Tanzania experts tasked to provide evidence-based solutions for poverty reduction

Dar es Salaam. In a boost for research-driven policymaking, ten research teams in Tanzania have been awarded grants to investigate the country’s pressing poverty challenges.

The funding, provided by the DEEP Challenge Fund, will support studies that generate crucial evidence to inform strategies aimed at eradicating extreme poverty.

The fund, launched in Tanzania in March 2024, attracted 154 applications. Only ten projects secured funding, with grants ranging from €5,000 to €50,000.

The research teams have six months to conduct their studies and present findings that will guide policy recommendations.

For years, Tanzanian researchers have struggled to access funding, with most financial support being donor-driven and aligned with external priorities rather than local needs.

The coming in of new initiatives to change the modus operandi signals a shift towards empowering local experts to provide homegrown solutions.

Speaking to The Citizen on March 10, 2025, Senior Consultant and Oxford Policy Management Tanzania Country Manager, Ms Pamela Shao, welcomed this development, emphasising the potential of these studies.

“The diversity of the projects showcases the innovation of researchers in the country who are harnessing data and evidence in different ways to get right to the core of how we can effectively tackle poverty in Tanzania,” she said.

She said that each of the research projects was innovative and scalable with the potential to make a valuable contribution to poverty alleviation in Tanzania.

“We're grateful for the contributions of every researcher and institution that submitted applications and are looking forward to working with the winners as their projects come to fruition,” she said.

Despite economic growth, poverty remains a major challenge in Tanzania. According to World Bank data, nearly 26 percent of Tanzanians live below the poverty line, with rural communities disproportionately affected.

The government has rolled out various programmes, including social protection schemes and agricultural subsidies, to lift citizens out of poverty.

But, policymakers often lack the evidence needed to make data-driven decisions that yield long-term impact.

Executive Secretary of the Zanzibar Planning Commission and a member of the DEEP Steering Committee, Dr Rahma Mahfoudh, said the initiative arrives at a critical time.

“We look forward to seeing how this project evolves and contributes to our collective mission of eradicating poverty. Evidence-based policies are crucial in ensuring that interventions are effective and sustainable,” she noted.

The awarded projects cover a wide range of poverty-related issues. One study, led by Jaah Mkupete from Mkwawa University College of Education, will explore whether secure land rights alone are enough to alleviate poverty or if they must be coupled with access to credit and agricultural information.

Another project, by Beatrice Montano and Salma Emmanuel at the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), will examine whether participating in democratic school elections fosters civic engagement in young people, potentially influencing future political participation.

Climate change, a growing threat to livelihoods, is also a focus. The University of Dar es Salaam, in collaboration with Women Leading Change for Better Lives (WOLBEL), will assess the impact of climate change on poverty at the household level.

Meanwhile, Global Water Partnership Tanzania will train artificial intelligence models to analyse poverty distribution using water access indicators.

Healthcare access, financial inclusion, and social protection are also central themes among the selected studies.

The Ifakara Health Institute will investigate the financial and geographical barriers preventing impoverished communities from accessing healthcare, while the Zanzibar Research Centre for Socio-economic Research is developing a digital poverty registry to map out households in need.

The Tanzanian government has been increasingly supportive of research and data-driven policymaking. The Ministry of Finance and Planning has emphasised the importance of local evidence in shaping national strategies, particularly in its Vision 2025 development agenda.

The government has also been expanding funding for research institutions and collaborating with global partners to enhance data collection and analysis.

A development economist, Dr Abdallah Juma, believes that such research will improve the effectiveness of government policies.

“For a long time, we have relied on assumptions and externally driven reports to formulate our poverty reduction strategies. This funding ensures that Tanzanian experts are leading the way in providing insights tailored to our socio-economic realities,” he said.

Tanzania was chosen as the first focus country due to its significant poverty challenges and the government’s openness to innovative solutions.