Abstract
The failure of macro-economic policies to deliver meaningful reductions in poverty and achieve basic needs in Tanzania has provoked a deep questioning of the relevance of economic growth center policies in Local Economic Development (LED). The government and development partners are increasingly shifting from the traditional top down approaches to the all-inclusive bottom up approaches for effective local development. The concept of sustainable Local Economic Development is thus examined in the context of economic activities and challenges using a case study of Shinyanga region in Tanzania.