68
innovation, productivity and technology
change, 181–206
agriculture and, 8, 99, 101–2, 104, 108–
13, 110t, 139, 140
constraints to technology access, 195b
education and, 183–89, 184f, 185f, 187–
91f, 203
information and communication technologies (ICTs), 167–68, 182, 182b, 196,
198–203, 200–201f, 202t, 204–5
innovation, 191–98
constraints to technology access, 195b
government’s role, 192, 192t
horticulture sector, 195b
major issues in, 192–93
330
INDEX
innovation, productivity and technology
change (Cont.)
multipurpose facility for, 197
nationwide innovation support system,
194, 196–97
promotion of specific industries, 197
recommendations, 204
research and development, 193–94,
195b
Technology Achievement Index (TAI;
UNDP), 193, 194b
manufacturing sector and, 148–49, 156
nationwide innovation support system,
194, 196–97
developer scheme, 196
financial support, 196
regulatory support, 196–97
technical support, 196
user scheme, 196
recommendations and issue summary,
203–8
education, 203
ICTs, 204–5
innovation, 204
Technology Achievement Index (TAI;
UNDP), 193, 194b
inspections, business, 229
institutional capacity, strengthening of, 309–
10
Institutional Investor assessment, 79, 94n
Instituto Libertad y Democracia (ILD), 169,
173, 177
interest rates, 220f, 220–21
international competitiveness. See competitiveness
International Country Risk Guide (ICRG),
79, 94n
International Finance Corporation (IFC),
210
International Labour Organization (ILO),
171, 172, 173
International Monetary Fund (IMF), 217
International Standards Organization (ISO),
149
Internet service, 150, 199, 202, 202t
See also information and communication
technologies (ICTs)
Investment Climate Assessment, 210, 214
investments
See also capital and finance
business environment and, 215–17
economic growth and, 33, 81–82, 82f, 82t
foreign direct investment. See foreign direct investment (FDI)
infrastructure and, 4, 94, 215–17
See also infrastructure
manufacturing sector and, 67, 146, 147–
48, 152, 157
natural resources and, 244t, 244–45
NSGRP growth agenda and, 310
private, 26, 94
public, 4, 26, 36, 94, 310
reforms and, 4
World Bank assessment of, 217–18
iodized salt use, 269, 270t
Iringa region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
civic development forums in, 71
electricity in, 67
groundwater in, 113
HIV/AIDS in, 93
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65t
tourism in, 248
irrigation, 101, 105, 113–18, 116t, 137
See also agriculture
ISO (International Standards Organization),
149
Joint Assistance Strategy, 294, 311
judicial system, 20b, 152, 173, 203, 223,
231–32
Kacker, Pooja, 143
Kagera region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
nutrition intervention in, 91–92
public expenditures in, 70
regional income patterns and, 64, 65f
shocks and poor in, 277t, 277–78
undernutrition in, 262, 263
KAM (Knowledge Assessment Methodology,
World Bank Institute), 182–83b,
183f
Katavi National Park, 245
KEI (Knowledge Economic Index), 182–83b,
183f
Kenya
agriculture in, 127–29, 128b
benchmark in global context of, 182b
business regulation in, 226, 227–28t, 229
corruption in, 235
INDEX
education in, 31, 80, 81, 184, 184f, 186
exports and, 153, 155
FDI in, 34
horticulture sector in, 195b
ICT in, 199
informal economy in, 174, 174f
money supply in, 26
power sector in, 214, 215
start-up costs for businesses in, 172
structural transformation in, 84
TAI and, 194b
taxation in, 234
telephone service in, 229
tourism industry in, 162–65, 163f, 164f,
164t, 165t, 166, 248
tourists from, 160
Kigoma region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
electricity in, 67
HIV/AIDS in, 93
human capital development in, 72
industry and, 66, 67t
as labor reserve, 66
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65f
Kilimanjaro region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture and, 6, 68, 102
civic development forums in, 71
coffee prices in, 66b
education in, 257, 258f
electricity in, 67
groundwater in, 113
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
regional income patterns and, 64, 65f, 66
risk and poor in, 276
tax revenue from, 68
tourism in, 68
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, 167
