Kafulila: Family planning vital in vision 2050

MWANZA: TANZANIANS have been encouraged to use family planning services to manage rapid population growth and support the nation in achieving its ambitious development vision.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the ‘Daily News’ over the weekend in Mwanza City, Executive Director of the Public-Private Partnership Centre (PPPC), Mr David Kafulila, described family planning as a fundamental pillar in realising the goals of Tanzania Development Vision 2050 by reinforcing investment in human capital.

He pointed out that Tanzania’s population growth rate surpasses both the African and global averages, a situation that calls for deliberate and strategic action through family planning initiatives.

Mr Kafulila stressed the importance of reproductive health programmes that empower couples to plan their families based on the resources they have, ensuring the well-being of both parents and children.

He noted that Tanzania’s population growth rate is over three per cent, compared to Africa’s average of two per cent and the global average of one per cent.

“Even major nations like China managed to build a high-quality human resource base by controlling population growth. Today, China is experiencing negative population growth and even India’s population growth is now below one per cent,” he pointed out.

He said at the current rate, Tanzania is projected to have a population of 140 million by 2050, noting that if the country had maintained the average African growth rate since the first development vision, it would have had 56 million people today instead of 68 million, and by 2050, the number would be around 91 million instead of 140 million.

He warned that for lowincome countries, rapid population growth often becomes a burden rather than a benefit, as poverty reduces the quality of human capital and limits the government’s ability to invest in its people.

“Human capital is the world’s most valuable currency, but that value depends on knowledge and health, which require significant investment in quality nutrition, education and healthcare,” he said.

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Addressing the popular belief that a large population automatically provides a large market, he said that is a misconception, arguing that market size is determined by purchasing power, not just population numbers.

“That’s why Europe, with only seven per cent of the world’s population, accounts for 50 per cent of global social spending,” he explained.

He added that if Tanzania’s population growth had aligned with the African average, the projected trilliondollar economy by 2050 could have translated to a per capita income of over 10,000 US dollars instead of the current goal of 7,000 US dollars.

He emphasised that achieving Vision 2050 requires significant investment in human capital. One way to make that possible is for the government to stop investing in sectors where the private sector can either invest directly or through partnerships, freeing up public resources to focus on developing human capital.

“Because most people are poor, they cannot afford quality education, healthcare, or nutrition. It becomes the government’s responsibility to invest in people and unlock their potential,” he said.

He said a large population without the necessary knowledge and health standards cannot drive economic productivity unless there are strategic policies in place to address population growth.

“The solution now is for people to join family planning programmes so they can have a family size they are able to support,” he said.