Household food security in Tanzania: preliminary findings from four regions

Abstract

Six years ago the Government of Tanzania began to take policy measures to improve food availability and accessibility at the national and household levels. The Government realized that to attain food security, policies to increase the productivity and earning power of poor households as well as improve the efficiency of food markets were necessary. Several policy measures have been taken since 1984 to increase food production in the short-run. First was an increase in real producer prices. This was made possible by the removal of consumer and input subsidies. Second, the Government reduced internal trade barriers on food items by "tolerating" the marketing activities of private traders — this measure provided farmers (in some parts of the country) with alternative buyers for their food crops and improved food availability in urban areas. Third, a partial import liberalisation measure increased the availability of "incentive goods” in the rural areas. This encouraged the production of agricultural crops.