"La présente loi détermine d’une part, le statut des terres du domaine foncier national, les principes généraux qui régissent l'aménagement et le développement durable du territoire, la gestion des ressources foncières et des autres ressources naturelles ainsi que la réglementation des droits réels immobiliers et d’autre part, les orientations d’une politique agraire."

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.

Esta é a sétima edição da série “Desafios para Moçambique” do IESE, iniciada em 2010, com o objectivo de contribuir para a análise e debate público de desafios económicos, sociais e polí- ticos considerados relevantes. O livro contém 14 artigos, organizados em quatro partes: Política, Economia, Sociedade e Moçambique no Mundo. À semelhança da terceira edição (2012), na preparação da presente edição os coordenadores consideraram pertinente convidar os autores a relacionarem os seus artigos com uma temática principal.

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.

After three decades (following independence) of being overwhelmed by command-economy policies, in the 1980s the Tanzania’s gold mining industry benefited from policy reforms that started with the economic recovery programmes (ERP). These reforms freed in part the major means of production from state ownership. The accompanying paradigm shift allowed artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) to register claims and retain much-needed foreign currency for rural development long before mining companies started operations.

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.

In light of persisting land use conflicts and marginal productivity on village lands, a research in the captioned topic was deemed necessary. This report makes a review of policies on land and livestock agriculture behind the backdrop of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, policies on land and agriculture, and aspirations for land reform. Violations in land rights and prevailing tenure insecurity lasting for decades have skewed mindsets of many users and the land administrators. Policy implementation and enforcement are in dire need of enhancement.

What has been the reaction of the rural producers and other land holders over these demands and actual land acquisitions? What does their reactions means in relation to ongoing land grabbing? While these questions are important this study was motivated by two major concerns.

The study sought to determine the state of farms that belonged to the then National Agricultural Corporation (NAFCO), ranches that belong to the National Ranching Company (NAFCO) and land belonging to absentee landlords. Since any state is dynamic, this research report, then, is a socio-historical account of what has been happening within/out more than 543,604 hectares of ranch/farmland in the wake of the fall of nationalization and rise of privatization.

Biofuel development in Tanzania places at stake 4 highly strategic national resources: land, water, forests and labour, and for generations to come. This alone is sufficient reason for the Tanzanian general public and rural communities in particular, to wrestle back the initiative and seek direct engagement in determining the best way forward for the nation.