Knowledge Assessment Methodology (KAM,
World Bank Institute), 182–83b, 183f
Knowledge Economic Index (KEI), 182–83b,
183f
labor legislation, 20b
labor skills and productivity
agriculture and, 99, 99f, 100f, 102, 102t
informal economy and, 175, 175f
manufacturing sector and, 150–52
land
agricultural use of. See agriculture
legislation, 20b, 106
331
pastoral and nomadic peoples, rights for,
107
registration, 231
tenure and reform, 104, 105, 106–8, 152
Land Act, No. 4 (1999), 106
Land Disputes Courts Act, No. 2 (2002),
106
Land Ordinance (1953), 106
Legal Sector Task Force (1997), 231–32
legal status of enterprises, 169, 170t
legal system, 231–32
See also judicial system
legislation, 20b, 195b
See also specific legislation
lending environment and financial infrastructure, 221–22
Lesotho, 156
licensing
businesses and, 73, 152, 173, 177–78,
226, 227–28t
legislation, 20b
life expectancy, 266, 278
See also mortality, causes of
Lindi region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
electricity in, 67
groundwater in, 113
human capital development in, 72
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65f
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), 215
literacy rates, 184, 184f, 192
See also education
livestock sector, 138
See also agriculture
local governments
authority, 73
formalization of businesses and, 173–74
revenue, 68, 73
role of, 309–10
logging scandal, 250
Loliondo Division, 247
Loliondo Game-Controlled Area, 162
Loliondo Game Reserve, 248
LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), 215
MAC. See Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
macroeconomic fundamentals, improved,
17, 22–30, 23–25f
See also reforms, effect of
Madagascar, 156
332
INDEX
MAFS. See Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Safety
MAFSC. See Ministry of Agriculture, Food
Security, and Cooperatives
maize and pulses, 102, 108
See also agriculture
malaria, 90–91, 92, 112, 130, 266
Malawi, 66, 99, 100f
Malaysia, 81, 182b, 199
malnutrition, 88–92, 91f, 92t, 266
See also nutrition
manufacturing sector, 143–58, 144f
determinants of growth in, 145–52
access to financial capital, 148
access to superior technology, 148–49
infrastructure, 149–50
investment climate, 152
labor skills and productivity, 150–52
diversification in, 8
education and, 187, 188f
exports, 22, 152–56, 157–58
policy recommendations, 155–56
firm size and, 157
foreign direct investment (FDI) and, 2
growth and, 1, 8, 20, 22, 84, 84t
privatization, 19b, 146
regional income patterns and, 66, 67
strategy for growth of, 156–58
tourism industry and, 162, 166
Manyara region, tourism in, 68
map of regional income patterns, 64
Mara region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
manufacturing in, 68
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65f
market access, 140
market economy and reforms, 2, 33
marketing and agriculture. See agriculture
Masaai Mara Mature Reserve, 166
Mauritius, 81, 163, 164f, 186, 199
Mbeya region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
business incorporation in, 173
civic development forums in, 72
electricity in, 67
groundwater in, 113
HIV/AIDS in, 93
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
local government revenue in, 68
mining in, 68
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65f,
72
MCM. See Ministry of Cooperatives and
Marketing
MDG and NSGRP targets, 75, 78, 85–94, 86t
achievement of, 300
consumption poverty, 85–89, 86t, 87f,
87t, 89f
cost of achieving, 291
domestic resource mobilization and, 292–
94, 293t
economic growth for poverty reduction
and achievement of, 1, 13
See also outlook for growth and poverty
reduction
health care worker shortfall and, 191, 191f
implementation of NSGRP growth
agenda, 310–11
malnutrition, 88–92, 91f, 92t
natural resources and, 252
other MDGs, 92–93
primary education, 257
role of NSGRP, 10, 300
water and sanitation, 215
medical professionals, migration of, 190–91
Medium-Term Expenditure Framework
(MTEF), 10, 136, 305, 306, 310,
311
micro- and small enterprises, 12, 222, 237,
237f
micro- , small, and medium enterprises
(MSMEs), 7–9
MIC Tanzania, 202
MIGA (Multilateral Investment Guarantee
Agency), 162
migration
