Abstract:
This paper presents the results of the study with the broad objective of analyzing the
impacts of commercial investments on rural land access and acquisition process with
reference to decentralization by devolution. The effects of commercial investments
on customary rights to village lands, people‟s perception on foreign investments in
their lands and impacts of transferring the village land to investors are explored.
One village from each of the six wards with relatively higher land-related
investment was purposely selected for the study. A total sample of 162 respondents
from randomly selected households was enrolled in the study. Data were collected
using a semi structured questionnaire and analyzed in Statistical Package for Social
Sciences version 21. Results show that the ownership of investments in the district is
60.5% by non-village investors, 5.6% by village council on behalf of the community
in the village communal land, 26.6% by individual villagers and 7.3% owned under
joint venture. About 82.3% of households in Kisarawe district support their
livelihoods through agriculture, 63.9% owning less than 5 acres (2ha) of land. Only
in 12% of all households where women have control over land rights. Investors
obtain land rights in two ways, compensation of villagers (36.5%) and through
purchasing from individual household (63.5%). About 62.9% of investors own land
permanently while 37.1% got temporary ownership. The effects of commercial
investments on customary rights to village lands in Kisarawe district are not
appealing. About 65.2% of respondents have revealed that their lives and household
income have not changed, and some showed that their means of livelihood have
declined as they have lost both land and income. About two-thirds (59.9%) of
community members stated that their expectations towards commercial investment
projects had not been fulfilled. Thus, large scale commercial investments in village
lands is the opportunity for economic growth in Tanzania only if there is a balanced
interest of the nation, investors and smallholder farmers. Tanzania should see to it
that the economic status of her rural communities is improving by restructuring land
tenure system towards safeguarding the customary land rights
