By Johansein Rutaihwa | This policy brief looks at the country-level findings from the 2012/13 Global Competiveness 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 global market.

By Do Duc Dinh | This brief examines key aspects of Vietnam’s socio-economic policy over this period. The analysis identifies four major reasons for the country’s success in reducing poverty: 1) The inclusion of poverty reduction as a top priority in national development strategies and policies; 2) The strong integration of poverty reduction initiatives and other social and economic programs; 3) The increasing…

By Dr. Philip Mpango | 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 realising the goal of transforming Tanzania into a semi-industrialised, middle-income country…

By Ophelia Mascarenhas | 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 assessment is based on 50% of the media persons
who participated in the training, which involved three main topics: (i) media and good governance; (ii)…

By Maia Green | This brief explores opportunities for and constraints on agricultural innovation for small farmers. By examining the factors influencing the uptake and sustainability of small-scale pig production compared with stall-fed dairying in Ulanga District, the research found that the success of small-scale pig production was not only explicable in relation to its lower start-up and running costs. The productivity…

By Raymond Mnenwa & Emmanuel Maliti | This policy brief is dedicated to the work of Dr. Raymond Mnenwa, who passed away before the publication of this piece.


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.…

By Opportuna Kweka | The principle aims of the present study were to understand the manner in which biofuel investment is managed in the country; establish the extent to which the local communities are aware of the threats and benefits of the investment; and determine the level of involvement and participation of the local communities in the decision-making process, especially the decision to give land to the investors.

By Z. Kanyeka, A. Nyomora and A. Ndunguru | The purpose of this study was to learn more about Tanzania’s largest cocoa-producing district - Kyela. Specifically the study team sought to assess the impact of the crop on livelihoods and poverty reduction in the district, to identify constraints to cultivation, and to make recommendations for improving yields, quality, and revenues.

By Kenny Manara | This study set out to examine how effectively and meaningfully CSO member organisations are participating in two civil society networks in Tanzania, and to assess - in turn – how effective those networks are at influencing national policies and agendas.

Donald Mmari | This study analysed domestic response to changes in the coffee market configuration and the roles of institutions and organisations in the context of smallholder coffee production.