Changing village land, labour and livelihoods: Rungwe and Kyela districts, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a field study carried out in Rungwe and Kyela districts of Mbeya region as part of the Beyond the Shamba Research Project jointly undertaken by the Institute of Resource Assessment at the University of Dar es Salaam and the Afrika-Studiecentrum, University of Leiden. Rungwe and Kyela districts, located in south-western Tanzania and proximating to the Malawian and Zambian borders, have long been recognised for their great agricultural potential. Now, however, rural population densities have reached critical levels and villagers are experimenting with various non-agricultural activities alongside their agricultural work. The main objectives of the study were to examine the changing features of household control over resources such as land, labour and capital and to document the evolution of non-agricultural labour activities. Changing patterns of land and labour allocation between generations within rural households are explored in relation to these themes.