Land use conflicts in Tanzania : Kilombero Valley Floodplain

This study critically examines the structural and historical roots of land conflicts in Tanzania, with a specific focus on the Kilombero district. It investigates how over six decades of land reform—particularly from 1980 to 2022—have reshaped rural development and agricultural land use by promoting large-scale land acquisitions alongside traditional smallholder farming. While these reforms were often framed as progressive, they entrenched a dual legal system that complicates land tenure, reflecting both colonial legacies and externally influenced development models. Using an ethnographic, actor-centered approach, the research analyses the power dynamics and competing interests among stakeholders—state actors, investors, and local communities. It shows how legal pluralism (the coexistence of customary and statutory land systems) has produced tensions and governance ambiguities that disproportionately marginalize smallholders, despite their diversity and economic adaptability.The study challenges mainstream rural development narratives that portray smallholders as homogeneous and economically stagnant. Instead, it reveals their commercial orientation, reliance on diversified income sources, and the institutional and political barriers they face in securing land rights. Grounded in political economy and legal pluralism frameworks, the research provides both empirical insight and theoretical analysis of land conflicts. It concludes with policy recommendations calling for inclusive and context-sensitive reforms that recognize customary land rights, accommodate smallholder diversity, and promote equitable land access as a foundation for sustainable rural development and conflict resolution.