The assessment of the policies, strategies, legislation, regulation and functioning of the cashew market in Tanzania is framed within the impact of the overall competitiveness of the sector. In doing so it is important to recognise that the cashew sector throughout Africa is in fact two chains which do not always operate in a cohesive manner but which are really only linked at one end the farm gate and at the other on the retail shelf.

The Agriculture Sector Development Programme (ASDP) is a Sector Programme largely implemented at the district level through the District Agricultural Development Plans (DADPs) as an integral part of the District Development Plan (DDP). The government also works at the national level through the Agriculture Sector Lead Ministries (ASLMs) to deal with issues such as fertiliser subsidies, large irrigation schemes, research and development, regulation and coordination as well as quality assurance.

The Study on Public Interventions in Agriculture: With What Gender Implications was conducted by ANSAF with the purpose to generate relevant data that shall facilitate better understanding on to what extent interventions in Agriculture considered the gender aspect to ensure equal participation of women, men, youth and other marginalized groups in the process.

Several countries in Africa including Tanzania have committed to live to Maputo Declaration that requires AU member states to allocate 10% of national budget to agricultural sector. It is assumed that sustained ten percent allocations into the sector would translate into 6% percent sector growth. However there are arguments whether the 10% percent allocation alone can contribute to food security and reduced poverty levels. The biggest challenge would be where should the government spend money in agriculture sector? How should the government spend the money?

Land-use conflict is not a new phenomenon for pastoralists  and farmers in Tanzania with murders, the killing of livestock and the loss of property as  a  consequence of  this  conflict  featuring   in  the  news  for  many years  now.  Various actors,  including civil society organisations, have tried  to  address  farmer–pastoralist conflict through  mass  education programmes, land-use planning, policy reforms and  the development of community institutions. However, these efforts have not succeeded in the conflict.

Tanzania Natural Resource Forum in partnership with Care international implements a five years pastoralist programme (2012-2016) through registered Tanzanian Civil society Organizations (CSOs) and/or Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that work to improve the capacity of communities to overcome poverty, reduce vulnerability and strengthen the rights of men and women for sustainable livelihoods. This brief covers some highlights for 2013.

In the year 2014, the PP has recorded great achievements in terms of revised outcomes. Some unique and strategic approaches employed by the PP are partly the reason for the achievements. This brief is a summary of the key achievements made and the strategies or approaches used in 2014. 

The complexity and magnitude of issues pertaining to land administration and management in Bangladesh cannot be overstated. The nature and volume of land disputes in the nation indicate the inefficiency of the land administration system and land dispute resolution mechanisms. Especially multiple claims to the same property-fuelled by the uncoordinated land recording systems-are widespread. land grabbing presents huge legal and governance related challenges.

Capacity of local land administration has to be addressed for further strengthening the governance system with a view to deriving the benefits of socio-economic, political and cultural development for the common people of this country. It is true that in Bangladesh, voice in favour of effective land administration and management is becoming louder at the national level. Representatives of LGIs, development workers, civil society members and international development partners, time and again, are raising and firmly advocating this long-drawn issue at policy level.

Utaran began work on the Sustainable Access to Land Equality (SALE) project to ensure transparency and accountability in land governance in December 2012. The project engaged communiies in three pilot upazilas - Amtali Upazila of Barguna District, Mohanpur of Rajshahi, and Sadar of Jamalpur - to raise the awareness of vulnerable landowners about land administraion, and to effect transparent processes for a) selecing landless people and b) khasland setlement.

Utaran began work on the Sustainable Access to Land Equality (SALE) project to ensure transparency and accountability in land governance in December 2012, in partnership with CARE Internaional UK and Manusher Jonno Foundaion (MJF). The project engaged communiies in three pilot upazilas - Amtali Upazila of Barguna District, Mohanpur

of Rajshahi, and Sadar of Jamalpur-to raise the awareness of vulnerable landowners about land administraion, and to effect transparent processes for selecing landless people and for khasland setlement.

From peoples' point of view, the issue of khas land is so much so neglected and non-transparent that no one even knows what is the amount of khas land available in Bangladesh. No comprehensive research work has so far been undertaken to assess the impact of distribution of the khas land on the poor, and the whole range of problems associated with the retention and non-retention of khas land by the poor including the role of the power matrix (agents of power structure) in the process of alienating the poor from their inherent rights to own the khas land.