Housing themselves in informal settlements : a challenge to community growth processes, land vulnerability and poverty reduction in Tanzania

Magigi, Wakuru & B.B.K. Majani

Poverty, land vulnerability and Community growth are human dimensions in global environmental challenges facing sustainable development, which currently gains its discussions in worldds agenda (Millennium goal, 2000; Quito declaration, 2003). Extent of knowledge in which different actors involved to address the aforementioned challenges, informed about processes in and on decision making, and policy guidelines on land development and management in informal settlements in rapidly urbanizing cities and community copying strategies in sustainable housing development seems limited (Habitat, 2003). This paper therefore focuses on understanding this limited knowledge thus to contribute to the improvement of poverty reduction policies formulation and sustainable community development in Mwanza city case. Equally important, the study provides data that can be used to improve understanding of human vulnerability to environmental change and to target appropriate efforts to assist poor peoples in the context of sustainable development. Qualitative and quantitative tools using interviews, observations, archival records, documentation, mapping, stakeholderss workshop were employed and supplemented by focus group discussions. Land degradation, haphazard housing development, poor sanitation, poor access to infrastructure utility, facility and financial institutions for loan, resource depletion, fear of eviction due to land insecurity and therefore increased shocks (vulnerability) are some challenges. The result shows that poor institutional coordination and policy enforcement in land development and management and socio-economic activities beyond planning needs affect climatic changes including seasonal variation of rainfall, affects the ecological system of the city and reducing level of city productivity. However, social capital and networking and adopting land regularization noted important in reducing housing risks and other vulnerability indicators.

Event: 5th FIG Regional Conference for Africa : Promoting Land Administration and Good Governance

Document type:Housing themselves in informal settlements : a challenge to community growth processes, land vulnerability and poverty reduction in Tanzania (384 kB - pdf)