Iringa District – Pawaga and Idodi Divisions

1. Land department (Iringa and Kilolo District Councils)
2. Agric Department (Iringa and Kilolo District Councils)
3. CSO Partners – ICISO and KIHASI
4. Village Councils
5. Village Land Tribunal
6. Ward Land Tribunal
7. Poor and vulnerable people
8. Community members

Duration: November 2005 – June 2007.

Awareness raising on the right to land by the Iringa and Kilolo District Councils’ Land Departments.

To contribute to improved livelihood security and living standards for the poor and vulnerable people in the three Divisions.

Increased access to land in terms of ownership and control

Increased awareness on the Village Land Act No. 5 of 1999, to promote engagement of citizens and the land departments for the realization / fulfilment of the right to land.

Increased on the Land Tribunals Act No. 2 of 2002 among community members to facilitate better administration of the land matters.

Acquisition of customary rights of occupancy (CRO) certificates by the poor and vulnerable citizens in the three Divisions.

Rights Based Approaches (RBAs)

Strategies:
- Awareness creation on Land Rights
- Capacity building for community organization.
- Community mobilization
- Human rights monitoring
- Advocacy on land issues.

Awareness creation

Engagement.

Change of land ownership from communal to individual – as provided in the 1995 Land Policy and the implementing legislation.

Inadequate funds and equipment for the timely implementation of the Strategic Programme for the Implementation of Land Laws (SPILL).

Inequitable distribution of land – due to grabbing / fraudulent acquisition by few clever individuals – especially regarding irrigable land.

Land conflicts e.g. between farmers and pastoralists, encroachment on reserve land (Ruaha and Udzungwa National Parks).

Lack of land use plans in the programme villages – resulting in environmental degradation and conflicts.

Lack of awareness among citizens on land laws.

Lack of awareness among Village Council members and Ward Tribunal members on the Village Land Act No. 5 (1999) and the Land Tribunals Act No. 2 (2002).

Improper constitution of structures as prescribed by the Village Land Act and the Land Tribunals Act.

Lack of prioritisation of the Land Departments’ activities by the District Councils resulting in low / inadequate budget allocations.

7 Villages – Ruaha Mbuyuni, Mtandika, Mahenge, Irindi, Mgowelo, Igunda, and Nyanzwa – did not have Village Land Certificates.

All villages in the three Divisions did not have Village Land Registries and the requisite equipment – Land Registers, Seals and Stationery to print individual CRO certificates.

21 Villages in Idodi and Pawaga were surveyed and demarcated by Wild World Fund (WWF) BUT this was for the purpose of establishing the Park boundaries and not geared towards individual acquisition of CRO certificates.