Jenseits von Ujamaa-Sozialismus und neoliberaler Strukturanpassungspolitik: Entwurf einer neuen Strategie der ländlichen Entwicklung in Tanzania

This article deals with the rural development perspectives in Tanzania after the failure of the Ujamaa-policy and the implementation of the Structural Adjustment Programmes since the late 1980s. Firstly, the development of the agricultural sector is analysed with a view to the farmers' reactions to the changed conditions in respect to access to markets. An ambiguous picture is presented: there exists no real alternative to a more liberalised economy which offers - on the one hand - new chances for farmers to stimulate productivity and to better adjust to local needs and resources. On the other hand, for the majority of farmers the economic situation has further deteriorated, since they are not prepared to run major risks within a competitive marketing situation and to react to fluctuating seasonal producer prices. Secondly, the procurement of social services (education, health and water supply) in the rural areas is described in the context of the on-going tendency of the state to reduce the budgets of social sectors and to shift the responsibilities to new actors that are to a large extent overburdened by the responsibility for coping with this new 'ownership'. The building up of local organisational capacities is seen as the key to ensure the sustainable maintenance of village infrastructures and to empower people to cope with changing market situations. However, the challenge still remains to further look for new effective organisational solutions which reflect the experiences and the needs of the people within their local environment.