medical and other professionals, 190–91
rural-urban, 6, 48, 72, 88–89
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets. See MDG and NSGRP targets
mining
See also gold mining
economic development in, 3
externalities and, 251–52
foreign direct investment (FDI) and, 26, 33
growth and, 1
natural resource development and, 246–
47, 254
regional income patterns and, 66, 68, 72
sectoral growth rates and, 20, 22
sustainability and, 249
INDEX
Ministry for Livestock (MLD), 109, 138
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and
Cooperatives (MAFSC), 109, 138,
176b
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
(MAC), 109, 115, 116
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Safety
(MAFS), 109, 111, 134, 136
Ministry of Cooperatives and Marketing
(MCM), 109, 134
Ministry of Education and Culture, 185
Ministry of Finance, 304
Ministry of Industry and Trade, 307
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
(MNRT), 242, 243
Ministry of Planning, Economy, and Empowerment, 305, 311
Ministry of Water and Livestock Development (MWLD), 109, 116, 134, 137
Ministry of Works, 305
Mini Tiger Plan 2020, 13
Mkapa, Benjamin, 304
MLD. See Ministry for Livestock
MNRT. See Ministry of Natural Resources
and Tourism
mobile telephones, 202, 202t, 279
See also information and communication
technologies (ICTs)
monetary growth, 25f, 25–26
monetary policy, 2
Moon, Alister, 303
Morogoro region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 102
groundwater in, 113
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
orange and onion exports to Kenya and,
128b
regional income patterns and, 64, 65f
shoe factory in, 33
tourism in, 68
mortality, causes of, 278, 278t
mosquito nets, 90–91, 92
See also malaria
Mount Kilimanjaro, 159
Mozambique, 26, 47, 99, 100f, 194b
Mpango, Philip, 63
MTEF. See Medium-Term Expenditure
Framework
Mtwara region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
333
agriculture in, 68
export crops in, 119, 121
groundwater in, 113
human capital development in, 72
industry and, 66, 67t
as labor reserve, 66
regional income patterns and, 63, 64,
65f
Muhimbili University College of Health Science, 205n
Multilateral Debt Relief Initiatives, 30
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
(MIGA), 162
multiple earners in household, 56–57, 57t
MVIWATA (Mtandao wa Vikundi vya
Wakulima Tanzania), 111–12
Mwanakatwe, Peter, 207
Mwanza region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
coffee prices in, 66b
contribution to GDP by, 66
electricity in, 67
industry and, 66, 67t
investment projects in, 67
manufacturing in, 68
mining in, 68
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65f,
72
tax revenue from, 68
Mwinyi, Ali Hassan, 304
MWLD. See Ministry of Water and Livestock Development
NARS (National Agricultural Research System), 109–10
National Agricultural Research System
(NARS), 109–10
National Bank of Commerce, 19b, 28
National Bureau of Labor Statistics, 171
National Development Vision (2005), 10
National Economic Empowerment Policy
(2004), 13
National Economic Survival Program
(1981), 304
National ICT Policy (2003), 199
National Irrigation Development Plan
(1994), 115–16
National Irrigation Master Plan (2002),
114
National Microfinance Bank, 19b, 28
National Science and Technology policy
(1985, 1995), 193
334
INDEX
National Strategy for Growth and Reduction
of Poverty (NSGRP) targets. See
MDG and NSGRP targets
National Telephone Policy (1997), 202
national village resettlement scheme, 108
natural gas, 215
natural resources, 241–54
See also specific type (e.g., forestry)
contribution to growth and government
revenue of, 242–44, 243t
externalities, 251–52
growth potential, untapped, 245–46, 246f
industry growth, environmental effect of,
22
local spinoff effects, potential, 246–47
policies and resources for shared growth
and, 14
poverty reduction, potential for, 9–10,
247f, 247–49, 248f
pro-poor growth strategies and, 7
public investment in natural resourcebased growth, 244t, 244–45
recommendations, 252–54
sustainability of growth, 249–51
limited knowledge of resources stock
values and stock changes, 250–51
underpricing of resources, 249–50
weak environmental governance, 250
