Zanzibar, December 11, 2024
The Draft National Development Vision 2050 was unveiled in Tanzania on December 11, 2024, signalling a new era for the nation. His Excellency Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, graced the event, attended by government officials, development partners, media representatives, and other key stakeholders.
The Draft Vision 2050 results from an inclusive and extensive consultation process that engaged over 1.17 million Tanzanians and development stakeholders from December 2023 to October 2024. Insights were collected through household surveys, SMS platforms, online submissions, forums, interviews, and dialogues with current and former leaders. In his keynote address, President Mwinyi underscored the significance of the Vision in charting Tanzania’s path toward sustainable development.
“The Draft Vision 2050 sets a bold direction for Tanzania’s development. At SAGCOT, we are dedicated to achieving its aspirations by advancing agriculture as a pillar of prosperity. I encourage all stakeholders to read the Vision and contribute their ideas. Together, we can transform our agricultural sector into a sustainable growth and national progress driver.” Godfrey Kirenga, CEO, SAGCOT Centre.
Strategic Focus on Agriculture in Tanzania’s Draft Vision 2050
The Draft National Development Vision 2050 prioritizes agriculture as the foundational pillar for Tanzania’s socio-economic transformation, emphasizing its critical role in driving growth, ensuring food security, and reducing poverty. The document underscores agriculture’s significance and outlines a roadmap to modernize and elevate the sector.
1. Agriculture as the Bedrock of Development
Agriculture remains Tanzania’s most significant economic sector, contributing 26.7% of GDP, employing 65% of the workforce, and accounting for approximately 30% of export earnings.
The Vision describes agriculture as:
“A sector with immense potential for societal and economic transformation, serving as a backbone for national development by enhancing food security, livelihoods, and export growth.”
The document further emphasizes:
“The agricultural sector is foundational in achieving a resilient economy and ensuring the safety and well-being of Tanzanians.”
2. Strategic Focus Areas in Agriculture
The Vision identifies agriculture as encompassing key subsectors—crops, livestock, fisheries, and forestry—offering unique growth opportunities.
- Crops:
“Advancing climate-resilient agricultural practices and developing reliable market access are critical to enhancing productivity and income for farmers.”
- Livestock:
“Strengthening animal health services and sustainable livestock feeding practices will improve productivity and contribute to local and international markets.”
- Fisheries:
“Scientific fisheries management and modern aquaculture will support the blue economy while ensuring environmental sustainability.”
- Forestry:
“Forestry resources will be leveraged for environmental protection and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods.”
3. Key Challenges and Proposed Solutions
The Vision acknowledges barriers, including limited access to modern agricultural technologies, market access challenges, and climate change. To overcome these, it proposes:
“Expanding the use of advanced technologies and infrastructure to improve efficiency in agricultural value chains.”
“Strengthening partnerships between farmers, government, and private stakeholders to promote investment in the sector.”
4. Value Addition and Export Promotion
The Vision places significant importance on agro-processing and value addition to transform agriculture into a competitive sector.
“Adding value to agricultural products through industrialization and modern agro-processing facilities will enable Tanzania to compete in global markets while increasing farmers’ incomes.”
5. Sustainability and Resilience
The Vision emphasizes sustainable practices to ensure long-term agricultural productivity and environmental conservation.
“Sustainable agricultural practices will preserve soil fertility, protect water resources, and mitigate the impacts of climate change, ensuring resilience in the sector.”
6. Pathway to Agricultural Transformation
To achieve its goals, the Vision outlines key strategies:
- Investment in research and innovation to boost productivity.
- Capacity building for farmers to adopt modern techniques.
- Policy reforms to create a conducive environment for agricultural development.
- Enhanced access to finance and markets for smallholder farmers.
Hon. Prof. Kitila Mkumbo, Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment, outlined the next steps in the process:
“The launch of this draft initiates the second phase of stakeholder engagement, focused on validating and refining the Vision. This phase runs until January 18, 2025. The revised draft will then be submitted to the Prime Minister for further deliberation.”
Key government bodies, including the National Planning Commission and the Cabinet, will review the Vision between January and March 2025. Parliamentary discussions and approval are scheduled for April and May 2025.
Key Steps in Preparing the Vision
- Preparation of guidelines (April 2023).
- Formation of drafting teams, including the Core Team of Experts.
- Development of the initial draft.
- Launch of stakeholder engagement processes.
- Collection of stakeholder feedback.
- Learning and adaptation based on stakeholder input.
- Launch of the First Draft Vision.
- Collection of additional feedback from stakeholders.
- Development of the second draft to undergo national decision-making processes.
- Presentation of the Vision to Parliament for deliberation between April and June 2025.
- The official launch of the Vision will be in May or June 2025, before the dissolution of Parliament.
Download the Draft National Development Vision 2050 and share your views
