Can Agriculture Correct Tanzania's Negative Balance of Payment?

[John Mashaka]

Agriculture has bankrolled Tanzanian economy for a long time, contributing as much as 27.8 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).It remains potentially the most lucrative sector of the economy. The lingering question is whether the sector can alleviate Tanzania’s economic burden by offsetting the current negative balance of payment.

With the nation at Sh22 trillion in debt, offsetting balance of payments (BoP) could be a tricky one, unless each and every able individual engages in productivity. The agricultural sector seems to be the only viable option that can employ every able bodied individual. Tanzania has vast arable land, which is rapidly falling in the hands of foreigners engaged in farming not for the benefit of the local economy, but rather, to provide raw material for their industries and food security for their people

After independence, Tanzania became a manufacturing hub. Cotton farmers had a ready market for their produce. Textile mills - Mwatex, Sunguratex and the like - created thousands of jobs to urban dwellers and were a source of steady income for farmers in rural areas. The surplus raw material was processed and exported to foreign markets.

Today, all the textiles and cotton processing factories are literally gone while large-scale cotton farming has been abandoned because farmers have no motivation to work. In the sixties and seventies, Tanzania’s economic potential was much higher than that of many nations in the red-hot economies in Asia such as South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and others.

In contrast, Tanzania is three times the size of Vietnam with only 45 million people while the Vietnam population stands in excess of 88 million. Vietnam recorded a current account surplus of $246 million in 2012 while Tanzania recorded $250 million deficit in the same year. Why such a huge contrast when Tanzania has much more potential than Vietnam?

Beginning in the 1990s, the Vietnamese government launched a special program, which elevated the country’s agricultural standing to higher heights making it the world’s leading rice producer and exporter. In 2010, Vietnam broke the barrier and became the largest rice producer. The new policy became so successful that Vietnam eliminated internal food scarcity and today has plenty to export. Agriculture contributes 22 per cent into Vietnamese GDP. Agriculture has revolutionized the country’s economy, following the footsteps of giants such as South Korea in becoming a global manufacturing hub.

Vietnam processes its own agricultural produce, and only exports finished products, a move that has kept unemployment at 4.3 per cent and inflation at 4.5 per cent. In Tanzania, rural farmers are suffering extreme bouts of apathy and are no-longer motivated to carry on large scale farming. This is because they lack sufficient and organized markets for their produce. They lack capital, farm inputs, and an infrastructural base that would enable them access both domestic and foreign markets.

Elsewhere, tiny Netherlands is racking-in $79 billion annually from agriculture. Ironically, Tanzania’s agricultural potential is well over $90 billion, dwarfing both the Netherlands and Brazil.Tanzania has the potential to feed itself, the entire sub-Saharan Africa, and parts of Europe Sadly, Tanzania is importing tainted rice, receiving spoilt maize as humanitarian assistance when it has millions of hectors either idle or leased to foreign entities.

The country is also importing contaminated fish from Japan, yet cargo-planes are loading tonnes of fresh fish from Mwanza to Eastern Europe at a throw away price. Tanzania dairy farmers are selling milk cheaply to some neighboring countries that process it and then bring it back into our domestic market as processed dairy products at a higher price. Tanzania need an agricultural revolution that will ensure only processed and finished agricultural-products are exported. Not raw-products that fetches almost nothing in the world market. The revolution must provide tax incentives to farmers and companies that engage in export
To correct the current balance of payment through agriculture, the government must design a revolutionary blueprint, by providing research, technical, financial and farming input assistance to farmers. It must help agricultural traders secure entry into the global market. Quarter System is needed on importation of food and agricultural products to boost local innovation and productivity.

 

[EMT]

Only if we have enough food to feed ourselves first. A farmer will not produce more to export if s/he cannot feed him/herself and have enough reserves available just in case. I am not an agricultural economist, but I believe that agriculture can, nonetheless, plays a crucial role in the balance of payment. But there is a need to also take into account determinant variables, such as population growth and trade barriers.

A farmer in Tandahimba may legitimately ask what caused the negative balance of payment in the first place? S/he might want to know why s/he should produce more than what s/he is producing now whilst those causes of the negative balance of payment are not addressed?

Surely, s/he will not be forced with a big stick to produce more to balance the negative balance of payment. We are not in Ujamaa age any more. Even if s/he is left to freely make his/her own decision on whether s/he should produce more, s/he has no data to help him/her reaching an informed decision. I bet if s/he knows the Tanzania's negative balance of payment.

