DODOMA: THE Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment, Professor Kitila Mkumbo, has urged the management of the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) to accelerate efforts to transform the fund into a dedicated national institution for poverty reduction to improve the efficiency, coordination and sustainability of programmes aimed at improving citizens’ livelihoods.
Prof. Mkumbo made the call in Dodoma during a meeting with TASAF management to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation between the government and development partners in efforts to support poor households.
He emphasised the importance of learning from previous programmes, strengthening monitoring and evaluation, and researching systems adopted by other countries to identify approaches best suited to Tanzania.
He further directed that the research and recommendations on the most appropriate institutional framework be completed before the end of 2026. The process will include assessing the feasibility of establishing a dedicated central institution or assigning the responsibility of overseeing the programmes to existing institutions.
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TASAF Executive Director Shadrack Mziray said the fund’s programmes aim to help households increase income-generating activities, save money and invest to improve their economic well-being. These efforts form part of a broader strategy to promote economic growth and reduce poverty in the country.
Meanwhile, World Bank Senior Economist and Representative Claudia Zambra said efforts were underway to improve methods of identifying poor households by considering the assets available for household use.
She added that strengthening social protection systems, including the Social Protection Registry, would help identify households in need, facilitate the delivery of services and assistance during disasters, and enhance household resilience. These improvements would also increase the programmes’ contribution to poverty reduction.
The meeting was also attended by Dr Pius Chaya, Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment; Dr Mursali Milanzi, Deputy Executive Secretary for National Planning at the National Planning Commission; heads of departments and units from the President’s Office for Planning and Investment; and TASAF management.
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