ANSAF is an advocacy network which seeks to influence policies and practices through engagement with key sector actors such as development partners, government and relevant parliamentary committees.

ANSAF conducts advocacy through various approaches including series of roundtables, commissioning studies and one -to - one discussions. We work to influence and promote the following:

1. Strategic Thinking in local level plans.

2. Increased sector allocations and better use of public sector resources.

3. Better coordination of local and national level sector interventions.

4. Enhancement of Public -Pirvate Partnership.

Strategic thinking

Strategic thinking is a key to rapid transformation in the agricultural sector. LGAs do not have adequate resources to address every agricultural constraint. Instead of spreading too thinly by trying to make sure that everybody gets something, the money should be i nvested to have a greater multiplier effect i n the district and benefit the majority, for instance, by focusing on one strategic crop. Investment should be sustained for a long period to attract i nvestors i nstead of changing focus frequently. Focusing on one crop as a growth strategy i s proposed i n the Mini-Tiger Plan 2020 (‘one village one product’ strategy) and supported by Kilimo Kwanza.

Increased Sector Allocations

According to the Maputo Declaration in 2003, by the Africa Union Member States countries are expected to commit at least 10% of their national budget to agricultural development. The 10% is assumed to contribute to a 6% sector growth. Tanzania's highest allocation was about 8% in 2010/11. One of the areas for big concern is kind of priorities and interventions where resources are allocated. The question is whether such interventions are capable of contributing to sector transformation and thereby reduce poverty among poorest communities

Unless resources are properly targeted and interventions clearly assessed, increased budget as per Maputo Declaration might not necessarily bring the desired results to address food insecurity and poverty among the poor citizens.

Better Coordination of interventions at district level

The major allocation under the Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP) goes to LGAs. Under the Basket Fund arrangement LGAs are expected to receive 75% of the total budget. Apart from public funds, CSO and private companies operating at local level do allocate funds to implement District Agricultural Plans (DADPs). However, the interventions of various public and private agencies at LGA level are not coordinated. Despite CSOs contributing a significant amount to districts, they are not fully recognise -which duplicates efforts. If LGA and CSO resources were pooled, they would contribute more to improving livelihoods. But this would require an absolute paradigm shift in the way LGAs and CSOs approach the development challenges. To resolve this problem there is a need to work with the district council to carry out stakeholder mapping in agriculture and community development. An annual stakeholders’ forum could evaluate progress and establish common understanding about the way forward.

Enhancement of Public Private Partnership

Although Tanzanian farming is largely a smallholder area, the role of private sector in agriculture cannot be over-emphasized. Enhancement of Public-Private Partnership where the public and private sectors working together in partnership is a pre-requisite for delivering DADPs. There is an urgent need to put the PPP policy into practice, in agricultural sector in particular so as to expedite ASDP develiry in the DADPs framework. Changing the perception about private sector and CSOs among public officials at LGA will contribute to value addition along the value chains of various commodities being promoted.