About Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT)

BACKGROUND

The Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT) is the umbrella Private Sector Organization advocating and lobbying on behalf of its members at a national and local level on policy and business environment issues impacting the agricultural sector. The fundamental objective of ACT is to unite all the members of the agricultural and livestock community in Tanzania and to act as the instrument of the members in dialogue with the government and other bodies on the formulation and oversight of policies and programs related to the development of agriculture and agribusiness in the country. ACT draws members from farmer’s associations, the association of livestock keepers, cooperatives, the association of input suppliers, agro-processors associations, transporters' associations, and researchers.

 ACT’s work is guided by her vision and mission. The vision is to be a vibrant and prosperous sustainable agricultural sector that is competitive and ensures food and nutrition security; and is private sector driven while the mission is to advocate, coordinate and provide support for a competitive and sustainable agribusiness. To date, ACT advocates and dialogues on behalf of its 200 members (4.9 individual members).

ACT has built strong relationships with local, regional, and international organizations to improve service delivery to its members. At the national level, the ACT is a member of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), which is the umbrella private sector organization in Tanzania. At the regional level, the ACT is a member of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), East Africa Business Council (EABC), and Southern Africa Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU). For almost twenty (20) years, the Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT) through its previous strategic plans has been working with the Government of Tanzania as well as its members to address the unique challenges facing the agricultural sector in Tanzania.

MAIN OBJECTIVE

The main objective of ACT is to be the pro-active and center for coordination between public and private sectors for pertinent issues related to the sustainable development of agribusiness in Tanzania.

Core Values

Member-centered

Helping to solve members‟ problems and safeguarding their collective interests are the major focal points of ACT activities. Therefore the organization will maintain a high level of responsiveness and receptiveness in serving them.

Inclusiveness

ACT values and embraces diversity as it can inspire creativity and drive innovation. Further, the Organization is sensitive to the special needs and diverse backgrounds of its stakeholders. The organization will seek out views that reflect all walks of life, and reflect those views in pursuing development of the agricultural sector. All individuals will be given an equal opportunity to be heard and to benefit from ACT

 

Transparency

ACT cherishes transparency as being one of the main pillars of good governance. The organization will always strive for openness and honesty in all its dealings with persons within or outside the institution and the general public.

Innovativeness

ACT strives to find new ways to make things better, optimize results by working smarter, learn and grow, learn from failures and successes to keep adding value to its members and the agricultural sector in general.

Professionalism

Committed to continuous improvement and professional advancement of its employees, ACT takes pride in producing high-quality work and delivering valuable services to internal and external stakeholders. This pride is exhibited in professional appearance, language and behavior. As an apex body, ACT respects others, expresses sincere appreciation, and seeks to positively influence those around the organization.

Integrity

Integrity forms the foundation of ACT. ACT demands the highest level of ethics and morals. As an organization, ACT grows through interactions that promote mutual trust and respect with our stakeholders and partners. ACT will keep doing the right thing and being accountable at all levels, all the times.

Non-partisan

In this context non-partisan means that ACT operations and leadership are not involved, not affiliated, and not supported by any political party or political ideology.