Tanzania eyes domestic resources in financing its nutrition goals as donor support declines
DODOMA: TANZANIA has stepped up efforts to secure sustainable financing for nutrition programmes as the government shifts towards greater domestic resource mobilisation amid declining donor support.
The commitment was underscored during the High-Level Roundtable Dialogue on Sustainable Nutrition Financing in Tanzania, organised by the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC) in collaboration with the Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania (PANITA). The dialogue brought together senior government officials, development partners, researchers, the private sector and civil society organisations to discuss strategies for financing the country’s long-term nutrition agenda.
Speaking during the dialogue, Nutrition Officer from the Prime Minister’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Mr Yusuph Hamis, said the government has allocated 21bn/- for the implementation of nutrition interventions in regional administrations and local government authorities during the 2026/27 financial year.
He said the government is increasingly relying on domestic resources to sustain nutrition programmes as funding from development partners continues to decline.
Mr Hamis noted that one of the government’s key directives requires every local government authority to allocate 1,000/- for every child under the age of five to support nutrition interventions.
“We have witnessed a steady increase in resources allocated for nutrition since 2020. However, allocating funds is one thing, while ensuring they are effectively spent on intended interventions is another,” he said, adding that expenditure on nutrition programmes has also improved over recent years.
PANITA Executive Director, Ms Tumaini Mikindo, said the dialogue comes at a critical time as Tanzania prepares the National Nutrition Long-Term Plan (2026–2050), which will replace the previous five-year planning approach.
She said PANITA, through its network of civil society organisations, has continued supporting government-led nutrition initiatives under the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and expects recommendations from the dialogue to contribute to the development of the new long-term strategy.
“Our members work closely with the government under the established national coordination framework to improve nutrition outcomes. Today’s discussions will help shape the country’s long-term nutrition plan,” she said.
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Country Director for Nutrition International Tanzania, Dr George Mwita, welcomed the development of a 25-year nutrition strategy, saying it presents an opportunity for Tanzania to strengthen ownership of nutrition programmes while complementing support from development partners.
He said the long-term plan would provide a more predictable framework for resource mobilisation and implementation, enabling both the government and its partners to invest in sustainable nutrition interventions.
Meanwhile, Senior Trade Officer from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Mr Festo Kapela, called for greater participation of the private sector in improving nutrition by investing in the production of safe, nutritious and quality food products.
He said expanding access to regional markets, promoting technology adoption and enhancing business skills among entrepreneurs would help increase the availability of nutritious food while strengthening the country’s food systems.
The roundtable dialogue is taking place as Tanzania implements its Development Vision 2050 and prepares the National Nutrition Long-Term Plan (2026–2050) together with its first five-year implementation framework. The initiative seeks to strengthen coordination, accountability and sustainable financing mechanisms to ensure effective implementation of the country’s nutrition priorities.
