Performance Audit Report on the Implementation of the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification

This performance audit aimed to assess whether the Vice President's Office (VPO) has adequately managed the formulation and implementation of the National Action Programme to combat desertification. 

The audit found that the Vice President's Office (VPO) and implementing entities did not effectively manage or oversee the implementation of the National Action Programme (NAP). At the time of the audit, data on land degradation was outdated, with the last report being from 2019. About 67% of NAP activities (2014–2018) were not implemented. The programme lacked a clear baseline, community engagement mechanisms, and monitoring frameworks. Inadequate coordination, reporting, and missing data hindered progress, limiting efforts to combat land degradation, desertification, and deforestation across Tanzania.

The audit recommended that the VPO ensure it improves NAP implementation through inclusive planning, clear goals, effective coordination, Information dissemination, defined responsibilities of key stakeholders, effective monitoring and evaluation, and comprehensive assessments to enhance the programme's effectiveness, sustainability, and overall impact.