Between 2005 and 2009 the emergence of large-scale acquisitions of land or ‘land grabbing’ for production of food and energy feedstocks, and private forest plantations in developing countries, triggered various responses from global actors.

The purpose of this assignment was to establish whether there is appetite to hold a public debate on how to realise better land‐based investments in Tanzania. It also aimed at identifying what would be the discussion issues and most appropriate mechanism to allow different actors from different levels to articulate their perspectives on land‐based investments in Tanzania. This has been triggered by the sensitivity surrounding the topic.

This preliminary study involved consultation of responsible district government officials and relevant Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on various issues related to land and investments. Among other areas, the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) was selected as a study site and study used the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to obtain information. Questionnaire designed reflected land investment  governance  process  thematic  areas.

Administration of land in Tanzania is more decentralized from the president to the village level. The law gives power to village councils and village assemblies to administer village land. The District authorities are given advisory and supervisory mandates over villages and represent the commissioner who takes overall administrative powers.  Despite decentralization, institutions responsible for land administration, land have continued to be cause of many conflicts for years.  Conflicts have been escalating and lead loss of lives and property.

Currently, Tanzania faces numerous challenges related to land ownership, especially in rural areas. The challenges include farmers-pastoralists conflicts, tenure disputes, and alienation of peasants. To address the challenges, the current policies and approaches used in the country need to be changed on the grounds that their inherent shortcomings make the policies unable to meet rampant land problems that the country has faced in recent years and continue to experience.

This study is focused on the effects of the eviction process of pastoralists from Mbarali to Lindi Rural and Kilwa Districts in Lindi Region. The study sampled six villages out 15 villages in Lindi Rural and Kilwa districts. The study employed semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with district, village authorities, host communities and migrating pastoralists in selected villages.

Land use conflicts are common phenomena in Tanzania and the world at large. One major reason before going to specific cases hinges on the fact that land does not expand while people and other living organizations that depend on it keeps on increasing on the early surface. This un matching ratio between land as basic resources for livelihoods and its users constantly results into land use conflicts.

The land tenure system of Tanzania has passed through different historical milestones which form the basis for the analysis of the land tenure regime in general and tenure relations for land owners and users in particular in the past eight decades. The history dates back to 1923 when the British colonial legislative assembly enacted the Land Ordinance cap 113 to guide and regulate land use and ownership in Tanganyika which was their protectorate colony. Prior to this law, all the land in Tanzania was owned under customary tenure governed by clan and tribal traditions.

A comprehensive legal analysis highlighting  gaps and recommendations in the four selected land related legislations in Tanzania. 

This paper uses District Land and Housing Tribunal (DLHT) as a case study to argue that the principle conceived in the enactment of the law that established the tribunal is far from becoming a reality. It uses data of the past four years to demonstrate that DLHT is overburdened by increment of an average of 2000 pending cases every year. It further shows legal and practical challenges that hinder access to and independence of DLHT. The paper calls for drastic strategic measures to strengthen DLHT in terms of human resources and facilities.

The Land Rights Research and Resources Institute held its second National level Public Forum on land on 12-13 May 2005. The two day forum was partly one of the planned activities in the Institute’s three year Strategic plan and a special event to commemorate the Institute’s tenth Anniversary. It thus took place along with other activities such as Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop, preparation and running of a documentary on land rights advocacy, special media programmes, Special theatre performance by Dhahabu theatre arts Group and moving into a more specious office premise.

Land in Afghanistan is an extremely complicated issue, proving a main source of conflict. Weak governing institutions and a lack of political will to tackle the issue seriously, however, have made it practically impossible to resolve disputes over land and property in an effective and fair manner.