Land issues and the future of smallholder farmer in TZ

Land grabbing comes in three faces, legal acquisition, illegal through a third party and forceful acquisition. Of late the fourth and most dangerous one has emerged in the face of Investors seeking land to promote agricultural export. According to the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) report released in June 2009, over 20 million hectares of land was transferred to investors in recent months. The motive behind seeking land acquisition is to be able to feed their people at home. The report further says most of the countries seeking land acquisition are those which their climatic conditions prevent any agricultural development.

While this form of investment hardly benefits the local population and their governments, the idea has gained momentum in many African countries particularly Ghana, Uganda and DRC. The trick behind this form of investment is mechanized agriculture will help to move countries oud dangers assocoated with food insecuirty and provide employment.

However one fact remains, whatwever is produced is exported and the goverments have little or not control at all. This emanates from the fact that most of the concession are aggreed at higher levels such that revolking the rights becmoes an international relationship and political issue. In Africa reading oil producers are equally leading importer of the same products and has stated fuelling conflicts which will soon spill out of control. With International money transfers being introduced payments for the sale of crops and other products can be effected in their home countries thus evading tax.

Given the scale of food shortages in many countries especially those with unconducive climatic conditions, it is not surprising that multinational companies and other investors are backed by their government to acquire land in Africa. Practical examples comes from East African Community member states where the issue of land reservation in Tanzania is facing tough opposition from Kenya. The Current Food Crisis in Kenya will probably fuel the government to pressurize Tanzania into concession over land issues so that landless people can acquire land in Tanzania.

Land Issues in Zimbabwe started probably in the same way as what we are starting to witness in the form of investors. redistributing land has become and international and political issues which has resulted in human sufferings.

My suggestion therefore, looks at the status of Tanzanians in 100 years to come. First we need to look at foreign investment as a short term projects that shifts with labour costs. Also we should remember that any short termprojects takes little interest in sustaibale use of resources due to drive for quick profit maximization. Thus it is important to limit the land that can be allocated to foreign investors. But equally for local investors, we need also to monitor the activities and promissed benefits presented in the proposal. Local large scale investors too need to monitored especially for sources of unding. This will minimize the possibility of foreign investors acquiring land using local people, and with Pirates on the rise the dangers of such money are high. Therefore the best option is to put infrastures that will stimulate agricultual production and provide police environment for smallholder farmers to grow and benefit through better market incentives. Local processing industries will be key to better pricing and to attainment of the vision 2025 and bring us somewhere close to attaining MDGs.

While countries such as those in the Middle East have made use their oil reserve to make the world super powers bend. We can equally use of land to make money for our country- not by selling land but by supporting our farmers to export. Land should remain our our treasure and no one should seek to negotiate.land issues. We can exchange food for oil and other items, and compete in the global economy this is the only way we can eradicate poverty and not by giving land to so called investors who are not even interested in our short term gains but for their home countries (read more www.spore.cta.int/images/stories) or Spore Issue No 142 August 2009