As Zakumi once said, "Watanzania hatuna knowledge base na hatujajenga capabilities zetu. Kwa mfano uzalishaji wa chakula ni capital intensive hata Marekani. Lakini ili nchi kama Marekani wazalishe chakula cha kutosha, wanatoa ruzuku kwa wakulima. Mkulima Tanzania anahimizwa kulima na hapati chochote asipofanikiwa katika msimu. Mkulima huyo huyo akiamua alime kwa sababu ya kujitosheleza mwenyewe kwa chakula, anaitwa mvivu."

The problem is that our national approach does not involve individual farmers. They are not involved in the decision-making process. As I said in another thread, kukaa tuu kwenye ghorofa Dar Es Salaam au WTO Geneva ku-design agricultural polices na ku-negotoate trade related aspects of agriculture kwa watu wanaoishi Tandahimba bila hata kuwahusisha, sidhani kama kutasaidia kuongeza usalishaji kwenye kilimo to the extent of correcting the negative balance of payment.

Of course, farmers may be cautious, but they are entitled to be so because their indigenous farming knowledge is no longer appreciated. Sisi ambao hata hatujawahi kushika mpini wa jembe think we know better farming better than them.

Kwa mfano, kuna mbunge mmoja wa Karagwe alimwuliza swali waziri wa kilimo kutaka kujua serikali ilikuwa na mpango gani kukabiliana na bacteria waliokuwa wanaangamiza migomba jimboni kwake. Waziri alijibu kuwa serikali inawashauri wakulima waoteshe migomba mipya aina ya chotara ili kukabiliana na hao bacteria. Pia akawashauri wakulima wakuzie aina fulani ya dawa.

Lakini mbunge huyo alidai wananchi wanataka kuendelea kupanda migomba asilia na siyo hiyo ya chotara. Pia akadai dawa aliyopendekeza waziri inauzwa sh. 6000 na wananchi wa kawaida hawataweza ku-afford. Mbunge akaendelea kudai haelewi ni kwa nini serikali inawashauri wakulima kupanda migomba chotara badala ya ile ya asili wakati serikali ya Uganda kwa kushirikiana na wakulima wake wamefanikiwa kupambana na hao bacteria na hivyo kuendelea kupanda migomba asilia.

As Mtazamaji once said, "..tunaambiwa kiwanja cha ndege cha kimataifa Songwe mbeya kitasiaida soko la maua. At the same time real backbone infrustructure ya kuondoa umasikini TAZARA iko hoi…Tani ngapi za mahindi mazao na bidhaa na hata watu zitasafirishwa kwenye hivi viwanja kama cha Songwe ili bidhaa ziwafikie wananchi na movement ya bishara iwe rahisi?"

 

[Shayu]

Thanx for sharing kaka. Ninaweza kuona uzalendo wako kwenye hii article, kama tukiwa wamoja na wenye mtazamo mmoja wa kuendeleza nchi hii matatizo mengi yataondoka naamini hivyo.

 

[a4afrika]

Tatizo letu si rasilimali, zipo za kutosha. Tatizo letu ni FIKRA zetu, ni kwa jinsi gani tunaweza kuhusianisha Uchumi, Siasa na Utamaduni katika kubuni na kusuka imani, mifumo, sera na mikakati itakayoleta tija si kwa kizazi chetu tu, bali na kile kijacho. Ni serikali ya kipumbavu tu katika nchi kama yetu, itakayopuuza nafasi ya kilimo katika maendeleo yake.
Mungu wetu anaita sasa.

 

[FJM]

The most realistic option if we trully want to this country move is to develop this sector. And we have to go beyond the 'productivity' concept and look at our laws and education system (lazima uanze kuandaa wakulima kuanzia kwenye shule) then move on to supporting industries kwa maana ya viwanda vya ku-addd value.

Sectors nyingine kama mining, gas /oil hazina direct link na watanzania wengi kama ilivyo kwa kilimo. Na ndio sababu bado ukuwaji wa uchumi umekuwa wa makaratasi kwa watanzania walio wengi.

 

[Mchambuzi]

John Mashaka,

This is an interesting discussion, I will return shortly to air my views...

 

[John Mashaka]

John Mashaka, This is an interesting discussion, I will return shortly to air my views...

Mchambuzi,AMT, AshaDii, EMT, Eric Cartman, FJM, H.S, Kichuguu, Kigarama, Kobello, Mkandara, Mzalendo80, Mzuvendi, Pasco, Shayu, slaa, Zitto Mchambuzi, , H.S, Mwanakijiji, and of course Zitto…. Guys I wish I knew you in persons. You are too valuable to remain on the background.

Your contributions always captivates my mind. We must as a team try to forge some kind of an approach or strategy that will empower our people into realizing that they collective have a role to play in shaping their nation I am not a regular in the forum; however, your flow of ideas, thinking patterns pushes me to thinker dipper and dipper. Your philosophical and learned assessments of global issues are astounding.

They are really needed in Tanzania. Periodically I differ with issue, it does not mean I hate Zitto, No. I adore the guy with his courage, drive and determination for the better good of our people, and of course problem solvers never agree on everything, they must differ and perhaps find a common ground. The same applies to the visionary Mzee Mwanakijiji and the rest His latest approach on the natural gas issue has my 100% backing. We need to develop meaningful policies.

Back to the subject, Gas, Oil, gold, diamond will come to pass. Agriculture will not, and not everybody can be employment in those areas. Agriculture has the potential to employee every capable Tanzania. How can we motivate and encourage each person to regard agriculture as the economic salvation?

 

[Nguruvi3]

John, thanks for the intriguing topic.
Before I chip in my one cent, I would comment that agriculture encompass farming, husbandry and in modern world fishing is part of it.I hope this will help us understand the concept of agriculture

Your question is can agriculture make a difference in our economy? My answer is yes.
As we stand right now our pre-industrial agriculture (subsistence agriculture) contributes 27.8% of GDP
I have no doubt that if we make a bold and decisive decision to embrace agronomy we double or triple the percentage.
The Asian tigers did it within 25-30, isn’t time to borrow a leaf from them!

EMT I beg to differ with you on the notion that peasant will not produce unless the BoP is addressed.
‘Greedy’ is human nature that we should not ignore in this scenario.

Warren Buffet, a multi-billionaire is striving for innovation everyday to increase his net worth the likes of Bill gate etc.
Likewise a Tandahimba villager would want to produce more if provided with favorable environ

John had it that we have untapped human manpower, arable land for agriculture, ready market such as sub Sahara and Europe which I fully concur with him.
The Food and Agric Organization (FAO) predicts the global food crisis in next decade

Again, the ecological crisis and environs destruction is the talk of the day.
The world is reverting to Bioproduct such as sisal to counter the carbon emission from synthetic products

That being said, how do we position to seize those opportunities?

Mashaka has reminded me of 70’s and late 80’s where as Maziwa ya Mara (M/M) was pasteurized and remain
Fresh for 6 month unrefrigerated perhaps the best in East Africa.

Farmers are still there,the market is even bigger but the industry is gone! Why
I’m socked to learn that the same milk produced in Mara is taken across the border, processed and brought back to Musoma!

If we real need to revolutionize our agriculture, we must take the necessary and painful steps
1. To have an austerity measures,cutting some unnecessary expenditure such as chaguzi ndogo,big gov etc so that we invest in agric especially in agronomy

2. To invest in real infrastructure targeting the agricultural area.
It’s pity to learn that maize in Sumbawanga could not find a way to the market while Chinese invested billions in Tazara which we have failed to run

3. We need community participation in decision making and not imposing projects to farmers.
People in Kilimanjaro have used irrigation for 2 century. It is improper to impose ‘’bookish’’ irrigation system to them, they should be helped to modernize their system based on the environ they already know

4. Reviving the local industry to increase the value of the products, create employment and provide forex

Make no mistake, nothing will be possible without pristine government with less political intereference

 

[John Mashaka]

Tatizo letu si rasilimali, zipo za kutosha. Tatizo letu ni FIKRA zetu, ni kwa jinsi gani tunaweza kuhusianisha Uchumi, Siasa na Utamaduni katika kubuni na kusuka imani, mifumo, sera na mikakati itakayoleta tija si kwa kizazi chetu tu, bali na kile kijacho. Ni serikali ya kipumbavu tu katika nchi kama yetu, itakayopuuza nafasi ya kilimo katika maendeleo yake.
Mungu wetu anaita sasa.

