The United Republic of Tanzania, which emerged from the merger of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964, is among the poorest countries in the world. The economy of Tanzania is largely agriculture-based. Around 80% of the population live in rural areas, and depend on small-scale farming. In many parts of the country, small farmers face continuously declining soil fertility, massive income losses caused by falling primary commodity prices, and climate-induced harvest insecurity.

Women bear the brunt of the workload, performing around 80% of rural labour, and producing some 60% of foodstuffs. Since men generally speaking dispose of both harvests and income, women are particularly hard hit by poverty. The vicious circle within which women have less access to educational, developmental and income-generating opportunities cannot be broken without gender-oriented measures that also include men.

Consequently, MISEREOR’s work focuses on rural development and gender. In this context, special priority is attached to vocational training, small enterprise promotion, and water supply and sanitation. The cross-cutting themes of decentralisation and community development will play an increasingly important role in the future.

MISEREOR’s partners in Tanzania are predominantly Church-based institutions and non-governmental organisations. Almost all the 30 Dioceses in Tanzania have established Diocesan Development Offices to coordinate the planning, steering and reporting activities of Church-based programmes.

MISEREOR promotes on average 46 projects a year with funds of around EUR 2,500,000.