Evaluation of economic activities

Agriculture is an activity that employs more people than any other economic activity in the country. Areas with high rainfall allow the cultivation of permanent crops such as coffee, bananas, and tea. Crops such as coffee, tobacco, maize, cashew nuts, sugar cane, avocados and flowers are grown for commercial purposes. Others are food crops; these include maize, beans, bananas, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. However, maize and rice are also grown for cash. Irrigation farming takes place in many parts of the country on small and large farms. Farmers in areas such as Hedaru and Kidia in the Kilimanjaro region practise irrigation for vegetables and spices. Mbarali farmers in Mbeya region practise irrigation on large rice farms. Agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Over 65.5% of Tanzanians are employed in the agricultural sector. When farmers sell agricultural products, they get money to buy other basic needs as well as to pay for their children's medical care and education.

Crops grown in different parts of Tanzania

Livestock keeping is another activity which has employed many people.

Livestock keeping in Tanzania involves

• cattle,
• goats,
• sheep, and
• donkeys.

There is also fish farming in ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans. At the same time, there is poultry farming, which is practised in various regions of Tanzania.

Livestock keeping is done for two main reasons, namely

• food (like meat, eggs, and milk) and
• income.

Like crop farming, livestock keeping leads to the growth of industries and other production sectors. Industries are involved in processing livestock products such as meat, dairy, and leather. Besides increasing the value of livestock products and benefiting farmers, these industries are the source of employment and income for many Tanzanians.

Some of the livestock kept in Tanzania

Industries are very important, especially for a country that depends on agriculture. There is a strong link between manufacturing industries and production activities in agriculture and other sectors. Industries use raw materials from other sectors such as crop farming, livestock keeping, and fishing to process and produce other commodities. The presence of modern factories helps to stimulate the development of production activities. Industries reduce the loss of crops that would otherwise rot if they were not processed. Additionally, manufacturing industries increase productivity and improve the quality of life. Industries provide employment to people.

Therefore, the circulation of money grows and the economy improves. In addition, industries promote relations between the industrial sector and other sectors. For example, people working in industries earn their living. What they earn helps them pay for various necessities as well as taxes that help in developing the country. In addition, they can earn an income that makes their lives better by sending their children to school, paying for medical care, and meeting other social needs.

Vegetable packaging in a factory

This economic activity involves harvesting fish and other products from the sea, lakes, rivers and ponds. In the past, fishing was done for the purpose of getting food. Currently, fishing has become an economic activity aimed at earning income. This is due to the high demand for fish and the availability of modern fishing equipment, such as mechanized fishing boats.

Modern fishing has enabled fishermen to catch more fish. This has increased their income and improved people's health by contributing to a balanced diet. Fishing activities stimulate industrial development in the country. These industries process fillets. The industries are located in regions, such as Mwanza, Kagera and Mara, which produce large quantities of fish.

Fishing activities

Mining plays a major role in the country's economy.

1. Mining generates government revenues through mineral exports. Through these revenues, the government can construct infrastructure such as roads, health centres, and schools.
2. In addition, mining companies are legally responsible for assisting the communities around the mines by providing them with social services, such as water, electricity, roads, schools, sports fields, and health facilities.
3. In addition, minerals are used in producing jewellery such as necklaces, pendants, bracelets and earrings that encourage the growth of the beauty and fashion industry, thus increasing the national income. Other minerals are used as raw materials in manufacturing and construction activities. For example, some minerals such as sand and limestone are used to manufacture cement, while stones, morum, pebbles, and sand are used in construction activities.
4. Although mining creates employment opportunities and generates government revenues, they cause serious environmental damage. For example, in planning for a mining area, many trees are cut. The land thus remains bare. Mining pits, if not filled after mining, can lead to erosion and landslides. In addition, these open pits can be filled with water and become mosquito-breeding sites, thus spreading diseases such as malaria. Miners may suffer from diseases such as asthma and tuberculosis due to the polluted air and the inhaled dust from the mines. Water is contaminated with toxic chemicals. It thus affects people's health by causing diseases such as skin cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, and eye diseases.

In several mines, there have been regular conflicts between the surrounding communities as well as between large mining companies and small-scale miners. The government has enacted laws and procedures that ensure efficient mining for the community and the environment. These laws must be fully enforced.

Various minerals found in Tanzania

Tourism is an act of travelling from one place to another for leisure, business, studies or other purposes.

Tourism can be domestic or international.

In domestic tourism, the tourist travels from one place to another within his or her country. The tourist visits various attractions without leaving the country. For example, when students visit national parks, historical sites, and other places, it is considered as domestic tourism.

In international tourism, a tourist travels from his or her country to another country to visit various attractions. For example, people travel from European, American and Asian countries to Tanzania to visit national parks, historical sites, to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, or to see cultural attractions. This is international tourism. The tourism sector can bring significant development to the country if it is managed properly. On average, the tourism industry contributes 17.5 percent to the gross domestic product in Tanzania.

Tourism stimulates business in other sectors. For example, commodity trade flourishes and generates income. In addition, trade in natural products, air travel, roads and water transport expands. Good transportation services allow tourists to reach tourist destinations and visit various areas for leisure and entertainment. This helps them to learn about different aspects of our culture.

Tourists viewing wildlife

Trade is an economic activity that involves the exchange of goods or services from one person to another for money. Trade occurs due to different needs of people. For example, a farmer needs industrial items like pesticides, fertilizer, cooking oil, household appliances, iron sheets, furniture, and agricultural tools.

