Land Use Management in Tanzania: Examining Policy Approach to Mitigate Land Degradation

Abstract

Since the mid-1990s the Tanzanian government has implemented a national land policy and corresponding laws to address various land issues, including land degradation. There have been bad practices such as bush firing, overgrazing, poor farming practices, and a lack of awareness of soil conservation measures: all of which have resulted in land degradation problems in the country, particularly in Kigoma Region. This article investigates the reasons behind this phenomena, employing a cross-sectional multiple data collection technique. A total of 750 respondents from four districts in Kigoma Region responded to a structured questionnaire. Also, the study obtained remotely sensed data for generating Kigoma Rural land use and land cover. The results show that in-migrations in the area are twice as much associated with land degradation compared to places where this phenomenon was non-existent. Also, shifting cultivation was two times more associated with land degradation than in areas without such a practice. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the current land policy be reviewed to focus more on issues that could effectively address, among other things, the mixed in-migration of refugees, farmers, and pastoralists: all of which jeopardise land resources in many rural areas.