Tanzania: Smart villages on right track
DODOMA: THE Government is on right track in ensuring good land use plan and establishing ‘smart villages.
Among 12,318 villages, some 3,993 have already been aligned in the sustainable planning of land use and by next month it is expected that 3,993 villages will be in, as the government puts more efforts to attain sustainable land use.
Speaking in Dodoma recently, the Director General of the National Land Use Planning Commission (NLUPC), Professor Wakuru Magigi Maseka, noted that there is a need to have common strategies in land use, bringing together stakeholders for common good.
He gave an example of Msomera village, where people who were residing at Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) are moving to as an sample of what the government wants, noting that more will be done in different areas, going with the plans to empower the youth economically.
The meeting brought together stakeholders from different parts of the country and was made possible by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with Jane Goodal Institute, Tanzania Natural Resources Forum and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).
Professor Maseka unveiled that the Commission strives to solve land conflicts in a participatory manner to ensure that every person or group get their rights and yearn for catchment, agricultural and corridor areas be gazette.
“We want to see land conflicts come to an end as soon as possible; there are some areas that have been encroached, such as conserved areas and need quick and right interventions. We know of places like Kigoma, Tarime where there are challenges, part of which are tribal due to demarcation issues. We thank ‘USAID Tuhifadhi Maliasili’ project for their support in all these areas,” said Professor Maseka.
NLUPC is a Body Corporate established by the Act of Parliament No 3 of 1984, later repealed by the Land Use Planning Act, Cap 116 for the essence of facilitating efficient planning and orderly management of land uses throughout the country.
It is mandated to co-ordinate, advise and inspect all sectors on collective standards and to advice the Minister to make the agreed standards; provide assistance to all land use planning authorities and prepare land use plans, monitor their implementation and, from time to time, evaluate them.
NLUOC also co-ordinates activities of all bodies concerned with land use planning matters and serve as a channel of communication between such institutions and the Government; designs and disseminates programmes that effectively protect and enhance the quality of land and better land use planning;
It has also been stimulating public and private participation in activities related to land use planning for rational and beneficial use of land.
It fosters co-operation between the government, local government authorities and other institutions engaged in land use planning; promotes the advancement of scientific knowledge in land use matters and encourage the development of technology directed at the prevention or reduction of adverse effects on land.
The Commission also specifies standards, norms and criteria for the protection of beneficial uses and the maintenance of the quality of land; undertakes and co-ordinates research, investigation and surveys relating to land use planning and collect, collate and create a national data bank to disseminate information about the findings of such research, investigation or survey.
