•  COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT POLICY

•  Definition of a Community: - it is a people of the same origin, living in the same area or people with similar occupation.

•  The Meaning of Community Development:- refers to those measures which enable people to recognize their own ability to identify their problems and use the available resources to earn and increase their income, and build a better life for themselves.

From that perspective Community Development Department from all four (4) Councils namely Sumbawanga Municipal Council, Nkasi District Council, Mpanda District Council and Sumbawnga District Council plus recently added Mpanda City Councils that will make total of five Councils. They realize to work under the directory of the policies.

The main duty for the Community Development Department is to make sure the abundant resources that the region has are recognized and are exploited by the community by using their own ability to the reasonable rate by using self initiative in order to earn and increase their income and build a better life for them selves.

Rukwa region enjoys the following available resources which the community should be capacitated to recognize them and use for their better life.

•  Good climate for agriculture with adequate rainfall which ranges between 800mm. and 1,300mm. per annum and average maximum and minimum temperature ranging between 13°c - 16°c (June to July) 24°c - 27°c (September and October)

•  Land, about 45,985 sq. km. of land (67% of the total land areas) is suitable for both rain fed and irrigated agriculture.

•  Mineral deposits of different kinds, namely: gold, coal, silver, mica, limestone, gemstones and building materials.

•  Water lakes, which can be used in fishing, irrigation and transportation, the region has two big lakes ( Lake Tanganyika and Rukwa) and two big rivers (Sitalike and Ugalla) and other many small rivers

These are just a few mentioned resources.

In implementation process the department realize the contribution and appreciate the involvement of different actors and other collaborators as the fact that issue of development is not for an individual task therefore there need of involving different actors who should be responsible to the all issue/process of development these are:-

•  Family/house hold (individual) contributing to the development of families/households in their areas

•  Local Government: Village Governments, District Councils, Municipalities and the City Councils

•  The Central Government together with its parastetals and other institutions

•  Politicians

•  Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

•  Donors agencies

•  Various religious denominations.

To make things become possible government take different measures by building a conducive environment for communities and other collaborators to implement their plans successfully.