Sustainable Food Systems: Paving the Way to Tanzania Vision 2050

Food systems are the backbone of any nation's development, encompassing the entire range of activities involved in the production, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal of food. Transforming these systems is crucial for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs), improving public health for human capital development, ensuring food security, and fostering economic growth and environmental sustainability. For food systems to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable, they need to be resilient, sustainable and inclusive transformative. In Tanzania, the government is taking bold steps to transforming food systems to meets the most-in-need population. The country has an agriculture sector (including crops, fisheries, livestock and natural resources) that employs over 65 percent of its population contributing 28 percent of the national GDP and 29 percent of exports earnings. Despite these promising numbers, a significant portion of population is facing the outcomes and impacts of high levels and different forms of malnutrition. Stunting, also known as chronic malnutrition, stands at 30 percent among children under 5 years. In Zanzibar specifically, 9.6 percent of all children under 5 years have acute malnutrition. This means that among every 100 children, almost ten will not be able to meet their development milestones if concrete and appropriate actions are not taken in a timely manner. Transformative food systems are needed to address such inequities and provide equal opportunities for each child to have access to safe, healthy and nutritious foods.

To help address these challenges, the United Nations has joined hands with the Government of Tanzania to catalyze efforts in advancing food systems transformation. The Joint Programme on Food Systems Transformation, implemented by Rome-Based Agencies (FAO, IFAD and WFP) is a one-year catalytic programme focused on creating awareness on food systems while strengthening the governance structure and coordination mechanism of food system actors in the country for more sustainable and unified results. To kickstart this, stakeholder workshops were conducted in Unguja and Pemba to create a common understanding on food systems and the country framework in which food systems interventions are implemented. Taking the whole of society approach, the workshops brought together more than 55 actors from the government, non-government, civil society, private sector, media, women and youth representatives as well as people with disability. This was a great opportunity to find out what different actors are doing towards transforming food systems in Tanzania and explore potential opportunities for collaboration and partnerships. In her remarks at the workshop, the United Nations Area Coordinator for Zanzibar, Ms. Dorothy-Temu Usiri noted: “It is important for all food system actors to come together and have a common understanding regarding food systems and how each can play a role in food systems transformation. This is the cornerstone towards bringing sustainable development in Zanzibar”.  Mr Khalid Abdi, Nutrition Officer, Ministry of Health: “Following this workshop, we are going to relook at our strategies on ensuring the different food products that are available in Zanzibar are prepared in and used appropriately to ensure that everyone gets adequate nutrients.”

By transforming its food systems, Tanzania is paving way for realizing the Development Vision 2050.  The Point Programme is supported by the Joint SDG Fund. Contributions from the European Union and the governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland are greatly appreciated as they support the in accelerating progress towards the SDGs.