{II}.Causes and Effects of Poverty in Tanzania
The Causes of Poverty in Tanzania
Analyse the causes of poverty in
Tanzania
The incidence of poverty varies
greatly across the country but is highest among rural families living in arid
and semi-arid regions that depend exclusively on livestock and food crop
production. The people of the central and northern highlands are nutritionally
the most deficient, while the coastal and southern highlands zones register the
severest levels of poverty. From the point of view of policy and strategy
design, no region is significantly better off than other, and are very poor any
international standards.
Poverty is caused by both internal
and external factors. Whereas the internal causes can be clustered into
economic and social factors, the external factors relate to international
trade, the debt burden and refugee issues.
Internal Causes of Poverty
1.
A poor agricultural sector
contributes to poverty in the country. Failure in the agricultural sector has
contributed to the increase of poverty. It is claimed that though agriculture
is the backbone of the economy, the support given to the sector over the years
has not been relating its importance. This is indicated by the poor rural
infrastructure, lack of modern farm equipment, lack of fertilizers and
pesticides at reasonable prices, low prices for agricultural produce, and lack
of irrigation schemes.
2.
A low level of science and
technology has contributed to poverty in Tanzania. The use of scientific and
technological knowledge in production helps to increase the economy of an
individual country. In Tanzania, we still use poor technology or inappropriate
technology that leads to low productivity in all sectors of production. For
instance, a majority of farmers are still using hand hoes in agriculture. This
act has contributed a lot to the increase of poverty in Tanzania.
3.
The government contributes to
poverty by increasing taxes without considering people‟s ability to pay.
4.
Lack of self-motivation to perform
one‟s duties due to laziness and irresponsibility has contributed a lot in
increasing poverty. At the government level, its officials do not deliver
relevant services and goods to the people as required. This habit has hindered
many people in implementing their various projects, for instance the issue of
land and right of occupancy.
5.
Another cause of poverty is
mismanagement of public funds that could develop the common people. This is
done by the government officers and top leaders who ought to set a good
example. As a result, our country loses a lot of public funds through
mismanagement, almost daily. For instance, government officers and politicians
are paid big allowances and use very expensive cars.
6.
The common and communicable diseases
such malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, TB and anemia are the main causes of death
in Tanzania. Children less than five years old are the most affected. Explosion
of diseases such as HIV and AIDS, cholera and typhoid have increased the
poverty problems. The government and family members are spending a lot of money
for curative and preventive measures. Money which could have been used to
finance the agricultural and industrial sectors is used to fight such diseases.
7.
The majority of the people of
Tanzania like other Africans are uneducated; this limits the ability of the people
to participate in the development of their country profitably, especially the
adults. For instance, FAO‟s report of 1974 on the state of food andagriculture
shows that Africa‟s annual population growth from 1952 was 2.2% while food
production growth from 1952 to 1962 was 0.0%. World Bank‟s Development Report
of 1982 shows that Africa‟s annual population growth from 1960 to 1970 was
0.1%. The same report of the World Bank shows that Africa‟s annual population
growth from 1970 to 1980 was 1.1% while food production growth dropped by 1.1%.
This low percentage in food production in relation to high increase percentage
in population growth indicates ignorance and lack of technical know –how.
External Causes of Poverty
1.
External
debts burden. The government spends the little
resources she has to pay external debts. This trend
2.
Unequal
exchange in international trade has
contributed to poverty in Tanzania. The developed or rich countries are the
ones who control “world market”. The developing or poor countries have no say
in the world market because they are economically poor. Tanzania is one of the
developing countries, so the prices for her goods and imported goods are fixed
by the rich countries. The prices offered to the goods from developing
countries are very low but for those from developed countries the prices are
very high. This imbalance of trade has forced poor countries like Tanzania to
remain poor. This trade relationship is difficult to break out of the poverty
circle. reduces resources we have and finally increases the magnitude of
poverty to Tanzanians.
Activity 2
Suggest some possible measures which
can be taken by the Tanzanian government in reducing or alleviating internal
causes of poverty to her people.
The Effects of Poverty in Tanzania
Analyse the effects of poverty in
Tanzania
There is widespread poverty in the
country which has contributed to numerous effects. At present, about 38 percent
of people living in rural areas are classified as poor. This progress is
reflected in the United Nations Development Programme‟s Human Development Index
for Tanzania, which rose from 0.3% in 1991 to 0.4% in 2002.
Poverty in Tanzania is more common
in the rural areas. About 85 percent of the country‟s poor people live in rural
areas and rely on agriculture as their main source of income and livelihood.
According to the Household Survey of 2000/01, some 20 percent of rural people
live in extreme poverty and about 39 percent are considered poor. Within the
agriculture sector, food crop producers are generally poorer than cash crop
farmers, but both operate under cyclical and structural constraints, are
subject to frequent natural calamities (drought and flooding), and lack market
linkages, inputs, credit and irrigation water.
Income inequality for rural areas
has remained more or less constant and is rooted in inequitable access to
productive assets, including land, financial services, livestock and education.
According to a poverty profile survey of rural households, the percentage of
the rural population producing food for home consumption has dropped by 10
percent in the last decade. Few rural households have access to safe drinking
water, primary education and medical treatment. There is also clear evidence
that poverty increases with the distance from markets, drinking water supplies
and health clinics.
Observations show that poverty has
caused a lot of socio – economic and political effects in Tanzania, such as:
1.
Increase
of illiteracy; normally society which is poor
fails to send its children to school. There are so many cases of parents
failing to pay school fees for their children after they have been selected to
join secondary schools.
2.
People
cannot afford to use modern equipment
and machinery such as electric or gas cookers. Hence, they rely on cheap
sources of energy like charcoal and firewood which causes deforestation.
3.
Lack of
modern agricultural machinery
such as tractors forces people to use hand hoes which leads to allow
agricultural yields.
4.
Poverty in
local communities has contributed to the increased number
of commercial sex workers, street girls, malnutrition and infant mortality,
disruption of Tanzanian traditional support system and spread of HIV and AIDS
in the country.
5.
There is an increase of criminal
acts such as robbery, prostitution, drug abuse, and theft. Many people are
forced to indulge themselves in these social evils because of poverty.
6.
Poor people cannot afford a
balanced diet; this leads to malnutrition and failure to engage in economic
activities for development.
Activity 3
Why do you think poverty in Tanzania
is more common in rural areas?
Good work
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