tourism and. See tourism industry
Natural Strategy for Growth and Poverty
Reduction (2005), 241–42
NEER. See nominal effective exchange rate
Net Group, 214
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, 159, 162,
166, 248
Ngorongoro Crater, 159
NGOs. See nongovernmental organizations
nomadic peoples, land rights for, 107
nominal effective exchange rate (NEER), 28–
29, 31f
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs),
107, 111, 117, 123
nonmonetary poverty measures, 49–50, 49–
51t
Northern Circuit, 159, 162, 167, 245
nutrition
See also malnutrition
capacity of poor to participate in growth
and, 261f, 261–65, 263f, 264f, 264t,
265f
education and, 256
growth and, 10, 73
household size and, 271
occupations. See employment
official development assistance (ODA), 294
Ololoaokwan village, 247f, 247–48
Oman, 250
one-license rule, 123
onion marketing chain, 127–29, 128b
Open University of Tanzania, 203
open wells, 114, 115, 117
operational civic development forms, 72
orange and onion marketing chain, 127–29,
128b
Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD), 34, 172–
73, 226, 233
orphans, plight of, 282, 287n
outlook for growth and poverty reduction,
75–94
growth scenarios, 75–78, 76f, 77, 77t
historical and international context of,
77f, 78, 79f
input-based projections, 79–84
assessment of growth potential based on
projected factor accumulation and
productivity increases, 83–84, 84t
contribution of increased investment to
economic growth, 81–82, 82f, 82t
contribution of increased investment to
human resources, 80f, 80–81, 81f
contribution of total factor productivity
to economic growth, 83, 83t
MDG and NSGRP targets, 1, 13, 75, 78,
85–94, 86t
consumption poverty, 85–89, 86t, 87f,
87t, 89f
malnutrition, 88–92, 91f, 92t
other MDGs, 92–93
policy-based projections, 78–79, 80t, 93
sectoral projections, 84t, 84–85, 85t
parastatal sector, 19b, 26, 28–29f, 70
Participatory Agricultural Development and
Empowerment Project, 139
PBRs (Plant Breeder’s Rights), 195b
PEDP. See Primary Education Development
Program
Pemba North region, 266, 267t
pension fund sector, 222
personal computers, 199, 200f, 202, 202t
See also information and communication
technologies (ICTs)
Petty Traders Association (VIBINDO),
172
Pfliegner, Kerstin, 241
INDEX
physical capacity of poor, 273–80, 274f
risk, growth and asset accumulation, 274–
76, 275b, 275t
risk reduction, 276–78, 277b, 277t, 278t
physical capital, 4, 5, 32–34, 34f
phytosanitary standards for exports, 156
Planning Commission, 304, 305
Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBRs), 195b
PORALG. See President’s Office-Regional
Administration and Local Government
Poverty and Business Formalization Programme, 13
poverty and poverty reduction
accelerated economic growth and, 4–7
capacity of poor to participate in growth,
255–87
challenge of, 41–62, 42t, 43t
economic characteristics of poor, 50,
53–58, 53–58t
economic inequality, poverty, and
growth, 43–49, 44f, 45t, 46f, 46t,
47t, 48t
household consumption, 58t, 58–60,
59t
nonmonetary poverty measures, 49–50,
49–51t
consumption. See consumption poverty
human capital of poor, 255–73
education, 255–61, 256t, 258f, 259b,
260f
health, 266–71, 267f, 268t, 269f, 269t,
270t
household size and fertility, 271t, 271–
73, 272f
nutrition, 261f, 261–65, 263f, 264f,
264t, 265f
infrastructure access and, 211–17, 212f,
212t
MDG and NSGRP targets and. See MDG
and NSGRP targets
natural resources and, 247f, 247–49, 248f
See also natural resources
outlook for growth and, 75–94
See also outlook for growth and poverty
reduction
physical capacity of poor, 273–80, 274f
asset accumulation and financial markets, 279f, 279–80
risk, growth and asset accumulation,
274–76, 275b, 275t
risk reduction, 276–78, 277b, 277t,
278t
335
poverty line, 41, 42b
public expenditures for growth and, 291–
301
See also public sector
regional issues and, 68, 69, 70t
spatial dimensions of, 63–74
See also spatial dimensions of growth
and poverty reduction
vulnerability, dealing with, 280–83
safety nets, 10, 275t, 280–83, 282b,
283f, 284–85b, 285
social protection and vulnerable groups,
280
poverty line, 41, 42b
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP),
