EfD Tanzania took center stage this October, hosting EfD’s Annual Meeting – a major global gathering focused on environmental and development economics in the Global South. Dr. Martin Chegere, who stepped into the role of Center Director just over a year ago, got right into the heart of the action, hosting this major event.
The event marks, according to Martin Chegere, both a professional highlight and a moment of pride for the entire Tanzanian research community.
“It’s a major milestone for our center,” he says. “We showcased our research, engaged with global partners, and elevated our voice on sustainability issues – both nationally and internationally.”
“Shape the future of sustainability in the Global South”
The Annual Meeting featured, among others, keynote speakers, policy dialogues, parallel sessions with research presentations, workshops, and the EfD Policy Day, which Martine Chegere sees as a unique opportunity for Tanzanian policymakers to engage directly with experts from across the EfD network.
This year’s Policy Day focused on sustainable and climate-smart agriculture, a crucial issue for the whole African continent.
“It’s much more than an academic gathering,” he emphasizes. “It’s a platform to shape the future of sustainability in the Global South,” he notes. “There were very constructive discussions, and the method to document the key takeaways worked very well.”
Timely opportunity to impact policies
Hosting the Annual Meeting meant that the EfD Tanzania center gained a lot of attention. The national television company TBC showed, for instance, interviews with EfD’s Director Gunnar Köhlin, Martin Chegere, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam. At the local level, the university’s leadership showed great appreciation for the event.
“Hosting EfD’s Annual Meeting is also a great and very timely opportunity for us to have an impact on policies. The government is right now in the process of revising policies to align with the new development vision 2050. They have signaled that they want us to keep in touch.”
There were also discussions with funding organizations, as well as between centers, regarding how they can collaborate to attract funding.
Contributes to national planning
Martin Chegere took over as Center Director in August last year, following the departure of Remidius Ruhinduka. Reflecting on his first year, he notes the steep learning curve:
“There were many administrative aspects to grasp – coordination, financial audits, and strategic planning and hiring a postdoc researcher who is now working with the global Natural Capital (NatCap) collaborative research program. But I’ve had great support, especially from our team and the Global Hub.”
Under his leadership, EfD Tanzania has continued to focus on policy-relevant research in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, energy transition, green fiscal reforms, and environmental policy instruments. The center also plays a vital role in capacity building, training students, researchers, and policymakers, and contributes directly to national planning efforts, including Tanzania’s Vision 2050.
Martin Chegere is particularly proud of the center’s growing multidisciplinary collaborations with institutions like the Institute of Resource Assessment, the College of Engineering at the University of Dar es Salaam, and various government ministries.
“We’re becoming more integrated, more transformative in our thinking,” he says.
As Tanzania grapples with challenges ranging from climate change and marine degradation to reliance on biomass fuels, deforestation, and rapid urbanization, Martin Chegere believes EfD’s work is more relevant than ever.
“Those are all topics that our researchers are addressing. Our president is a champion of energy transition, and there are strong top-down policies in place. But enforcement and local adaptation are key. That’s where our research and engagement come in.”
Martin Chegere is certain that the Annual Meeting will spark long-term collaborations, strengthen the link between research and policy, and increase the visibility of EfD Tanzania. “The echoes of this event will go far beyond our borders,” he says.