The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
24 July 2008
Something fishy is going on in the whole issue of biofuel farming in the country.
While more and more reports from local watchdogs, non-government organisations, university researchers and Members of Parliament keep asserting that foreign investors have, in fact, been already allocated thousands of hectares in the most fertile pieces of land in the country, the Government has just kept mum.
The Tanzania Investment Centre has repeatedly said that even as biofuel investors have been licensed to operate in the country they have not been allocated land till the appropriate legislation is finalised.
But reports from Land Research and Resources Institute said recently that about 641,170 hectares of land have been given to companies for bio-fuel plants cultivation.
Yesterday in Parliament Kilwa MP, Hasnain Dewji, said 50-year exclusive leasing rights has been given to a Netherlands based company, Bio-Shape to secure for unknown hectares of fertile land in Mabiji, Migeregere, Nainokwe, Liwiti and Kiwawa areas in Kilwa for jatropha cultivation.
Risky enough it is alleged that most of these companies get the land directly from villagers.
But apparently the Government is unaware. According to the Village Land Act 1999 no such huge pieces of village land could be given to investors without the central government approving it. So what is going on?
And, what is the hurry? The regulatory and legislative mechanisms are not yet in place. Why can't it wait until such important instruments are in place for the land to be given away?
We urge the Government act, immediately. The net value and benefits of bio-fuels as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels is still debatable and there is not yet a consensus in the world.
Multinationals are also not coming here to invest so that our cars could run on ethanol. Their heavily subsidised investments are for consumers back home.
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