305, 306, 310
poverty traps, 10, 280–81, 282b
power sector, 20b, 210, 214–15, 216
See also electricity; infrastructure
pregnancy and undernutrition, 262–63
President’s Office-Planning and Privatization,
305
President’s Office-Regional Administration
and Local Government (PORALG),
134, 138
Primary Education Development Program
(PEDP), 10, 185, 256–57, 257t, 258f,
259b, 282
Private Enterprise Support Activities,
128b
private property rights, 152
private sector
agriculture and, 71, 103, 104, 107–8
consumption, 27–28
credit, 26, 27f
expenditures, 38, 38f
growth and, 4
institutions, strengthening of, 307
investments. See investments
partnerships with public sector. See publicprivate partnerships
public-private interface. See public-private
interface
privatization
of businesses, 33
of container port, 238n
of manufacturing and commercial parastatal entities, 19b, 146
reforms and, 2
of state-owned enterprises, 17
producer organizations, 123–24
productivity, increase in, 83–84
professionals, migration of, 190–91
336
INDEX
Program for Cooperation with Emerging
Markets, 142n
Property and Business Formalisation Programme, 177
pro-poor strategies, 7–14, 254
PRSP. See Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
Public Expenditure Review, 39n1, 300, 306
public investment. See investments
public-private interface, 223–37, 224b, 225b
See also governance; public-private partnerships
barriers to entry, 226f, 226–29, 227–28t
business regulation and inspections, 229,
230t
customs and trade regulations, 229–31,
230f, 230t
land registration, 231
legal system, 231–32
structural reforms, 20b
taxation, 232f, 232–37
public-private partnerships
agriculture and, 107–8
airport facilities and, 167
infrastructure and, 19b, 20b, 216
manufacturing sector and, 158
NSGRP growth agenda and, 311
refinement of, 307
Public Procurement Act (2002), 234
public sector
agricultural growth and, 130–41
consumption, 27
credit and, 26, 27f
debt sustainability, 297–99, 298f
domestic resources, 292–94, 293t
foreign aid, 294–97, 295f, 296f
growth and poverty reduction, 36, 37b,
38, 291–301, 292t
human capital and, 3
infrastructure and, 4, 216
investment, 26, 36
management, 17, 19–20b
partnership with private sector. See publicprivate partnerships
reduction of aid dependency, 299–300
reforms and, 2
regional targeting and, 68–69
service sector, 2–3
shared growth and, 6–7
Pwani region, 63
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
pyrethrum, 103
Q-SEM Ltd., 142n
quality control and management, 124–26,
140, 195b, 197–98
Rabobank of the Netherlands, 28
rail service, 213–14
rainwater harvesting, 114
real effective exchange rate (REER), 28–29,
31f, 295, 295f, 300
reforms, effect of, 17–40, 18f
economic growth, determinants of, 30–38,
31f, 32f, 33t, 34f, 35t, 36t, 37b, 37f,
38f
macroeconomic fundamentals. improved,
22–30, 23–25f, 27–30f
macroeconomic stability and economic
growth, 17–40, 18f, 21t, 22t
policies and resources for shared growth
and, 13–14
structural reforms, overview, 17, 19–20b
Regional Agricultural Trade Intelligence Network, 129
regional issues
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction; specific regions
economic performance and, 10
external shocks, differences in coping
with, 66b
income patterns, 63–72, 65f, 66b, 69f,
70t, 71t, 72f
institutional capacity, strengthening of,
309–10
policy implications, 73
poverty reduction, differences in, 5, 47, 48t
regional zones, 61n
registration of businesses, 173, 177–78, 226,
227–28t
regulatory institutions, legal framework for,
20b
rent, 44, 45t
Research and Analysis Working Group,
306
research and development, 181, 193–94,
195b
See also innovation, productivity and technology change
resource rent, 249
risk reduction, 140
road network improvements. See transportation sector
Roads Act, need for new, 213, 216
Rolling Plan, 304
INDEX
rotating savings and credit associations
(ROSCAs), 279, 281, 282
royalties, 249
Ruaha National Park, 245, 248
Rukwa region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 101, 102
electricity in, 67
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
as labor reserve, 66
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65f
Ruparel, Ravi, 207
rural areas
