The Impact of Energy Use on Poor Urban Livelihoods in ... - DfID

A Study <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Impact</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Energy</strong> on Poor Urban Livelihoods in Arusha, Tanzania
Government’s 2025 Development Vision (DV) 36
Since 1997 poverty reduction is the main focus <strong>of</strong> the Government <strong>of</strong> Tanzania's
(GoTs) development efforts and the overriding goals have been expressed in the
Government’s Vision 2025 which outlines 5 main goals for the country:
• a society with high quality livelihood;
• peace, stability and unity;
• good governance
• a well educated and learning society; and
• a strong and competitive economy
Vision 2025 has been developed into two strategy papers – the Tanzania Assistance
Strategy (TAS) and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). TAS establishes
poverty reduction as the core issue for international co-operation and the PRSP sets
out the actions to be taken in the medium term.
Despite the implementation <strong>of</strong> the DV there was no significant improvement in
reducing income and non-income (health, education, employment and housing)
poverty over the ten years from 1991. (Table 2.3)
Some <strong>of</strong> challenges and problems still facing the government in reducing poverty are
set out in Box B
Box B: Poverty - challenges and problems facing GoT
Challenges
To attain and sustain economic growth at least 8% per annum
To improve service delivery to the community (the government in collaboration
with the private sector)
To strengthen infrastructure, especially key roads and agricultural irrigation
projects
Problems
an underdeveloped and crisis-ridden economy
the negative impact <strong>of</strong> the structural adjustment programme on the poor
a set <strong>of</strong> social arrangements that disempower some groups in such a way that
limits/hinders their access to economic and cultural resources (especially land in
rural areas)
Source: Kigoda: 2003 and Kaijage:1996
<strong>The</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> global recession and the subsequent SAPs prescribed by IMF and WB
meant that the urban sector was increasingly unable to provide a livelihood for most
households. <strong>The</strong> suffering <strong>of</strong> the urban population is aggravated by the fall in real
earnings, the lack <strong>of</strong> employment opportunities, especially for youth, and cost sharing
in the social field so that families are less and less able to meet their basic needs for
food, medical care, schooling and housing.( Koda:1995)
<strong>The</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> the crisis means that more and more urban Tanzanian families are
characterised by growing malnutrition among children, deteriorating moral standards,
increasing drug abuse and alcoholism, reduced security, greater corruption, domestic
violence and child abuse and increased illiteracy and poor health, as well as a
greater burden for women in family maintenance
Key characteristics <strong>of</strong> urban poverty are set out in Box C.
36
Government <strong>of</strong> Tanzania. Tanzania’s Development Vision and Long-Term Development
Strategy Dar-es-Salaam: September 1997.
Development Planning Unit, UCL London
Dr. Sheilah Meikle and Patrice North