Resource information
Land has played a critical role in the development of the United Republic of Tanzania, with the roots of land tenure frameworks, issues and conflicts dating back hundreds of years Current land laws in the country are seen as progressive policies and legislation recognize the equal rights to land of men and women, including unregistered rights under customary laws, and any transfer of rights requires the consent of local people In practice, however, land tenure rights are disputed among village, district and national administrative authorities, and conflicts over land are common, widespread and sometimes violent Policy deficiencies and contradictions, weak policy and institutional frameworks, and poor governance have together resulted in tenure insecurity The country has recently updated its National Land Policy 1995 and made significant investments in land programmes In recognition of FAO’s role as a neutral partner and of its broad expertise in land tenure and the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security ( in particular, the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania requested FAO to provide support to the process of implementing the new National Land Policy The VGGT set out principles and internationally accepted standards for responsible practices They are a framework that actors can use when developing their own strategies, policies, legislation and programmes They allow government authorities, the private sector, civil society and citizens to judge whether their proposed actions and the actions of others constitute acceptable practices In November 2017 in collaboration with MLHHSD, FAO held a technical workshop on the implementation of the VGGT in the country, at which the Government ensured its support to FAO Areas defined as important were the regularization of customary land, the resolution of land conflicts, including through Alternative Dispute Resolution ( methods, land use planning and land based investments.
