Overview
Recognizing the importance of secure land tenure, the Government of Tanzania has enacted a series of land-related laws and policies aimed at sparking rural development. Many consider Tanzania’s legal framework for community-based land governance, as embodied in 1998 legislation, to be among the best in sub-Saharan Africa. Currently a new constitution is proposed that, if approved, will provide women with equal land ownership rights to men.
At the same time, large-scale investment in land has increased, providing both opportunity and risk for local communities.
With land near the top of the agenda for policy makers in Tanzania, there is great potential to partner to create systemic change for people experiencing poverty. Landesa has been working in Tanzania since 2011.
Selected Past Projects
Responsible Investments in Property and Land
To lead global efforts to help women and men, communities, governments, and investors realize socially responsible, transparent, and financially sustainable land-related investments, the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) supported a four-year RIPL project. As part of the project, Landesa developed step-by-step “how-to” Guidebooks that can be used by multiple stakeholders to comply with internationally recognized standards and principles to improve land governance and investment practices and ensure communities, smallholders, and investors all benefit from large scale investments. Two country-specific Guidebooks were developed for Ghana and Tanzania.
View the Tanzania RIPL GuidebooksTanzania Land Compensation and Benefit Sharing Study
This study, for Booz Allen Hamilton and USAID, provides Tanzanian Government officials, donors, and civil society with information about the possible governmental role in facilitating sustainable, large scale land investments while safeguarding tenure security and maximizing returns to government, investors and rural populations. (March 2013 to present).
CARE Tanzania: Pathways
CARE undertook a five year seven country project focusing on women’s empowerment through agriculture and economic development. Landesa was contracted, through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to work with CARE to integrate women’s land rights into the program. (March to April 2013).
Tanzania Land for Equity
Landesa provided direct advisory services to the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Human Settlements Development in Tanzania to identify and analyze issues related to a proposed “land for equity” policy to guide future large –scale agricultural land transactions. (November 2012 to February 2013).
Tanzania SAGCOT Scoping Mission
Landesa conducted research to understand the land tenure implications of the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT). (February 2012).
Tanzania “Carbon Rights” Case Study for USAID
Landesa conducted a study for USAID on “carbon rights” in the context of REDD+. The study resulted in a paper entitlted, “REDD+ and Rights to Carbon Benefits: Lessons from the Field.” (2011-2012).
Our Impact
In 2014, Landesa completed a “Women’s Land Rights Guide” for Tanzania. Tanzania is recognized as having one of the most forward-thinking legal frameworks (as embodied by the 1998 Land Act and Village Land Act) for women’s land rights. This guide seeks to make these rights real for women and their families through clarifying legal doctrine and providing practical implementation advice.