agriculture in. See agriculture
development and, 6
education in, 256
electricity in, 215
employment in, 53–56, 54t, 55t
See also agriculture
finances in, 222
growth in, 85–88, 87t, 94
health services in, 267–68
infrastructure in, 213, 216
See also infrastructure
physical capacity of poor and, 273
poverty in, 44, 48
reforms and, 12
urban migration from, 6, 48, 72, 88–89
water and sanitation in, 215
Russian Federation, 101
Ruvuma region, 63
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture and, 6, 68
civic development forums in, 72
education in, 257
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
regional income patterns and, 64, 65f
Rwanda, 66
Rwegalulira, 206n
SACCO. See savings and credit cooperatives
SACMEQ (Southern and eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational
Quality), 186
SADC. See South African Development
Community
safety nets for poor, 10, 280–83, 282b, 283f,
284–85b, 285
337
sanitation. See water and sanitation
Sanya-Hale plain, 113
savings and credit cooperatives (SACCO),
177, 218, 279, 281, 282
Savings and Credit Cooperative Union, 172
savings rate, 27–29, 30f, 220–21, 279
savings services, 279, 279t
Secondary Education Development Program
(SEDP), 10, 186, 256
Second-Generation Financial Sector Reform
Program, 10–11, 221, 222–23
second-generation policy sector reform, 221–
22
direct support to financial services
providers of micro and small enterprises, 222
lending environment and financial infrastructure, 221–22
plan achievement, 222–23
Second Tanzania Agricultural Research project, 198
SEDP (Secondary Education Development
Program), 186
self-employment. See employment
Selous Reserve, 159
Serengeti National Park, 159, 166
service sector
government expenditures, 2–3
growth and, 1, 22, 84, 84t, 85, 85t
Seychelles, 186
Shinyanga region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
coffee prices in, 66b
contribution to GDP by, 66
electricity in, 67
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
mining in, 68
poverty trap in, 282b
regional income patterns and, 63, 64, 65t,
72
shocks
poor and, 276, 277t, 277–78
positive consequences of, 277b
regional differences in coping with, 66b
Simonsen, Marianne, 41
Singida region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
338
INDEX
Singida region (Cont.)
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
regional income patterns and, 64, 65t
Skof, Annabella, 159, 169
Small and Medium Enterprise Development
Policy (2002), 177
small and medium enterprises (SMEs), 177,
221, 222
SME Credit Guarantee Scheme, 222
social protection and vulnerable groups, 280
social services, 7, 12, 73
Soft Tech Training Center, 202
Sokoine University of Agriculture, 186, 205n
Somanga, 215
South Africa
benchmark comparison with, 182b
education in, 31, 80, 184, 184f, 186
exports and, 129
FDI in, 34
ICT in, 199
South African Development Community
(SADC), 19b, 34, 154, 201
South Asia, GDP growth in, 17
South East Asia, GDP growth in, 17
Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for
Monitoring Educational Quality
(SACMEQ), 186
Southern Circuit, 159, 248
spatial dimensions of growth and poverty reduction, 63–74
implications for regional policy, 73
regional income patterns, 63–72, 65f, 66b,
67t, 69f, 70t, 71t, 72f
start-up costs for businesses, 146, 148, 154,
172–73
state-owned enterprises, privatization of, 17
Stone Town region, 266, 267f
Structural Adjustment Program (1982), 304
structural reforms, overview, 2–3, 17, 19–
20b
Sub-Saharan Africa, 28, 97, 186, 234
subsidiarity, 112
sustainability, 105
See also natural resources
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, 205
Syndicoop project, 172
Tabora region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
agriculture in, 68
industry and, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
regional income patterns and, 64, 65f
TAFOPA. See Tanzania Food Processors Association
TAI. See Technology Achievement Index
TANAPA. See Tanzania National Parks
TANESCO. See Tanzania Electricity Supply
Corporation
Tanga region
See also spatial dimensions of growth and
poverty reduction
electricity in, 67
groundwater in, 113
industry in, 66, 67t
infant mortality in, 266, 267f
