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Empower communities to create wealth
2006-02-01 07:33:18
By Editor
Statistics on the growth of the country’s economy paint a very bright picture that however, beguiles the real situation in the majority of the country’s communities.
The most hyped about is the rate of growth of our economy that experts say stands at an average of 6.7 percent annually.
We have often also boasted of our achievement for keeping inflation at a singe digit for a couple years now.
All this information is important when we want to justify the economic reforms that we have made so far.
The figures are also important when it comes to asking for donations, loans and grants as it shows, albeit to a small extent, how careful we are when it comes to spending donor funds.
On another note, the urban population can bear witness to these economic strides we have made, what with a skyline of high-rise buildings, multitudes of posh vehicles that fight for space on our narrow roads and shops full of merchandise that only a few of us can afford.
Yes, money changes hands very quickly in urban areas but the dividing line between the ’haves’ and the ’have-nots’ is still very conspicuous.
The achievements we have made in reforming our economy and the fast rate of economic growth we have attained have failed to obliterate that line.
The situation is worse when one looks at the lives of the 80 percent of Tanzanians who live in the rural areas.
Most of them do not get the basic needs like shelter, clothing and food.
And those who manage to get these, their quality is questionable.
So if we have made any strides in the development of our economy, then these must be reflected in the lives of the 80 percent of Tanzanians.
They must be able to afford decent houses, good and nutritious meals and respectable clothes.
That is what President Jakaya Kikwete has tasked the Ministry of Planning, Economy and Empowerment to do: enable the common man to realize the benefits of economic growth.
We think that this can be done if the Ministry, in collaboration with other stakeholders begin by educating communities that their lives can change through their own efforts and outsiders may only supplement such efforts.
They must learn to identify their problems and think of possible solutions while bearing in mind their priorities.
The next step should be to assist communities how to translate the natural resources around them into individual wealth.
Communities should be able to use water, forests, land and other resources to generate incomes without destroying them. This is what empowerment is all about.
Another step should be to help these communities secure a market for their products.
There is no point in encouraging people to raise agricultural production when there is no ready market for the goods.
They will end up rotting. Likewise, individuals cannot earn incomes if the wood products they make cannot fetch a reasonable price.
A sure way of creating reliable markets is improving the rural roads that can be used throughout the year.
A reliable means of transport can unlock the economic potential of the communities.
With good roads, small-scale farmers can take their produce to the markets or the buyers can visit the farms and purchase the products while they are still fresh.
With good roads and reliable markets, small-scale farmers have managed to earn some income and improve the quality of their lives.
Communities in some parts of Morogoro and Mvomero districts are affording quality basic needs after construction of permanent roads and the availability of reliable markets.
A kilogramme of tomatoes now sells for 250/- from the previous 80/-, pineapples sell at up to 800/- from the previous 100/- and a bunch of bananas now goes for 7,000/- instead of 1,500/- when the roads were passable only during the dry season.
But again, it is not the government that has been directly behind these improvements, but NGOs and the communities themselves.
Tanzania is a vast country and it is not possible for the government to reach all its people.
Yet by collaborating with other stakeholders, it is possible to enable the economic achievements we have made trickle to the common man and improve their quality of life.
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