Agriculture in Tanzania Since 1986: Follower or Leader of Growth? (World Bank Studies)

In the early 1980s, Tanzania's agricultural exports collapsed. Subsequently, economic reforms were introduced to allow market forces to play a greater role in the economy. Since 1993, however, the government has spent less on agriculture. While a recent World Bank study argues that Tanzania should focus its investment on the urban sector, this report contends that investment in the agricultural sector has proven advantages. To support their argument, the authors ask: Is agriculture a lead sector for poverty alleviation in Tanzania or a follower? To address this topic, this report poses the following four questions concerning the place of agriculture in Tanzania's economy: * What is the overall effect of agricultural and macroeconomic reforms since 1986 on incentives in the agricultural sector? * What has been the performance of the agricultural sector in Tanzania since 1986? In particular, how can we reconcile figures showing a high rate of agricultural gross domestic product growth with stagnant food production data? * What are the trends and patterns in poverty and nutrition in Tanzania? What do they tell us about actual agricultural performance and needed priorities in economic development? * What is the role of agriculture in overall economic growth in Tanzania? How much priority should the government put on agricultural development compared to other sectors? The report was prepared by the International Food Policy Research Institute in collaboration with the World Bank, the Government of Tanzania, and local experts. The Governments of Denmark and Sweden financed most of the study that led to this report. The report will be of interest to policymakers in the agricultural sector.World Bank is the author of 'Agriculture in Tanzania Since 1986: Follower or Leader of Growth? (World Bank Studies)' with ISBN 9780821347799 and ISBN 0821347799.