Our publications provide evidence-based research, policy briefs, and analytical papers that inform decision-making and contribute to national and regional development. They serve as a reliable source of knowledge for policymakers, researchers, development partners, and the general public seeking insights on key economic and social issues.
This brief examines the energy sector in Tanzania and the acute shortage of electricians anticipated as the national electricity grid expands. This shortage results from skills gaps that can only be addressed through expansion and upgrading of vocational
This brief examines the experience of four councils in Tanzania in implementing Opportunities and Obstacles to Development (O&OD), a bottom-up participatory planning methodology for local development. The study found little evidence to date that the approach has increased local autonomy in prioritising, planning and budgeting of development activities. Interactions and
This brief examines the institutional framework for supporting the growth of micro and small businesses in Tanzania. Findings indicate a high demand for business support among MSEs but only limited use of services, such as loans from financial institutions, due to the complexity and stringency of conditions to access these
This brief presents findings from the Executive Opinion Survey 2009, a core input of the Global Competitiveness Report 2009-10 produced by the World Economic Forum. The findings indicate that general security for businesses in Tanzania is good, well ahead of other countries in the East African Community (EAC). 1 However,
This brief examines the status of nutrition in Tanzania. Despite improvements between 1999 and 2004/05, data clearly show that the prevalence of child undernutrition remains high in Tanzania and malnutrition begins at an early age. Based on the evidence presented, the brief concludes that a national strategy to prevent malnutrition
Lessons from Education, Legislation and Social Protection This brief summarises three case studies of recent policy/programme developments regarding child well-being in Tanzania and examines the political ‘drivers of change’ that influence policy and action on child well-being.
This brief examines changes in citizens’ perceptions of local taxation in six councils in Tanzania; investigating why residents do or do not pay local taxes, and their perceptions of misuse of tax revenue. The brief also provides recommendations on measures
To inform ongoing anti-corruption efforts at both local and national levels, the views and experiences of citizens are essential for assessing the extent of corruption and for designing effective anti-corruption measures.
This brief highlights the key issues of children and vulnerability 3 in Mainland Tanzania. It provides an overview of mortality, malnutrition, ill-health, disability, orphanhood, HIV/AIDS, education, child labour and abuse.
Many local government authorities in Tanzania have reformed their tax collection systems in recent years in order to increase their revenue. This brief examines recent experiences with privatised revenue collection in seven urban and rural councils in…
This new approach to research with children came to the fore as theories about children and childhood evolved from the traditional assumptions that viewed children as naturally passive, otherwise immature and hence incompetent persons who required training as they developed into adults.
The Local Government Reform Programme (LGRP) aims to transfer duties and financial resources from central to local government levels. Local government authorities are thought to be in a better position to identify people’s needs by encouraging citizens’ participation in democratic governance, and thus supply the appropriate form and level of
Can Poverty Mapping be used to predict change in per capita consumption in Tanzania over time? In recent years a technique has been developed to obtain generate poverty estimates for small geographical areas where the available data is not representative. This estimation method, in popular terms called poverty mapping, combines
District planning combines district-based, participatory and national planning processes. This brief and accompanying report explores the views and experiences of local government staff of this ‘hybrid’ planning model. The brief also summarises the financial, administrative, and political constraints to participatory planning, and by implication the resulting constraints upon Participatory Rural