Whether the setbacks that prevented realization of intended goals were structural or a misfortune, it is unhelpful to dwell on the past. A new era has unfolded with new strength to make a difference.
The national motto further illustrated that the cardinal national enemies could efficiently be fought against with four key ‘weapons’ at hand. These are the people (labour force), land, good policies and committed leadership.
Lucky enough Tanzania has it all nearly in abundance. The question remains, what is it that really holds back the nation to the extent that millions of families countrywide still cannot afford three meals a day?
Despite experienced economic hardships, it is evident that there is a way out and no reason to sink into despair. As one philosopher put it, ‘knowing the gravity of the challenge leads to an equally serious solution.’
Of late, the common cry has been an abrupt decline of purchasing power. Perhaps the loopholes that previously allowed easy flow of cash are now largely sealed off. However, life is not about treacherous survival but genuine engagement in productive activities.
Time has come to walk the talk of an expression having it that ‘people learn from each other, just as iron sharpens iron.' There are many successful economies worldwide from whom Tanzania could borrow a leaf.
Nevertheless, for the sake of a collective and quick economic leap, we suggest that Tanzania can draw lessons from the Chinese Agricultural Policies and Rural Development strategy known as ‘give more, take less.’
Under that arrangement, public servants get promotion by showing practically the contribution made to help the rural community fight poverty in a sustainable manner.
For example, extension officers, veterinary, health and a host of other educationists move to villages where a particular project/challenge has been identified. They stay there working closely with villagers to the conclusive end of the project.
Loans are issued to villagers, but not in cash at hand but rather asked the kind of productive activity one intended to work on like cultivation of rice, fruits, poultry, animal husbandry etc. The issued loan therefore is directed to the project under the supervision of professionals for guaranteed success. In this way millions have been able to fight poverty steadily.
During harvest and marketing of the produce, the villagers are required to make loan repayment but through instalments to make sure that the family is not impoverished but rather left with enough capital.
This is where the term ‘give more, take less’ originates from. The advantage of the program is that the return of loans is guaranteed, families fight poverty efficiently, specialists share skills accordingly and market coordination is assured to avoid throwing away products.
Such focus on agriculture cannot be overstated because it is the major industry to address problems of rural unemployment, poverty and also ensure reliable source of raw materials for agro-industrial development. Agriculture can absorb millions in the labour force, contributing immensely to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The government through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) for example, is doing a commendable job to make sure that the countryside is electrified. But it is not clear how the villagers will be assisted to make use of the supplied power to boost economic activities to fight poverty, ignorance and diseases.
There are numerous sectors of production ranging from fishery, animal husbandry, poultry and cultivation of vegetables through irrigation projects. We believe the best way to end complaints against merchants who import grain from abroad is to train our people on how best to satisfy growing market demand.
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