The Tanzania SERA Policy Project (SERA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative began in April 2011 and completed the fourth full year of operation on September 30, 2015. The Project is scheduled to close on April 6, 2016 but a no‐cost extension has been proposed to USAID that would allow the Project to operate until August 31, 2016. This Workplan is based on the assumption that the no‐cost extension will be approved.
Feed the Future seeks to improve food security in Tanzania by increasing agricultural production and improving access to food. The SERA Project is primarily focused on improving the policy environment for agriculture, and on developing individual and institutional capacity to undertake policy analysis, advocate effectively for policy reforms, and implement policy reforms. The SERA Project works in partnership with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania (GOT) and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (RGOZ). SERA provides evidenced‐based research to support policy reforms that alleviate constraints to growth in the agriculture sector and provide a more enabling economic environment. In support of this objective, SERA conducts and commissions evidence‐based policy research and develops the capacity of individuals and organizations to engage in policy analysis and advocate for policy reform. At the conclusion of the Project, we expect USAID will leave behind an improved policy environment and a legacy of enabling the GOT, RGOZ, and other stakeholders to better initiate, develop, and utilize evidence‐based research in policy decisions and implementation.
The SERA Project works closely with the Southern Agriculture Growth Corridor of Tanzania Centre (SAGCOT) to identify policy issues critical to the commercialization of the agriculturalsector. SERA Project collaborates with other FtF Implementing Partners, the United States Government (USG), and the larger development community to leverage resources and increase effectiveness. The collaboration with other FtF implementing partners includes: the FtF NAFAKA Staples Value Chain Project on food security research and policy reform; the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) on the development, piloting, and implementation of the Food Basket Methodology (FBM); and the FtF iAGRI Project on the Policy Seminar Series at Sokoine University (SUA). Collaboration with other development partners and stakeholders includes The World Bank (WB) on the collateral registry system and a study of gender in maize production and marketing, Michigan State University (MSU) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) on food security policies, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperative (MAFC) Department of Food Security (DFS) and the Department of Policy and Planning (DPP). The SERA Project also works closely with the Zanzibar Department of Food Security and Nutrition of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MANR). Finally, the SERA Project supports member based organizations such as the Tanzania Seed Traders Association (TASTA), the Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT), and the Rice Council of Tanzania (RCT) to improve policies and supports capacity building for these organizations.
The SERA Project is working with USAID to initiate the process of formally extending the SERA activity a no‐cost extension through August 31, 2016. As such, this workplan assumes a project closing date of August 31, 2016. The extension will allow for the continued implementation of SERA Project activities presented in this Year 5 Work Plan.
Year 5 of the SERA Policy Project will focus on supporting the transition to the new government of Tanzania, completing priority research and capacity building activities, and transitioning research and activities in progress to collaborators.