investment projects in, 67
orange and onion exports to Kenya and,
128b
regional income patterns and, 64, 65f
tax revenue from, 68
TANROADS. See Tanzania National Roads
Agency
Tanzania Assistance Strategy, 294, 300
Tanzania Association of Consultants, 307
Tanzania Bankers Association, 307
Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), 139
Tanzania Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock, 307
Tanzania Chamber of Mines, 307
Tanzania Chambers of Commerce, Industry,
and Agriculture, 307
Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, 193
Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), 200, 201, 205
Tanzania Diagnostic Trade Integration Study
(World Bank, 2005), 127, 129, 166
Tanzania Electricity Supply Corporation
(TANESCO), 19b, 20b, 167, 214,
215
Tanzania Federation of Cooperatives, 172
Tanzania Food Processors Association
(TAFOPA), 172, 176b
Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, 109
Tanzania International Container Terminal
Services (TICTS), 19b, 238n
Tanzania Investment Bank, 222
Tanzania Investment Centre, 67, 307
Tanzania National Business Council
(TNBC), 305
Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), 245,
250
INDEX
Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), 20b, 212, 213
Tanzania Oil Marketing Companies, 307
Tanzania Open University, 186
Tanzania Port Authority (TPA), 19b
Tanzania Private Sector Foundation, 305,
307
Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), 19b
Tanzania Reproductive and Child Health
Survey (TRCHS), 261–62, 266
Tanzania Revenue Authority, 234, 236–37,
307
Tanzania Small Industrialists Society
(TASISO), 172
Tanzania Telecommunications Company
Limited (TTCL), 19b, 200–201
Tanzania-Zambia Railways (TAZARA), 19b
TASISO (Tanzania Small Industrialists Society), 172
taxation
administration of, 234
agricultural reform and, 139
business environment and, 232f, 232–37
corruption, 234–37
formalization of businesses and, 173–74,
177
informality and evasion, 233–34
natural resources and, 249
reforms in, 2
revenue, regional distribution of, 67–68
revenue authorities and, 223
shared growth and, 6–7
structural reforms of system of, 20b, 23,
25
tourism industry and, 162, 165
unreported income and, 174, 174f
See also informal economy
value added (VAT) tax, 234
TAZARA (Tanzania-Zambia Railways), 19b
TBS (Tanzania Bureau of Standards), 139
TCRA. See Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority
technical and vocational education and
training (TVET), 189–90
technology. See innovation, productivity and
technology change
Technology Achievement Index (TAI;
UNDP), 193, 194b
TechnoServe, 140
telephone service and telecommunications,
200–201f, 202, 202t, 229
See also information and communication
technologies (ICTs)
339
Thailand, 84, 163–64, 164f, 182b
TICTS. See Tanzania International Container
Terminal Services
TNBC (Tanzania National Business Council), 305
Tourism Council of Tanzania, 307
tourism industry, 159–68
comparison with other countries, 162–65,
163f, 164f, 164t, 165t
economic contribution of, 159–62, 160f,
161t
foreign direct investment (FDI) and, 2, 26,
33, 194
GDP contribution by, 66
growth potential for, 166
innovation and promotion of, 197–98
natural resources and, 244, 244t, 247–49,
254
See also natural resources
promotion of, 197–98
pro-poor strategies, 254
recommendations, 167–68
health services, 168
human resources, 168
infrastructure, 167–68
telecommunications and electricity,
167–68, 168t
transportation, 167
regional income patterns and, 67, 68, 72
Tourism Master Plan, 166
TPA (Tanzania Port Authority), 19b
trade
foreign direct investment (FDI) and, 2
growth in, 22
liberalization, effect of, 70–71
monopolies, removal of, 70–71
policies and institutions, 19b
wholesale and retail, 33
Trade Union Congress of Tanzania, 172
traditional healers, 268
Training and Visitation extension service,
109
transparency and accountability, 112, 310
transportation sector
agriculture and, 121
business environment and, 211–12, 216–
17
credit and, 219, 220t
manufacturing sector and, 150
regional income patterns and, 72
road network improvements, 139–40,
207–8, 212f, 212t, 212–13, 216,
305
340
INDEX
transportation sector (Cont.)
