Nature and magnitude of land acquisitions in Tanzania

Abstract

During the period between 1967 and the early 1990s the economy of Tanzania was centrally planned and managed with major means of production including land and industries under the direct state control. Around 1990s Tanzania liberalized its economy. As a result, the government embarked on a major privatization policy and opened up the market for international investors. Recently, we have witnessed influx of foreign investors who want to invest in the country’s farmlands. Most of these investors come from India, China, Europe, Malasia, America, Arab Countries and South Africa. However, land is limited in supply. Besides, the impact both beneficial and adverse brought by these foreign direct investments (FDIs) to Tanzania are not well known. This project evaluated the nature and magnitude of land acquisition and accumulation currently taking place in the country, by analyzing the role of key actors, trends and drivers in the land acquisition process. Mixed methods were employed in gathering data. Qualitative methods include in-depth interviews (IDIs); focus group discussion (FGDs); key informant interviews (KIs); observation and documentary reviews (DR). Surveys were used to capture quantitative information that could not be captured using qualitative methods. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Micro Soft Excel (MS-Excel) computer packages while qualitative information from key informant interviews were summarized and jotted down into main themes. Results show that Tanzania’s land acquisition and accumulation process is dominated by foreign companies who have acquired cheaply huge tracks of land for different purposes. Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in Tanzania have not reduced poverty neither have they improved living conditions of the people. The myth of an “idle” land is a major cause of the current rush for land acquisition and accumulation in the country. Other findings show that increased land crises, increased cost of purchasing land, increased land shortage, and outbreak of famine due to export-oriented production are key challenges brought by FDI in the study areas. The study recommends that, existing local smallholder farmers must be informed and involved in all stages related to negotiations over land deals that they own or that surround them. Likewise due to sensitivity in land matters to human livelihoods, the land tenure policy should be reviewed to the possible minimum period of time.