Experts propose channeling youth, women loans to improvement of infrastructure

Dar es Salaam. Blue Economy stakeholders have recommended the use of loans meant for the youth, women and people with disability to create a conducive environment for them to benefit from untapped potential in the subsector, instead of disbursing cash.

Stakeholders believe investing in infrastructure development, reliable markets and fish processing plants will efficiently empower the youth compared to cash disbursement to beneficiaries in regions with fishing potential.

They said apart from creating jobs, infrastructure development will significantly address the post-harvest loss challenge that has been restricting players from economically benefiting from the abundant fishing resources available in the country.

Blue Economy stakeholders shared the recommendations during a breakfast debate organised by Policy held on August 30, 2024, Blue Economy value chain: integrating youth, women, and people with disabilities for inclusive growth.

Speaking during the event, the World Wide Fund (WWF) programmatic specialist and aquatic environmental scientist, Mr Reginald Kwizela, said instead of providing funds to the women, youth, and people with disabilities (WYPwDs), councils should invest in strategic projects.

“They should invest in value-addition industries in respective areas. The industries should be constructed along the coastline stretching from Tanga to Mtwara to boost the fishing activities and processing of marine products,” he said, insisting on the need for an immediate shift.

He said apart from fish processing industries, councils should also invest in the procurement of modern fishing boats for the youth to transform to commercial fishing, conduct stakeholder mapping, and establish their credit potential.

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He said in any democratic country, civil society organisations (CSOs) are supposed to create awareness for citizens to demand different things from their governments.

“We are therefore supposed to demand our government to invest in the blue economy and push for it to act on strategic areas. He said that this would enhance stakeholder's entry and increase the youth’s bargaining powers to their products,” he said.

He said the 2022/23 to 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial year budgets show an average increase of one percent to the country’s development budgets the amount expected to be used for infrastructure development and access to reliable markets.

Furthermore, he said there was a need to understand sectors connected to the blue economy, such as tourism, which employs most youth as tour guides, and the hospitality area, among others.

According to him, investment in those areas will equally economically empower beneficiaries instead of the current setting where only those with connections within the councils can access loans allocated to WYPwDs.

Ms Roselyne Mgimbe from the Kinondoni Municipal Council (MC) supported the investment plan compared to funds disbursement to beneficiaries.

“Modern fishing gear will allow fishermen to reach the deep sea and significantly reduce over fishing which is depleting valuable marine species in the country’s water bodies,” she said.

Ms Mgimbe suggested that the government’s planned stakeholder mapping should focus on collecting opinions from the WYPwDs.

She said players in the blue economy have been operating with limited capital after failing to secure loans from financial institutions and other lenders due to difficult conditions.

The Tanzania Feminist Initiative founder and executive director, Ms Suzane Masele, supported the idea, saying the current setup leaves some WYPwDs unbenefited.

“Unlike the provision of funds, which would possibly leave some people unbenefited, the construction of processing facilities will provide jobs to the majority,” shared Ms Masele.

She also challenged the failure to include blue economy issues in the Youth Development Policy recently launched by Vice President Dr Philip Mpango, saying the youngsters were deprived of available opportunities in the sub-sector.

Ms Fatuma Msumi from the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) suggested increased inclusion of women in ongoing plans, saying they were the key players in the country’s blue economy.

“They are the ones everyday working along the coastline, therefore significantly contributing to the subsectors' value chain growth. But, unlike see-weed farmers those working in the blue economy have been neglected,” she observed.

The VSO Blue Economy project manager, Mr Phortunatus Nyundo, said the organisation is engaging 3,000 youth from Dar es Salaam and Coast regions in a pilot project to enable them to benefit from available resources in the blue economy.

“While 300 of them will be sponsored to aquire technical skills in different professions, the remaining 2,700 will be facilitated in their respective groups to execute blue economy projects for individual benefits, environmental sustainability and the nation at large,” he said.

He said Tanzania has 1,450 kilometres coastline stretching from Tanga to Mtwara, noting that together with the Coast, Lindi, and Dar es Salaam regions, the country has five regions which could benefit the WYPwDs through blue economy activities.

The five regions are inhabited by at least 25 percent of the country’s population, or about 10 million people who can directly engage in blue economy activities.

“The number of players in the blue economy significantly increases when players carrying their activities on the country lakes such of Victoria, Tanganyika, and Nyasa is included without mentioning rivers and aquatic waters undertaken in different parts of the country,” he said. Speaking during the event, the youth development officer from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Dr Nassibu Mwaifunga said the government has launched the Blue Economy Policy 2024 which has focused on increasing youth participation in the subsector. He said 500 youth have been trained in Mtwara, Lindi, Mwanza, and Kigoma regions to benefit from the blue economy.

“We are now assessing their requirements for them to conduct modern fishing to ensure the available workforce and natural resources significantly contribute to individuals’ economic development and the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he said.

He said the government was now evaluating things to be considered for the youth to benefit from laws governing the youth participation in different economic activities including the blue economy.

“Despite the Blue Economy Policy 2024 formulation, we need other supporting instruments such as strategies and specific laws to have effective and efficient participation of the youth including those with disabilities,” he said.

Dr Mwaifunga said in September this year, the government is expecting to conduct the stakeholders mapping to understand players' roles in supporting WYPwDs to tap available potential in the blue economy.

According to him, CSOs have different strategies to support WYPwDs’ participation, hinting that stakeholders’ mapping will unveil players’ requirements and their respective scope.

“The decision will enable the government to avoid resource duplication and direct available workforce to areas of demand,” he said.

He blamed the youth for a lack of assertiveness in executing large projects, highlighting that those who have shown confidence have been supported.

Furthermore, Dr Mwaifunga said the government is expected to carry out another study to establish region-wise priority areas to enable the government to spot focus areas for youth empowerment in respective areas of jurisdictions.