See also infrastructure
structural reforms, 20b
tourism industry, 167
TRC (Tanzania Railways Corporation), 19b
TRCHS. See Tanzania Reproductive and
Child Health Survey
Tropical Pesticides Research Institute, 109
Trypanosomiasis Research Institute, 110
TTCL. See Tanzania Telecommunications
Company Limited
tubewells, 114, 115, 117
TVET (technical and vocational education
and training), 189–90
Uganda
benchmark in global context of, 182b
business licensing and regulation in, 226,
227–28t, 229
business start-up costs in, 172
corruption in, 235
education and, 31, 47, 80, 81, 184, 184f,
186
exports and, 66, 129, 153
informal economy in, 174, 174f
Internet service in, 202
labor productivity in, 99, 100f
money supply in, 26
power sector in, 215
taxation in, 234
telephone service in, 202
tourism industry in, 164t, 165, 165t
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development), 199
undernutrition, 261–63
See also nutrition
UNDP. See United Nations Development
Programme
Unguja North region, 266, 267f
Unguja South region, 266, 267f
UNIDO. See United Nations Industrial Development Organization
United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD), 199
United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), 171, 173, 193, 194b
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), 171, 173
United States, 101, 154
universities, 186–87, 203, 205–6n
University College of Lands and Architectural Studies, 205n
University of Dar es Salaam, 186, 205, 205n
urban areas
See also Dar es Salaam
agriculture in, 85, 87t
employment in, 55t, 55–56
growth in, 61
informal economy and, 169
rural-urban migration, 6, 48, 72, 88–89
strategy for, 11
water and sanitation in, 215
U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID), 140
Utz, Robert, 1, 17, 75, 291, 303
vaccination services, 268, 270t
value added (VAT) tax, 234
vertical integration, 123, 126
VIBINDO (Petty Traders Association), 172
Vice President’s Office, 305, 306, 311
Vietnam, 213
Village Land Act, No. 5 (1999), 106
village resettlement scheme, 108
Vision and Strategy Outline to Year 2010
(MAFS), 111
vitamin A supplementation, 90, 91, 94t
Vocational Training and Education Authority, 190
Vodacom, 202
Warioba Report, 234
water and sanitation, 73, 93, 149–50, 215
See also irrigation
water user associations (WUAs), 116–18
wholesale and retail trade, 33
widowed heads of household and poverty
rate, 50, 53t
wildlife, 159, 166, 243, 247–51, 254
See also natural resources; tourism industry
Wong, Michael, 207
work permit proceedings, 20b
World Bank
agriculture and, 111, 118, 198
business requirements and, 226
concessional credit disbursements and,
299
Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA), 79, 94n
customs and, 238n
Doing Business 2007, 172–73, 223–24,
229, 233
infrastructure projects and, 211
INDEX
innovation study of, 192
investment climate assessment and, 217–
18
Knowledge Assessment Methodology
(KAM), 182–83b, 183f
Tanzania Diagnostic Trade Integration
Study (2005), 127, 129, 166
World Economic Forum
Africa Competitiveness Report (2004),
182b
Global Competitiveness Report (20062007), 182b
World Heritage sites, 159
341
World Travel and Tourism Council Competitiveness Monitor (2004), 163
WUAs (water user associations), 116–18
Ying Li, 143
Zambia, 66, 174, 174f
Zanzibar, 159, 166, 167, 250
Zanzibar Telecoms, 202
Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Funds, 112
zonal research and development centers
(ZRDCs), 110
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Sharing Economic Growth in Tanzania on recycled
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