The Zanzibar Vision 2020 is a strategic document with a multi-sectoral approach whose overall objective is the transformation of the economy to create a robust, resilient and competitive economy, with a view to eradicating urban and rural poverty. It is envisaged that Zanzibar of 2020 should be a society that reflects the following six attributes: (i) eradicate abject poverty; (ii) developing a strong, diversified, resilient and competitive agriculture, industry, tourism and other productive socioeconomic sectors to cope up with the challenges of the changing market and technological conditions in the world economy; (iii) attaining a nation whose way of life reflects the highest level of ingenuity, self-confidence and self-esteem, culture, resource base and aspirations; (iv) achieving peace, political stability, good governance, integrity, national unity and social cohesion; (v) modernized production and delivery systems of goods and services to meet the basic needs in the society and attain international competitiveness in the leading sectors; (vi) attain higher degree of foreign direct investment that will inject sound capital, create full employment and attain positive balance of trade in the export market. Vision 2020 aims at eliminating hunger and poverty. The document highlights that poverty eradication in both urban and rural areas means increasing the ability of the people to get the necessities, including food, better housing, and improving democracy and social security. Access to safe water should have reached 100 percent by 2020. The Vision’s policy on water is to ensure adequate, affordable and economically accessible and sustained water supplies to all people and sectors using environmentally sound water resource management technologies for continues social and economic growth anddevelopment (Section 4.1). Regarding the modernization of the agricultural sector, it is stated that agriculture should provide access to productive resources, opportunities and progress towards more socially just forms of agriculture for ensuring basic food security for the nation by improving standards of nutrition, increasing output and quality of food commodities (Section 3.1). Bearing in mind that the quality of life should be high, socially desirable, economically viable and environmentally sustainable, the document aims at making agriculture more productive and sustainable. The document promotes the use of resource and environmental efficient and safe technologies. Reducing rural poverty is among the objectives of Vision 2020. Particular regard is given to the creation by 2020 of employment in the agricultural sector. The document aims at enabling more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. In particular it addresses the importance of transforming the economy from a predominantly rural-based subsistence agricultural to a diversified and semi-industrialized economy with a modern rural sector. Section 3.1 is devoted to the modernization of agriculture, whilst Section 3.3 outlines the goals and strategies to be implemented for promoting sustainable fishing. The document also focuses on the enhancement of the involvement of private sector and people’s participation in the productive socio-economic activities in the nation. Other goals and strategies include to infuse new technologies, credit facilities and market opportunities to rural areas so as to raise peoples living standard. Regarding gender issues, the Vision’s policy on the development of women is to ensure them equal access to the opportunities that improve their socio-economic status or that engender full participation in the development process (Section 5). The document aims at increasing the resilience of livelihoods to disasters. Section 5 is devoted to disaster prevention, preparedness and post disaster rehabilitation capability. The Vision’s policy on promotion of good governance and capacity building is to improve the systems of governance by creating the capacity for the government to effectively play its planning and regulatory role in influencing the allocation of resources in the public and private sectors, in a liberalized market environment and a truly democratic and pluralistic society.
Zanzibar (United Republic of Tanzania) · 2002-01-01