Ukizungumzia Fikra utaonekana ni dharau, ila sioni sababu ya viongozi wetu kuweka mkazo wa kilimo kuinyanyua uchumi wetu. Potential tuliyonayo ni kubwa sana kama taifa. Tuna uwezo wa kulisha nuru ya Bara la Afrika. Morogoro yenyewe ina uwezo wa kulisha Tanzania nzima, lakini tunapokea vyakula vilivyooza kutoka barani Asia. Aibu

 

[a4afrika]

Ukizungumzia Fikra utaonekana ni dharau, ila sioni sababu ya viongozi wetu kuweka mkazo wa kilimo kuinyanyua uchumi wetu. Potential tuliyonayo ni kubwa sana kama taifa. Tuna uwezo wa kulisha nuru ya Bara la Afrika. Morogoro yenyewe ina uwezo wa kulisha Tanzania nzima, lakini tunapokea vyakula vilivyooza kutoka barani Asia. Aibu

Itaonekana ni dharau kwa nani? Mwerevu au mpumbavu? Kama ni mpumbavu, aje atuogopeshe? ACHANA NAO, SEMA KWELI UNAYOIONA! Ukombozi wowote, unaanzia kwenye FIKRA za watu, kama ni duni/mfu harakati nyingine zote ni MFU! Mfano mzuri, tazama nafasi ya kilimo katika uchumi wetu, kisha pima uzito unaopewa si na serikali tu bali na wananchi wote! Leo mtanzania kuitwa mkulima anaona ni dharau, ametengenezwa sawa lakini kwanini nae akubali kutengenezwa? Fikiria ni watanzania wangapi watanunu apple la Lushoto sokoni litakaposhindanishwa na lile la South Africa? Unajua kwamba hata kuingiza bidhaa za kilimo toka nje ni zao la FIKRA zilizoafikiana na huo MFUMO? Tuogope kuzita MFU wakati tunaona bidhaa zetu zinadorora?
Boresha soko la ndani la kilimo kwanza kwa kusambaza miundombinu, pembembejeo, elimu, na LILINDE SOKO HILO! Sasa Fikra za maboresho ya kilimo zilizopo ni za kukabidhi aridhi yetu yenye rutuba kwa nguruwe weupe au vibaraka vyao, niogope nini kuziita MFU ni za KIPUMBAVU?
Kwa uzito na nafasi ya kilimo katika uchumi wetu, SIONI BUSARA YOYOTE YA SERIKALI KUTOJIINGIZA MOJA KWA MOJA KATIKA UZALISHAJI! Fikra za HURIA ni DUNI MNO! Kwanini serikali isiwe na plantations zake kupitia serikali zake za mitaa? Watakachoshindwa raia serikali itafidia. Mazingira na FIKRA zetu haziruhusu kunufaika na hawa wageni wavamizi katika kilimo chetu, sio MANTIKI ya serikali kujiweka pembeni! Ati kisa tu, system. Pumbavu!
Mungu wetu anaita sasa!

 

[Shayu]

By Nature kilimo kimekuwa njia rahisi ya accumulation of capital. Kila taifa lililoendelea limepitia huko kwa kuwekeza kwa kiasi kikubwa na kuzalisha kwa wingi kwenye kilimo.

Ni kweli na ni muhimu ili tupige hatua ni lazima tuwekeze sana kwenye kilimo ili kupata mtaji wa kutosha ambao utasaidia kuwekeza katika maeneo mengine.

Kwenye madini kunahitaji technologia kubwa ili kuyavuna. Ningekuwa mimi raisi ningechelewa kuvuna madini ningewekeza kwenye kilimo kwa kiasi kikubwa. Hata kama ningevuna madini kwa kuleta wawekezaji ingekuwa ni sehemu ndogo sana ya eneo, lengo ni kuwawekea uwezo watu wetu kuvuna na kuyaongezea thamani wenyewe hapo baadae baada ya watu wetu kuelimika na kupata maarifa ya kutosha.

Ukweli ni kwamba hakuna shortcut ya maendeleo sisi kama taifa ni lazima tutoke jasho ni lazima tutie bidii ili tuendelee na kilimo kingekuwa njia mojawapo kubwa ya sisi kuendelea na mazingira yetu yana tupendelea kwakuwa na Ardhi yenye rutuba na maji mengi kila sehemu ya taifa letu.

Kuna hii collectively will ya watu kutaka kuendelea...This spirit; ikiwepo watu lazima waendelee..Hatuna hii spirit tunaongea tu midomoni.

Hamu ya taifa kutaka kuendelea... Spirit of the people who conquer..By efforts and energy, will and intellect.

Tunaweza kusafiri angani sasa, submarine zinapita chini ya bahari na watu wana wasiliana kutoka mabara ya mbali kwa haraka, bila ya hii will ya watu kutaka kuendelea tusingeona yote haya.