In addition, a worker needs goods from the farmer. Therefore, we must exchange goods and services between different groups of people. This, therefore, requires someone who will facilitate the exchange of goods and services between such groups of people. That person is a trader. The trade industry employs many people in different sectors such as transporting products from the farm to the market and taking them from the market to the buyers. International trade involves trading between two countries, while domestic trade involves trading within a given country. International trade promotes interaction between the two countries because their people travel to buy goods from each other. These trade activities create a sense of friendship and may enable leaders to decide to form political alliances.

Trade activities

Transport is a system for carrying goods and people from one place to another.

The presence of people and goods in society causes the need for transport. For example, crops are transported from rural areas and farms to the market or to the factories. People travel for various reasons. Examples include going to workplaces, business areas, and tourist sites. In addition, people travel for medical treatment and education.

Transport requires good roads, railways, airports, and reliable ports. Transport operations can promote business and social services. When transport is good and fast, it makes the movement of goods and people more efficient. Therefore, it accelerates the development of the country.

Modes of transport

There are various modes of transport, including

• road,
• railway,
• air,
• and water.

Through these, various vessels are used to transport people and cargo from one place to another. These vessels include ships, boats, canoes, and animals. Others use cars, planes, bicycles, canoes, and trains for travelling and or freight.

Liquid products such as oil and gas are transported using special equipment like pipeline. Examples are the TAZAMA oil pipeline from Tanzania to Zambia and the gas pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam. Figure 8 shows the different modes of transport in Tanzania.

Modes of transport in Tanzania

Culture is the sum of all the things that affect the life of an individual or people in a particular society. Such things are comprised in the customs and traditions of the people. Traditions include children's traditions and upbringing in language, education, faith, and religion. Customs are things that happen in society, such as maintaining religious beliefs through worship, work, and leisure. Such things have been constructed for a long time.

Various cultural activities in the community assist in making various cultural artifacts that can be sold to the locals and foreigners, thus generating income.

When these artifacts are sold to foreign tourists, we earn foreign currencies. Various products are made and sold to the tourists visiting the local community. In addition, traders buy these products, take them to large markets for cultural products, and sell them at higher prices. These activities provide income for people of different ethnic groups. Arts and crafts combine skills and creativity to make a variety of objects. This manifests itself in activities such as sports, pottery, blacksmithing, painting, and sculpture.

A tourist buying cultural products

Cultural activities increase individual and national income in the following ways:

1. Selling products made from cultural activities to generate income: These products include sculptures, beads, baskets, shoes, mats, cooking utensils, clothing, and bracelets.
2. Earnings through entrance fees to dance venues, performances, and cultural songs.
3. Selling cultural items such as sculptures to tourists provides foreign currencies to the country.
4. Employment through specialized shops that sell cultural products and the tourism industry as a whole.

Currently, our world faces many demands in various places. In order to meet all these demands, it is necessary to invest in sectors like manufacturing industries, agriculture, trade, fishing, and mining. It is clear that, in a country like Tanzania, investment is needed. The shortage of capital and the lack of sufficient technology have forced the government to encourage citizens and foreigners to invest in various sectors, such as in mines and large scale agriculture, in factories and in service sectors such as health, education, travel and transportation. In order for the investment to yield profit, good policies must be developed to enable citizens' participation in their economy.

A good policy helps in the following ways:

1. Obtaining loans from financial institutions.
2. Ensuring markets for the manufactured goods.
3. Providing sufficient transportation infrastructure.
4. Reducing unfriendly taxes to the investor.
5. Building a positive relationship between the investor and the host of the investment area.

Houses for letting

Investment in the aviation industry

Opening markets is an act of allowing goods and services from one country to another with minimum trade barriers. This helps to expand markets, capital inflows, and technologies in our country. In doing so, the country receives many goods and services from other countries, and it can export its products to other countries. Significant advancements in the communications and technology sectors, coupled with increased demand, have made it imperative to open markets.

Despite being profitable, the policy of opening up markets has created a state of confusion in the economic and social sectors, especially in developing countries. For example, unfaithful traders go abroad, buy cheap products, and bring them to our country. As a result, our industries fail to produce products that can compete in price with the imported products. In addition, some traders avoid paying taxes. This practice causes the government to lose revenues.

The following factors can promote economic production activities:

1. A sound legal and policy framework that enables the production of goods to be carried out with minimum barriers: An example is the existence of a simple and cost-effective system for charging and collecting taxes.
2. Modern infrastructure for road, railway, air and water transportation: For example, farmers expect to transport their products efficiently for sale after harvesting.
3. Peace and security all over the country.
4. Sufficient energy, especially electricity for industrial products and transportation.
5. Strengthening information and communications technology (ICT) and the public should have access to technology at affordable prices. This will increase public awareness of storing crops and other industrial products to avoid losses.
6. Advertise our investment opportunities, such as tourism and minerals domestically and internationally.

How economic activities stimulate Tanzanian relations with other countries

1. International Trade Selling goods like cotton, tea, coffee, cashew nuts, tobacco, and minerals to other countries.
2. Foreign Investment Attracting investors from other countries to support Tanzanian industries.
3. Earning Foreign Currency Exporting goods to obtain foreign currencies for buying machinery, equipment, and other essentials.
4. Market Expansion Searching for markets abroad to sell goods and services.
5. Technology and Knowledge Exchange Partnering with other countries to improve skills and technology.