Keynote Lecture by Einhard Schmidt-Kallert in Dodoma, Tanzania

The conference, which had been organised under the general theme “Towards Industrialisation in the Global South: Making Rural Regions Inclusive“ by the Institute of Rural Development Planning was intended to enhance the mutual exchange between academic research, planning practice and government officials. Apart from the dialogue between academia and practice, the conference offered numerous opportunities for international networking.

The organisers had chosen a highly topical theme for their first international conference, as the Tanzanian Government has, with its Second Five Year Development Plan, just recently launched a bold industrialisation strategy. From a regional scientist’s point of view it has been argued that this important policy document, though timely and a step into the right direction, is spatially blind.

Thus, in his keynote talk, Schmidt Kallert raised some pertinent questions: What are the spatial implications of an industrialisation strategy? What is the future role of agriculture in an industry-led economy? Will it be possible to locate some of the emerging industries in rural areas? And how is industrial development linked with urbanization? In attempting to answer some of these questions, Schmidt-Kallert also referred to cases from Germany, Switzerland and India.

In view of the significance of the conference for the current policy debate in the country, a round-table discussion on the last conference day (in which both international and Tanzanian speakers participated) was fully broadcast on Tanzanian television.

Photo:
Opening of the conference in Dodoma, first row in the centre: the Hon. Stella Manyanya, Minister for Industry and Trade,; to her right: Prof. Hozen Mayaya, Rector of the host institution, the Institute of Rural Development Planning in Dodoma.