WHY WE CAN’T EAT POLICIES

Agriculture is the foundation of Tanzania’s economy, yet it has been stunted by poor implementation of policies. The sector accounts for almost half the national income and three-quarters of merchandise exports. It is also the primary source of food and employment opportunities for about 80 per cent of the population.
The government announced the “Kilimo Kwanza” initiative with much fanfare in 2009.  It was meant to revolutionise the sector by 2015. But three years to the deadline, agriculture has yet to register any tangible progress. 
If anything, only members of the business community have profited from the project.  But even they are implementing only a segment of the seventh of 10 pillars of the initiative requiring them to supply agricultural machinery and implements.
Little has been done to implement other equally important pillars, such as the first—which lays emphasis on transforming peasants into commercial farmers and promoting medium and large-scale farmers.
The main problem with agriculture in Tanzania is dependence on unreliable and irregular weather patterns. The country could get round this by investing in irrigation rather than relying on unreliable rainfall in a time of climate change.
Fresh water abounds in rivers, lakes and underground sources and irrigation would triple agricultural output. But to get to that point, land would have to be surveyed and registered if it is to be of interest to peasants. Moreover, the warehouse receipts system must be developed to lift peasant farmers from primitive subsistence agriculture.