The PRSP is different from earlier plans because it sets very clear
targets and asks ordinary people to be involved. They were involved in
designing the plan and they will be involved in making it happen. And what
is even more important, they will be involved in making sure that the
targets that are set in the plan are being met.
In October 1999 a Committee of twelve Ministers and the Governor of the
Bank of Tanzania was formed to develop the Poverty Reduction Strategy
Papers. This committee was supported by a technical committee (coordinated
by the Vice President's Office) made up of officials from the Prime
Minister's Office, Planning Commission, the main Ministries and the Bank
of Tanzania.
A background document (the interim PRSP) was produced in draft in early
January 2000. This was discussed at a consultative meeting that included
Government representatives and people from the donor community and civil
society. The document was reviewed and approved by the cabinet in early
February 2000 and submitted to the International Monetary Fund and World
Bank Boards in Washington by March 2000. This allowed Tanzania to move
ahead and produce the full Poverty Reduction Strategy.
In March 2000 the technical working group prepared a draft outline for
the full PRSP. This was discussed at seven Zonal workshops during 11-12
May 2000. These were attended by 804 participants and included 426
villagers, 215 Councillors, 110 District Executive Directors and 53 people
from NGOs. Just under a quarter of the participants were women. The report
on each zonal workshop was presented to the Technical Committee on 16 May
2000.
Following a Consultative Group meeting between government and donors on
22 May 2000, a team of experts drew up an initial draft of the PRSP using
information from pre-existing studies and policy documents and the results
of the Zonal Workshops. On 30 June the draft was presented to a meeting
with the donor community that was attended by a joint World
Bank/International Monetary Fund team. On 1 July 2000 parliamentarians
were briefed on progress to date and their views were sought.
On 3-4 August 2000 a national workshop with 25 participants was called
to seek further reactions to the targets, priorities and actions that were
outlined in the draft. Those present included Permanent Secretaries,
Regional Commissioners, representatives of the donor community, the
multilateral institutions, private sector organisations, NGOs, the public
media and informal sector representatives.
Also on 3-4 August 2000 the draft was presented to a gathering of
Regional Administrative Secretaries at Lobo in the Serengeti.
A revised draft was approved by Cabinet on 31 August 2000. Further
revisions were made by the government and the IMF/World Bank and the final
document was approved by the IMF and World Bank Boards in October 2000.
Several studies are underway to get better statistics to help make
future plans. These include:
The IMF/World Bank is also suggesting an updating of the Social
Accounting Matrix to measure whether the income and policy activities are
having an impact on poverty.
There is an urgent need to build the capacity of a wide range of people
to monitor the activities that have begun with the PRSP. People also need
help to analyse the information that is gathered and to figure out what it
means for policy.
It is likely that a set of forums will be established to co-ordinate
and integrate the many different activities at different levels and to
find ways to draw out the policy implications in as participatory a manner
as possible.
As it says in the PRSP, "The Government intends to continue to
seek fuller representation of the poor and other stakeholders in the
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the poverty reduction
strategy, and in subsequent revisions of the PRSP."
