As a way of
strengthening partnership and obtaining commitment from stakeholders, each
member prepares and signs the CAADP Compact. The Compact is developed through
broad-based stakeholder consultations and round-table processes that ensure
that the CAADP agenda reflects a broad consensus on the country’s priorities to
which efforts will be devoted by all concerned.
The process of
developing the Compact has therefore involved a number of steps beginning with
creating a public awareness on the CAADP agenda, followed by a process of stock
taking to identify priority issues that are needed to be addressed as part of
the CAADP agenda. These were then validated and agreed upon by all stakeholders
before detailed strategic investment plans are developed to be implemented over
the short, medium and long term.
Signing of the
Compact indicates a consensus and commitment by all signatories, to participate
in the development of the agricultural sector within the CAADP framework. The
Compact is signed by key government ministers, representatives of Development
Partners, the private sector, farmers, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and
civil society organizations.
The Compact outlines
the agreed policies, strategies, priority areas, investment plans, and resource
requirements for the development of the agricultural sector in the country that
will lead to economic growth and food security and overall reduction of
poverty.
Advantages of CAADP
for Tanzania
The vision 2025 of
the country is to build a modern and commercial agricultural sector that is
highly productive and profitable and utilizes natural resources in a sustainable
manner. Therefore, the country’s efforts target ensuring food self-sufficiency,
enhancing export earnings and reducing poverty levels. To achieve these goals,
actions are being taken to increase primary production and productivity,
enhance agro processing and value addition and to increase profitability for
all involved in the sector.
The basic principles
of ASDP and ASP are very much in line with the CAADP principles. Within the
frame of the on-going preparation of ASDP II and ASP III, CAADP provides an
opportunity for Tanzania to further strengthen its agricultural development
efforts towards achieving greater impact on the country’s economy and food
security. Specifically, signing the Compact has the following advantages:
1. First, the CAADP
roundtable and compact signing allows for a broader range of stakeholders to engage
and commit themselves to support the agricultural sector in more harmonized
approach.
Currently, the
ASDP/ASP is supported by a small group of Development Partners through the basket
funding and a number of projects. The CAADP process provides an opportunity to
convince other Development Partners to participate by obtaining consensus on
priority areas for support, and by adopting a more flexible financing system.
Furthermore, within the ASDP/ASP, the involvement of NGOs and the private
commercial sector has been rather limited: the CAADP process is a chance for
bringing on board the NGOs and the private sector to play a bigger role by
clarifying their roles and agreeing on the policy and institutional mechanisms
facilitating their involvement.
2. Secondly, the
CAADP process will allow a more accurate identification of the priority needs
of the country, based on lessons learned from the implementation of ASDP/ASP
and a thorough and rigorous analytical work of the sector based on the current
situation. Such analysis will also benefit from the lessons from other
countries by allowing the participation of peers from other countries in the
region.
3. Thirdly, the
current phase of ASDP and ASP will come to an end in 2012/2013 and 2011
respectively.
Likewise, the current
phase of the National Strategies for Growth and Reduction of Poverty for
Tanzania mainland and
Zanzibar are ending, and the process of developing the next phase is ongoing.
Signing the Compact
provides an opportunity for realignment of the country’s agricultural development
strategies to the overall poverty reduction strategies, so that agricultural
development may have a bigger impact on poverty reduction. The process of
identifying the strategic investment priorities for the agricultural sector
within the CAADP process will facilitate sector growth and sector contribution
to poverty reduction and national development.
4. Fourthly, signing
the Compact allows the country to participate more effectively in, and benefit more
from regional initiatives such as regional policies that may promote more
dynamic regional and sub-regional market linkages and other (sub) regional
collaborations that will contribute to the development of the agricultural
sector in the country.
5. Finally, the
Compact will provide the blue print and mutual commitment for the long term
agricultural development in Tanzania. The CAADP framework will allow Tanzania
to bring all the agricultural development initiatives under one umbrella, thus
bringing more coherence and predictability both on the part of farmers, the
Government, Development Partners and other stakeholders as to the interventions
to be implemented in the sector in the long run. This is also likely to attract
more private investments into the sector.
Conclusion
CAADP is a
continental framework for transforming the agriculture sector in African
countries. It provides the opportunity to pull the majority of Africans out of
poverty through agricultural development. For Tanzania it is an opportunity to
achieve the goals of the National Strategies for Growth and Reduction of
Poverty, and eventually for achieving the goals of the Development Visions 2025
and 2020 for Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar respectively. Signing the Compact
would complement efforts towards transformed agriculture and sustained economic
growth through Kilimo Kwanza and ASDP; Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI)
and ASP for Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar respectively.
Source: www.agriculture.go.tz/CAADP/Brochure
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