Food Security: The Tanzanian Case

This research paper examines the impact of the 2007–08 international food crisis on Tanzania, analyzing how long-term structural reforms and short-term policy responses influenced poverty levels and food security. The authors use household-level data to estimate the crisis's effect on different income classes and regions, concluding that while urban populations were most vulnerable, the overall national impact was modest compared to other poor countries.

• The 2007–08 international food crisis drove an estimated 0.5–1 per cent of the Tanzanian population into poverty, as measured by the national poverty line. This impact was primarily concentrated in urban regions, where the head count ratio increase was between 10 and 19 per cent.
• Lower-income classes in Tanzania were more likely to benefit from the increase in food prices than higher-income classes, likely because they were more dependent on income derived from agricultural activities.
• Tanzania's agricultural markets are poorly integrated with international markets, with correlations between domestic and international prices sometimes being negative. However, the sector remained vulnerable to international shocks, as correlations increased rapidly during the crisis.
• The Tanzanian government implemented several short-term measures to combat the crisis, starting with temporary export bans and tariff reductions for imports in early 2008, followed by micro-credits for producers, food subsidies, and food assistance from strategic grain reserves.
• Despite the implementation of an export ban, Tanzania actually saw a sharp increase in agricultural exports in 2008. The authors suggest that East African neighbors may have benefited from this surge, helping them overcome their own food shortages.
• While Tanzania increased agricultural output following economic reforms since the early 2000s, this growth was accompanied by higher production volatility, increasing the population's vulnerability to domestic shocks.

APA

Kiratu, S., Märker, L., & Mwakolobo, A. (2011). Food Security: The Tanzanian Case. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_tanzanian.pdf

Chicago

Kiratu, Sheila, Lutz Märker, and Adam Mwakolobo. Food Security: The Tanzanian Case. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_tanzanian.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kiratu |first1=Sheila |last2=Märker |first2=Lutz |last3=Mwakolobo |first3=Adam |title=Food Security: The Tanzanian Case |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_tanzanian.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kiratu2011food, author = {Kiratu, Sheila and Märker, Lutz and Mwakolobo, Adam}, title = {{Food Security: The Tanzanian Case}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_tanzanian.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }