REPOA’s research programme is broadly tailored to ensure delivery of our core institutional mission i.e., engaging in policy research and dialogue that promote socio-economic transformation for inclusive development – at a period of rapid change in the domestic and international operating environments.
As such, REPOA produces knowledge around specific research themes as presented under three (3) main clusters/thematic areas – complemented by two cross-cutting themes. Through these themes REPOA intends to enrich the scope of our work by addressing the national development priorities and at the same time responding to the regional and international commitments, including the SGDs. These themes were consolidated from recommendations from our key stakeholders through consultative engagements and forums.
Research Theme 1:
Productive Sectors and Inclusive Development (PSID)
Under this theme REPOA seeks to bring focus on research that informs and promotes transformative policies to ensure economic growth that is inclusive, sustainable, and competitive. It is anticipated to contribute directly to the national plan including the 3rd Five Year Development Plan focusing on deepening productivity gains and promoting national competitiveness. REPOA will continue to undertake research that identifies the remaining bottlenecks and policy actions needed to raise national competitiveness, starting with the core productive and service sectors.
We will also examine ways to strengthen linkages between the dynamic sectors of manufacturing and services with agriculture and other labour-intensive sectors of the economy. Consideration will be given to levels of technology and innovation that improve efficiency & productivity, as well as strategies to build skills, stimulate private sector expansion, generate jobs, and attract high quality FDIs. We will also be at the forefront of research and dialogue that promotes green growth strategies with resource efficient transitions to job growth, industrialization, and sustainable urbanisation.
Research under this theme will also inform and appraise Tanzania’s progress towards the United Nations’ SDGs 2, 8, 9, 11, 14 and 15.
The sub-themes to deliver on this agenda are Employment, Productivity & Competitiveness; Natural Resources in the transformation process; Trade, value chains, and Regional Integration; Informal Economy; Development financing; Demographic transition and impact on development, Food security and transformation; Migration and urbanisation, and the Green Economy.
Research Theme 2:
Gender and Human Development (GHD)
Under this theme REPOA seeks to inform on human development policies, strategies and spending that promote effective and inclusive delivery of social services. This is necessary for sustained poverty reduction, and capability of the population to engage productively in economic and social activities. Such policies and strategies must also focus on the most disadvantaged and the underlying drivers of disadvantage entrenched in gender, geographical location, age and/or other identity-based inequalities.
REPOA will research on approaches to social services provision for the welfare of Tanzania’s society that pays attention to gender differences in developing human capability through provision of high-quality health, education, and water services. Research conducted under this theme will specifically seek to inform national and regional development commitments consistent with the United Nations’ SDGs 3,4,5 and 6.
The sub-themes to deliver on this agenda are social services provisioning, social protection, deprivation, and vulnerability; Gender gaps in business and property ownership; Gender gaps in productive value chains; Gender gaps in enterprise creation and development; Gender gaps in labour and tradable markets and Gender & societal relations.
Research Theme 3:
Governance, Accountability & Citizen Participation (GAP)
This theme demonstrates REPOA’s commitment to supporting improvements in economic governance, higher accountability in social service delivery, and the enhanced participation of citizens in key issues that affect their everyday lives. Governance and related systems are among the longest standing themes in REPOA’s research platform, having emerged from the early 2000’s participation in the Local Government Reform agenda, Afrobarometer survey and Tanzania Governance Noticeboard (TGN).
We will aim to produce rigorous evidence regarding appropriate approaches for improving key aspects of service delivery, performance of public sector institutions, transparency, rule of law, responsiveness, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability. It is intended that the focus on national and local systems of governance will inform, challenge, and appraise national and regional policies with respect to the United Nations SDGs 16 and 17, and demonstrate the importance of inclusive participation in development policy. One of the key aspects under this theme will also be exploring effective approaches to broadening participation of citizens in the socio-economic transformation and growth process, particularly through LGAs and the potential role they can play in promoting local economic development (LED).
The sub-themes to deliver on this agenda are State markets and civil society; Development disparity and inequality; Deepening of decentralization and LED; Accountability and citizen engagement and managing for sustainability.
Cross-Cutting Theme 1: Environment & Climate Change
We will endeavour to ensure that all our research has a focus on sustainability by promoting the balanced use of natural resources to meet evolving human needs.
REPOA will more actively and directly engage with research on sustainable uses of natural resources and minimization of the effects of environmental degradation, climate change, urbanisation, and population growth. The collective of environment and climate change concerns in all our thematic areas of research underscores REPOA’s own commitment to contribute to evidence-informed footprint for SDGs 12,13,14 and 15.
Cross-Cutting Theme 2: Technology, Innovation & Data Management
We are fully cognizant of the need to bring about transformation that benefits and leverages from new technologies in socio-economic aspects of our economy, that is: education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and governance, among others.
Adoption and application of technology, promoting innovation and better data governance, including free flow of information, are critical for improving competitiveness in all our economic sectors as envisioned by TDV 2025. Our research will explore the different platforms and opportunities available to make the transformation smoother and more effective and to minimize the disruptive nature of rapid evolution in technology. As a research institution, we will effectively play our role of providing knowledge and information that popularizes the use of new technologies that positively impact products and processes to improve and enhance labour productivity as well as market competitiveness.
REPOA will promote a more effective research data management/ governance environment to ensure stakeholder engagement, to cultivate a shared understanding of the state of the country’s and regional socio-economic aspects, to bring our disconnected data environment together, as well as supporting data value optimization across the many research initiatives.
*For further REPOA’s research outputs scroll down on our “Publications” menu at the home page.