Tuna nguvu hii ya kubadili maisha yetu..Hii nguvu iko mikononi mwetu but we lack the will...will lack courage and faith necessary to push us forward.

We have the leaders who hesitate to take actions..We need a bold leadership not a weak ones.

Our challenges are many..all we need is a strong leadership.

All we need is the mobilization of our people toward a common goal, We need to elevate the spirit of the people: Lazima tujenge jamii inayo endure hardship..jamii ambayo iko tayari kusonga mbele kwa vyovyote vile na kushinda majaribu yote wanayokutana nayo. Taifa moja, Taifa la watu wenye mwelekeo mmoja na dira moja.

Ni katika kujitolea huku pasipo ubinafsi tutaweza kulinyanyua taifa hili. Tuna kila resources za kutufanya tuendelea.

Tuna maliasili, tuna ardhi na juu ya yote tuna watu. Tunaweza kutumia akili zetu na nguvu zetu kulinyanyua hili taifa. Tunahitaji kuwa watu wamoja na tunahitaji kujitambua sisi kina nani na tunataka kujenga nini kwa faida ya vizazi vyetu.
This spirit of citizenship we must build..Ni lazima tutambuane sisi ni watu wa taifa moja na tuna haki na wajibu. Kwa njia hii pekee tutasonga mbele.

 

[TUJITEGEMEE]

I must declare my interest as one of passive stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

Valuable contributions on the question of agriculture making a difference in our economy, have already been put forward by most of members in the earlier posts of this thread.

I agree with those who are asserting that agriculture can correct the negative Tanzania's balance of payment. I agree with them because their justification on the matter are correct and sensibly right.

The negative Tanzania's balance of payment seems to be persistent, because we have not seized the opportunities which are at our disposal site to refrain the matter. One of these opportunities is an agricultural sector. Inevitably, handsome investment and proper thorough careful implementations of a strategies set to boost the sector while involving all active and passive stakeholders, will pay positively to the living standards of vulnerable stakeholders and Tanzania economy at large.

The detriment factors, hindering our country enjoying benefits which can be unleashed by revamped agricultural sector-an opportunity to seize , are lack of moral ethical traits and political will to most of government officials who have been assigned to handle the sector.

I suggest, among other things, to find the way on 'remedying' the traits of the above mentioned government officials and 'injecting' them the political will dose.

 

[Mzuvendi]

Agriculture has bankrolled Tanzanian economy for a long time, contributing as much as 27.8 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).It remains potentially the most lucrative sector of the economy. The lingering question is whether the sector can alleviate Tanzania’s economic burden by offsetting the current negative balance of payment.

With the nation at Sh22 trillion in debt, offsetting balance of payments (BoP) could be a tricky one, unless each and every able individual engages in productivity. The agricultural sector seems to be the only viable option that can employ every able bodied individual. Tanzania has vast arable land, which is rapidly falling in the hands of foreigners engaged in farming not for the benefit of the local economy, but rather, to provide raw material for their industries and food security for their people

After independence, Tanzania became a manufacturing hub. Cotton farmers had a ready market for their produce. Textile mills - Mwatex, Sunguratex and the like - created thousands of jobs to urban dwellers and were a source of steady income for farmers in rural areas. The surplus raw material was processed and exported to foreign markets.

Today, all the textiles and cotton processing factories are literally gone while large-scale cotton farming has been abandoned because farmers have no motivation to work. In the sixties and seventies, Tanzania’s economic potential was much higher than that of many nations in the red-hot economies in Asia such as South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and others.

In contrast, Tanzania is three times the size of Vietnam with only 45 million people while the Vietnam population stands in excess of 88 million. Vietnam recorded a current account surplus of $246 million in 2012 while Tanzania recorded $250 million deficit in the same year. Why such a huge contrast when Tanzania has much more potential than Vietnam?

Beginning in the 1990s, the Vietnamese government launched a special program, which elevated the country’s agricultural standing to higher heights making it the world’s leading rice producer and exporter. In 2010, Vietnam broke the barrier and became the largest rice producer. The new policy became so successful that Vietnam eliminated internal food scarcity and today has plenty to export. Agriculture contributes 22 per cent into Vietnamese GDP. Agriculture has revolutionized the country’s economy, following the footsteps of giants such as South Korea in becoming a global manufacturing hub.

