Request for research proposals
Supporting development policies towards sustainable livelihoods, industrialization, and resource mobilization in Tanzania

Brief background

United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) and the Institute of African Leadership for Sustainable Development, known as the UONGOZI Institute (UI), are implementing a collaborative research project aimed at informing the development and implementation of policies towards economic transformation and sustainable development in Tanzania and the East African region.

While the project focuses more broadly on promoting sustainable development in Tanzania, the research to be undertaken through this request for proposals is aimed at enhancing the understanding of the dynamics, challenges and opportunities in relation to sustainable livelihoods, industrialization, and resource mobilization in Tanzania. 

Read the full announcement for more information.

Offer and expectations

In order to enhance the understanding of the dynamics, challenges and opportunities in the focus areas outlined above, UNU-WIDER together with the UI invite proposals from qualified researchers under the three research themes, particularly in the following areas:

Sustainable livelihoods

• Challenges and opportunities in formalization of informal business activities
• Viability and sustainability of street vending in Tanzania
• Constraints and enablers to growth of female-owned businesses
• Opportunities and challenges of small-scale farming
• Promoting artisanal and small-scale mining as a business
• Enhancing market access and the safety of women traders in Tanzania

Industrialization

• Firm productivity and industrial growth
• Factors behind the low transition of firms from self-employed to employer status
• Alternative industrialization strategies besides manufacturing
• Avenues for innovative energy sources to promote sustainable industrialization in Tanzania
• Constraints to competitiveness of manufacturing exports
• Impact of a single custom territory in the East African Community (EAC) on Tanzanian exports

Domestic resource mobilization

• Informality and tax compliance in Tanzania
• Opportunities and challenges of widening the tax base and resource mobilization in the emerging and fast-growing sectors such as ICT, real estate, and extractives
• Gender implications of the current tax system

Proposals from individuals (or groups of individuals) as well as non-profit organizations are welcome. Applications from suitably qualified women and developing country researchers are particularly encouraged.

All successful applicants will be expected to:

• Produce a relevant research paper of sufficient quality to merit publication in the project working paper series
• Produce 1-2 pages summary of the main research findings
• Attend (one author per paper) a workshop in 2020 (date and venue TBC) where the work-in-progress will be presented to other researchers and selected experts. Costs of attending this workshop will be borne by UNU-WIDER in accordance with United Nations University travel policy.

Read the full announcement for more information.

Important dates

Proposal submission details

The submission of proposals is done electronically by using the appropriate link on the left side column. There are three forms to select from; one for individuals, another for groups of individuals, and a third one for non-profit organizations. Details (such as address, gender, nationality, date of birth) of all researchers involved are required to be entered in the form, and the cover page, the proposal and short CVs (five pages or less) of each researcher uploaded. Please familiarize yourself with the form in advance.

Any questions on the call for  research proposal process should be sent to researchproposal3@wider.unu.edu by 30 June 2019. All questions and responses will be published on this page. Selected answers will be updated on a rolling basis.

See full request for research proposals