Public-Private Partnership in Land Management: A Learning Strategy for Improving Land Use Change and Transformation in Urban settlements in Tanzania

Abstract

Transformation of rural land use ownership into urban influence in Sub-Saharan Africa countries is an apparent phenomenon in urban development debates. This has resulted into discouraging investors with long terms land leaseholds, augmented poverty, unemployment and conflicts in urban settlements development contexts. Similarly, Real Farm estate investors who own elephant land in rural settings found changing their land use from farming into residential and other urban land uses to adhere to policy and legislative framework requirements. This paper documents the processes and intricates the landholder namely Arusha Duluti Coffee Real Farm Estate Company investor in Tanzania encountered when transforming his land into residential and other urban land uses requirements from farm, documents the lessons the case is telling us and the rational of public private partnership in land management. The collaboration mechanism role of public, private and local government authority in land use planning, cadastral survey and subsequently granted right of occupancy to landholders through formal processes are highlighted towards ensuring planned, serviced, secured, liveable and happy city which build hope to her residents. The historical trend of land development and ownership change, change of land use processes adopted, cost and benefits implications to different actors are highlighted. The paper wind up by arguing that land use conflicts and improper policy follow-up and enforcement limits the level of investment and sustainable urban growth and therefore public private partnership in land management and administration is a key factor to reduce conflict which may arise once the areas declared ripe for urban development and for investment in Sub-Saharan Africa cities. The stakeholder inclusiveness based methodology within a realm of public private partnership domain; legislative framework and capital base creation provide the checks and balances that are defining features of good land management and governance in urban settlements towards ensuring sustainable development.

Keywords: Public private partnership, land management and administration, Urban Space and Land use Conflicts