Factors affecting the performance of the Village Land Councils in managing land use conflicts between farmers and pastoralists

Abstract

The current study evaluated the variables influencing Village Land Councils' (VLC) ability to resolve land disputes before they are twisting out of their control. Pastoralists would often transhumance, taking their herds far from their villages in search of pastures and water, and sometimes they would let their animals to graze on agricultural fields. The Tanzanian government was prompted to divide village holdings into sections designated for farmers and livestock keepers to resolve the tensions between farmers and pastoralists to prevent ongoing conflicts. Key informant interviews and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. NVivo software 14 was used to evaluate the qualitative data. The results indicate that the low literacy rates of their members, the absence of VLC capacity building, the absence of a chain of command in the conflict mediation and resolution process, biased choices, and corruption all contributed to the village land councils' limited ability to mitigate land conflicts. As a result, in defiance of the Village Land Act of 1999's instructions, communities arraign land disputes in public courts. It is found that village land councils, which were intended to hold reconciliation sessions and serve as village tribunals for reconciliation at the village level, have not succeeded in achieving the goals set forth, notwithstanding the limitations of the Village Land Act. The report suggests that the Village Land Act be reviewed, that VLC members' capability be increased, that secondary education be made a requirement for council participation, and that corruption be eliminated.