A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Award of Master’s Degree on Public Administration of Mzumbe University
This dissertation focused on assessing the Impact of Land Conflict between Farmers
and Pastoralists in Ulanga District Council. It was premised on five specific
objectives which are to: identify cases of land conflicts, determine causes of land
conflicts, identify the main actors in land conflicts between farmers and pastoralists,
assess the impact of land conflicts between farmers and pastoralists; identify the
efforts done so far in reducing land conflicts. Sample size was 80 and was obtained
through purposive technique. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires,
and documentary review. Data was analysed by using documentation method. The
findings were presented in the form of detailed discussions and some tables.
Results from the field showed that land conflicts are divided into five different cases
which are conflicts between: hunting blocks and villages; village boundaries; farmers
and pastoralists; pastoralists and forest reserve authority; both farmers and
pastoralists and game controlled authority. Causes of conflicts revealed were: too
much immigration of pastoralists from various regions to Kilombero valley;
unawareness of village’s boundaries; corruption; increased rate of conservation game
and investors. The actors in land conflicts were: pastoralists; farmers; investors; ward
and village leaders; politicians; Local and Central Government Authority and the
Government. The impacts were: decline of peace to villagers; decrease in food
production; deaths and injuries to people and also increase in Council’s expenditure
on conflict resolution. Efforts done in reducing land conflict in the council were:
conducting patrols; inviting projects from donors in land use plans and reconciliation
meetings.
The study concludes that, land conflicts bring no good but fear to people, decrease of
food production; deaths and injuries to people and increase unnecessarily
expenditure. The study recommends for: amendments in land laws; immigrants’
control; educating people on land laws; providing counseling to the victims of land
conflict and reviewing village demarcations.