Environment at the heart of Tanzania’s development

Abstract

The cause-and-effect relationships between environmental degradation and poverty are now widely recognized. Environmental degradation leads to widespread poverty, as it reduces the availability of clean water, productive soils, and other goods and services upon which so many people depend for their health and livelihoods. Equally, poverty is a major cause of environmental degradation as it undermines people’s will and capacity to manage resources sustainably. MKUKUTA (Mkakati wa Kukuza Uchumi na Kupunguza Umaskini Tanzania) or the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP), which is the centre piece of development policy for Tanzania, explicitly focuses on sustainable development as the underlying principle and emphasises the environment as a foundation for sustainable growth and poverty reduction. MKUKUTA has specific goals on environmental sustainability and includes 15 environmental targets. The Vice-President’s Office plays the lead role in mainstreaming environment into poverty reduction processes and into sector plans and budgets. As a background to this role, the Vice-President’s Office has a number of key accomplishments, as well as pursuing ongoing initiatives. These include the National Environmental Policy, the Environmental Management Act, and other associated regulations, programmes and plans.