Vietnam processes its own agricultural produce, and only exports finished products, a move that has kept unemployment at 4.3 per cent and inflation at 4.5 per cent. In Tanzania, rural farmers are suffering extreme bouts of apathy and are no-longer motivated to carry on large scale farming. This is because they lack sufficient and organized markets for their produce. They lack capital, farm inputs, and an infrastructural base that would enable them access both domestic and foreign markets.

Elsewhere, tiny Netherlands is racking-in $79 billion annually from agriculture. Ironically, Tanzania’s agricultural potential is well over $90 billion, dwarfing both the Netherlands and Brazil.Tanzania has the potential to feed itself, the entire sub-Saharan Africa, and parts of Europe Sadly, Tanzania is importing tainted rice, receiving spoilt maize as humanitarian assistance when it has millions of hectors either idle or leased to foreign entities.

The country is also importing contaminated fish from Japan, yet cargo-planes are loading tonnes of fresh fish from Mwanza to Eastern Europe at a throw away price. Tanzania dairy farmers are selling milk cheaply to some neighboring countries that process it and then bring it back into our domestic market as processed dairy products at a higher price. Tanzania need an agricultural revolution that will ensure only processed and finished agricultural-products are exported. Not raw-products that fetches almost nothing in the world market. The revolution must provide tax incentives to farmers and companies that engage in export
To correct the current balance of payment through agriculture, the government must design a revolutionary blueprint, by providing research, technical, financial and farming input assistance to farmers. It must help agricultural traders secure entry into the global market. Quarter System is needed on importation of food and agricultural products to boost local innovation and productivity.

It’s true that agriculture has contributed more than 25 percent of the country’s GDP. It’s also true that majority of Tanzania depend on agriculture sector for their own survival. However, the sector isn’t the most lucrative as you pointed out and more importantly it can’t be used as a driver for debt reduction.


First of all the agriculture sector can’t stand alone. In your introduction, you have used the performances of agriculture sector in other economies to make a point. However, it should be noted that those performances are directly and indirectly connected to other economic, social, and environmental variables of given economies.

Take for example The Netherlands, there they have been practicing good agriculture for thousands years and you can’t compare them with our farmers who started commercial farming less than 150 years ago. I am not implying that Tanzanian farmers can’t emulate their counterpart in Netherland. They can, but other sectors such as education, bank, transportation, energy should play their part.

What’s more, farmers in Netherlands have access to one of the richest markets in the world, the EU block. It takes hours for agriculture products from that country to reach the rest of Western Europe. On contrary, it takes weeks to move a container of food from one part of Tanzania to another.

The Dutch people are energy conscious and if they didn’t invent the windmill technology, they perfecte it. For many years, they have used technology to improve agriculture productivity. Their education system is one of the best if not the best in the world. So is their financial sector.

For moments let’s put aside the Netherlands and talk about Vietnam. There, farming rice is a second nature there and climate favors them. More than that, rice experts that were trained in 1970s are making the difference now. As you can see, there’s a correlation between education, government policies, and agriculture sector. You can’t have experts in any sector if you don’t invest in education sector. In 70s Tanzania opened agriculture secondary schools in every corner of the country. As you know the net outcome of this schools is pathetic.

Second, we, Tanzanians, need to be very honest when accessing the economic policies of the 60s and 70. At no point in the history of the country, the economy potential of our beloved country has been higher than of those Asian tigers. The only country in our region that really came closer was Zambia, and probably Zaire. Again, I am not implying that Tanzania doesn’t have potentials. It does. However, it’s time to admit that our development policies in 60s, 70s were poorly conceived and executed. You can't find any economic theories that supported our trajectory.

Take for example textile industry. There was no enough power supply for Mwatex and Mutex. And at the end the cost of operating those two textile mills wasn’t economically feasible. Take another example. The government invested in couple spinning mills. They were supposed to be in operational in 1978. My sources tell me that nothing came to fruition. If you take the textile industry into consideration, you could argue that the whole investment did more harm than good. To some extent, it augmented the national debt you try to address.

That being said let me proceed with the debt issue. Since our independence, the country has been borrowing money to invest in various sectors, provide security or offer social services such as education, and health care. The question we should ask ourselves is why our investments don’t pay off. What’s wrong with us?

If you come up with the right answers, you would not need special attention in agriculture in order to pay our debts. The only thing you need is TO TALK THE TALK AND WALK AND THE WALK. If you go to school, make sure you learn properly. If you lauch kilimo kwanza, make sure you have the plan to excel.