CoopAFRICA Working Paper No. 14 Cooperatives in Tanzania mainland: Revival and growth Sam Maghimbi In Tanzania nearly eight million people are dependent on the services and employment opportunities associated with the cooperative movement. The movement shows strong and persistent organizational stability. The Tanzania Federation of Cooperatives continually undertakes assessments and makes contributions to cooperative policy and legislation. Their capacity to lobby on behalf of cooperative members has made it possible for them to reach other cooperative movements, especially in Europe, and AFRICA there is now some networking between local cooperatives and foreign cooperative Coop Working Paper No.14 organizations. However, marketing services of the Tanzanian Federation of Cooperatives are limited and complaints of lack of access to markets and low prices for Cooperatives in Tanzania cooperative members’ crops are very common. Crop marketing cooperatives are heavily indebted to banks, which highlights the need for growth in the number of cooperative mainland: Revival and banks. Savings and credit cooperatives have been more successful in increasing social protection for members, by providing loans for emergencies, social fees and funerals, growth among others. Sam Maghimbi ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda COOPAFRICA Kazi House, Maktaba Street P.O. Box 9212 Dar es Salaam United Republic of Tanzania Tel: +255.22.2196700 Fax: +255.22.2122597 E-mail:
[email protected] www.ilo.org/coopafrica International Labour Office Cooperative Programme (EMP/COOP) 4, route des Morillons 1211 Geneva 22 Switzerland Tel: + 41.22.7997021 Fax: +41.22.7996570 E-mail:
[email protected] www.ilo.org/coop The Cooperative Facility for Africa (CoopAFRIC A ) is a regional technical cooperation programme of the ILO contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the promotion of decent work in Africa by promoting self-help initiatives, mutual assistance in communities and cross border exchanges through the cooperative approach.