REPOA e-Newsletter Issue No. 5
18th Annual Research Workshop Afrobarometer Survey findings Policy Research Training workshop for Zanzibar MDAs REPOA visit universities in Morogoro Roundtable discussion; comparing the cashew sectors of Tanzania…
Do I Have To Pay Tax? Citizens’ Awareness Of Their Tax Obligations In Tanzania
The survey results indicate that more citizens are aware of their tax obligations when access to tax information is easy. Furthermore, citizen’s educational attainment is associated with greater awareness of tax obligations, while urban residents are more often aware of their tax obligations than rural residents. Based on this evidence, the brief recommends improving access […]
Citizens’ Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Taxation, Tax Enforcement and Tax Officials
The last two decades have seen Tanzania implement important reforms of its tax system in search for more reliable financing for development, other than foreign aid. Thanks to these efforts, revenue raised domestically has grown noticeably, from 12.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in fiscal year 1997/8 to 17.8 percent of GDP in 2011/12. […]
Achieving High Economic Growth with Rapid Poverty Reduction
The Case of Vietnam Over the last few decades, development policy has been dominated by mainstream economic theories that focus on the need for economic growth above all else to achieve sustainable development. But, in practice, many of the developing countries that have undergone radical structural adjustment of their economies to increase growth have not […]
Examining the Institutional Framework for Investment in Tanzania
A perspective from the Executive Opinion Survey, 2012-13 This policy brief looks at the country-level findings from the 2012/13 Global Competitiveness Report prepared for the World Economic Forum; highlights the current institutional set up in relation to investment; and identifies institutional and policy reforms that could stimulate growth and make Tanzania more competitive on the […]
Supporting Tanzania’s Cocoa Farmers
Background to the study: Agriculture is the leading sector of the Tanzanian economy and the most critical for inclusive pro-poor growth. Agriculture provides employment for more than three-quarters of the population, accounts for 75% of the country’s exports, and contributes almost 50% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Cocoa was introduced into Tanzania in the 1950s […]
Why Poverty Remains High in Tanzania: And What to Do About It?
By using growth incidence curves and pseudo-cohort analysis, we show that Tanzania’s growth from 2001 to 2007 has not been favourable to the poor. The underlying reason for this disparity appears to be the slow growth in agriculture, on which most rural poor make a living. However, we argue that the development of agriculture alone […]
Socio-Economic Transformation for Poverty Reduction
Eight Key Messages for Unlocking Tanzania’s Potential What will it take for a robust socio-economic transformation in Tanzania to be realized? Drawing on extensive research into high-achieving countries including learning missions to Viet Nam, China, Namibia and Brazil, this brief identifies eight key messages for unlocking Tanzania’s socio-economic potential and realizing the goal of transforming […]
The Instrumental versus the Symbolic
Investigating Members’ Participation in Civil Society Networks in Tanzania Civil society organisations (CSO) networks can provide a conduit through which the voices of citizens are able to reach and influence national policy dialogue and debate. But is this happening in practise? This study set out to examine how effectively and meaningfully CSO member organisations are […]
Supporting Tanzania’s Cocoa Farmers
The distinctive flavour of Tanzanian cocoa has recently been attracting the attention of the international cocoa world. Like coffee, the quality of the cocoa bean can be greatly enhanced by how it is tended, yet much of the country’s crop does not yet reach its full potential because of poor planting, cultivating and processing techniques. […]
Biofuel Investment in Tanzania
Awareness and Participation of the Local Communities Biofuel investment in Tanzania has been welcomed on the grounds of its expected ability to reduce energy costs, increase national income, and help in transport and agriculture sectors by providing income and rural energy, thereby alleviating poverty. However, in Tanzania biofuel investment is unfolding in absence of a […]
Affordability and Expenditure Patterns for Electricity and Kerosene in Urban Households in Tanzania
Can the urban poor of Tanzania afford the cost of using modern sources of energy,1 i.e. electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene? This question has been repeatedly raised, primarily in the political arena, and unfortunately less so in academia. Three major factors reveal the importance of energy affordability in Tanzania. First and foremost is […]
Understanding Rural Transformation in Tanzania
Tracer Study for Research Users: The case of TGN Media Training
This brief assesses the relevance, use, and outcomes of training workshops offered by REPOA to media personnel in 2008, 2009, and 2010 on the use of the Tanzania Governance Noticeboard (TGN) for following up public budgets and expenditures.
The Effect of Boards on the Performance of Microfinance Institutions
Evidence from Tanzania and Kenya Although microfinance institutions (MFIs) are the most prominent providers of financial services to low-income people, their economic and social performance is subject to debate. How MFIs are governed is likely to affect their efficiency, outreach to the poor, sustainability, and impact on poverty alleviation. This study explores and examines the […]
The Governance of the Capitation Grant in Primary Education in Tanzania
Why Civic Engagement and School Autonomy Matter This study examines the governance of the capitation grant in 48 primary schools in six local councils of Tanzania, a recurrent expenditure mechanism introduced to compensate for the abolition of school fees in public schools in 2002. The study focuses on whether civic engagement (demand-side) and/ or school […]