Biofuel Production and its Impacts on Local Livelihoods in Tanzania

This research paper examines the impacts of biofuel production on local livelihoods in Tanzania's Rufiji and Bagamoyo districts. It finds that national land-use policies are often bypassed or poorly implemented, leading to land dispossession, inadequate compensation based on outdated standards, and unfulfilled community development promises by foreign investors. The study highlights a critical gap between the government's drive for foreign investment and the capacity to protect local citizens' rights.

• There are significant discrepancies between Tanzania's national land-use planning policies and actual implementation, creating ambiguities that are often exploited by those with more resources.
• While official legislation requires companies to obtain land through the Tanzanian Investment Center (TIC), some private companies have bypassed this by negotiating directly with village leaders and financing the land-use planning processes themselves, leading to conflicts of interest and a lack of trust.
• Compensation for land transfers facilitated by the TIC has been criticized for using outdated standards from 1999, failing to account for land value increases over time or improvements made to the land.
• Compensation offers were frequently presented to individual farmers on a non-negotiable basis, and some farmers reported receiving replacement plots of lower quality and smaller size.
• Investors have allegedly failed to deliver on promised community benefits, such as the construction of schools, clinics, and dispensaries, with some agreements being made only verbally.
• The drive to attract foreign investment has outpaced the capacity of local communities and the government to implement necessary safeguards, leaving villages vulnerable to pressure from District Commissioners and line ministries.
• In the Bagamoyo region, the allocation of the former state-owned Razaba Farm to biofuel companies has led to conflicts with approximately 600 families who currently live on and use the land.
• Biofuel projects in the Bagamoyo area pose risks to local wildlife and tourism, including the disruption of migration corridors between Saadani National Park and Selous Game Reserve.
• There is a lack of coordination between key government bodies, specifically a mismatch between the Tanzanian Investment Centre (TIC) and the National Environment Management Council (NEMC).

APA

Beyene, A., Mung’ong’o, C. G., Atteridge, A., & Larsen, R. K. (2013). Biofuel Production and its Impacts on Local Livelihoods in Tanzania. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-WorkingPaper-Larsen-BiofuelProductionAndItsImpactsOnLocalLivelihoodsInTanzania-2013.pdf

Chicago

Beyene, Atakilte, Claude Gasper Mung’ong’o, Aaron Atteridge, and Rasmus Kløcker Larsen. Biofuel Production and its Impacts on Local Livelihoods in Tanzania. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-WorkingPaper-Larsen-BiofuelProductionAndItsImpactsOnLocalLivelihoodsInTanzania-2013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Beyene |first1=Atakilte |last2=Mung’ong’o |first2=Claude Gasper |last3=Atteridge |first3=Aaron |last4=Larsen |first4=Rasmus Kløcker |title=Biofuel Production and its Impacts on Local Livelihoods in Tanzania |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-WorkingPaper-Larsen-BiofuelProductionAndItsImpactsOnLocalLivelihoodsInTanzania-2013.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{beyene2013biofuel, author = {Beyene, Atakilte and Mung’ong’o, Claude Gasper and Atteridge, Aaron and Larsen, Rasmus Kløcker}, title = {{Biofuel Production and its Impacts on Local Livelihoods in Tanzania}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-WorkingPaper-Larsen-BiofuelProductionAndItsImpactsOnLocalLivelihoodsInTanzania-2013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }