Does biofuel really benefit Tanzania?

The global demand for biofuels has risen over the last decade. The demand driven by oil prices rising and therefore a need for greater energy security has caused a shift in paradigm. The search for alternative sources to supplement the uncertainty is now the main focus. The result of this uncertainty has triggered the investment on alternative sources of energy such as biofuels. This has prompted huge land grabbing in Africa, the scramble is on the rise. In Tanzania for example, four million hectares of land has been requested for biofuel production and this is likely to pose a real threat to food security.

The Global Change Course Students of 2010 (Action aid Tanzania) made a field research in the Kisarawe and Rufiji districts where a huge chunk of land has been grabbed by biofuel investors for producing biofuel. The Global Change group held future workshops where people were given an opportunity to state the problems they might face. The personal stories we did with the farmers and some of the investors were conducted in order to get a clearer picture of the situation. The group also stayed and spent nights with the local households (host families) in Nyamwage village (Rufiji), where the group got an opportunity to visit biofuel investors both in the Kisarawe and Rufiji districts. Here we talked to Sun biofuel, Safe production Ltd and African Green Oils Ltd.

The process of land acquisition was not clear and the villagers were not involved in land acquisition process. The government officials (TIC, Disstrict Officers, and some members of the Parliament) trick the villagers to make imprecise decision to let go off their land. The land that is the only source of income for the farmers.

During the land acquisition process, villagers were not aware of their land rights, the value of the land or the future consequences. One farmer told us during our dialogue meetings “Tulikariribishwa Kwenye mkutano uliojaa maneno matamu na kila ahadi nzuri,WalituTulikariribishwa Kwenye mkutano uliojaa maneno matamu na kila ahadi nzuri,Walituandalia chakula kizuri sana ambacho baadhi yetu hatukuwahi kula Na wakatupa na andalia chakula kizuri sana ambacho baadhi yetu hatukuwahi kula Na wakatupa na napesa kila mmoja shs 1000”. The effects of biofuels investments to the livelihoods of the poor people in rural areas has reached immediate and underlying negative impacts ranging from economical, social, environmental and cultural.

Insufficient attention is being paid to the lack of actions on social protection and nutrition for the poorest. The food security and nutrition of the poor which was already compromised by the world food crisis is now severely jeopardized, which is characterized by high food prices that leads the poor to limit their food consumption.

The communities have been displaced from the areas where they were cultivating and some of them have been forced to vacate their farms and land. Before cultivating the already existing crops and trees were not compensated at all.

There are so many conflicts between the communities and biofuel companies, rising from denied access to water points located in the project area formerly used by the communities. Some were destroyed during the clearing of the land for project activities especially the wells in the villages of Kisarawe district.

The establishment of the plantations has had a high environmental impact, ranging from deforestation and water depletion. The local people can no longer obtain a large number of building products and resources from the forest which appeared as a result of plantations. However the most serious negative environmental impact of the biofuel production in particularly the indirect land use as more carbon emissions will be released as forests and pristine land is converted from cropland to biofuel production. The appropriation of farmers land by biofuel companies is causing problems for the local people, because they do not have formal ownership of land and hereby the community members can not precisely know how their tomorrow will be. This is because the land they are settled on is being claimed by biofuel investors and the land is leased in the hands of the investors for 99 year.

Even worse the people’s cultural aspects were undermined as they were denied access to their ancestral burial grounds. In some cases, graves were demolished as the land was given to investors and this was evidenced in Nyamwage village in the Rufiji district.

Unfavorable working conditions are also some of the consequences that we have seen from the biofuel production. Long working hours from 6:00am-6:30pm where people are underpaid (2500shs per day). Lunch and breakfast is also not provided. There is no job contract, no protective jeers like gambtosh and people are denied of payment in case of any complaint.

The land including natural resources such as forests has been providing a safety net for the victims of social changes, displacement, unemployment and lost opportunities in the urban areas. This loss has increased the vulnerability of the communities so they do not have control over their lives.

According to our research findings, the biofuel companies have not been able to live up to the promises they made. Local people are facing serious consequences such as waiting for schools, hospitals, roads, wells, boreholes and community centers as they were promised by the investment companies during land acquisition.

In a nutshell, the farmers must be educated on the matters regarding land issues. The framework must be clear. There must be a clear definition of what marginal land is and which land is available for investment. During our research this was not clear to any of the involving parties. As one of the investors said “The land we got was no man’s”. If we have to be sincere, fertile land was allocated to biofuels investors in disguise of the so called marginal land, something which is contrary to Tanzania Biofuel Task force guidelines. The parties concerned in the allocation of land to biofuels investments, should think about the poor people who’s land is their only resource and avoid situations were native people might become evicted from their ancestral lands in future, and the land of which their great grand fathers fought for under MAJI-MAJI rebellion.

In summary, the biofuel investment in northern Tanzania can be summarized into two words, oppressive and exploitation of the Tanzanian peoples land. That is why there should be a policy of biofuel investments in Tanzania that ensures food security.

Unless we choose to try,we are certain to fail

My greatest lesson at the platform  has been on the promise of change, the power of dreams and optimism. We didn't always agree on things and on how to go about doing things but some how,some how we managed to remain true to our vision, punching hunger and freeing the hungry Billion.

We have been here for three months and this week we have our mega event, which will be a Press Release titled: Ensure food Security: Stop Bio-fuel Investment without a policy, which you are all invited, will try see how we can have it online to involve those who have been following us from without Tanzania.

So did we achieve anything? I think we did...we earnestly believed we could do something about hunger and we went out to do something about it, might have been too little to create change but it is enough that we tried.

Hunger is a global problem though causes are myriad, one thing comes out clearly we have a faulty food system. Food is an essential commodity which the Agri Business world has chosen to commercialize and treat as a luxurious commodity which only a few can afford, for petes sake their is so much food in the world and its mind boggling to imagine human beings die of hunger when they live amongst fellow human beings, and at a time when the world can produce more than it can consume.

In his book," The grapes of Wrath": John Steinbeck writes I don't aim to starve to death before i kill the man who is starving me to death. We are not asking you to shot the government we are asking you to join us in telling the government that we won't allow them to starve us by allowing biofuel investments without policies that ensures we and our children are food secure. unless we all try this we are certain to fail and worse starve.

PRESS RELEASE

Ensure Food Security: Stop giving land for biofuel investment without a policy

Dar es Salaam, Friday the 29^th of October 2010

Today Tanzania is not benefiting anything from the biofuel investment and the consequences are huge. Biofuel production has the potential to cause food insecurity if situation is left as it is, as land, water and labor is being used for biofuel rather than food production. The government of Tanzania is heavily supporting the production of biofuels without having policies in place that ensures food security and the people affected by the biofuel industry.

To make food a right and first priority in Tanzania,
the FOOD right FIGHTERS from the international Activista network are inviting all Tanzanians to join the Punch Hunger campaign and call attention to this very important message to the government:

Stop allocating land for biofuel production without a policy that ensures food security and that is implimented.

Venue/ Mahali: Tanzania Scouts Association

Time/ Muda: 2-6 pm/ 8-12pm

Major Events:

-  Performances by artists like Hardmad, Malfred, Eriakim, Rage
and FIDQ (not confirmed) etc.

-  Competitions in games, dance and music

-  Exhibitions from different NGO’s

- The FOOD right FIGHTERS launch their new song
“Punch Hunger” produced together with FIDQ

One billion people are hungry in the world and according to the ActionAid report (Implications of biofuel production on food security in Tanzania), more than 36% of the Tanzanian population lives for less than a dollar a day and 60 % are food insecure in rural areas. That makes Tanzanians some of the hungriest people in the world.

We need a policy to make the government, the ministries and the investors own up to their responsibilities towards the people. If we do not stand together now against this problem food insecurity will only increase in the future and no one will be put accountable. Food insecurity is a political manmade problem, and therefore mankind can change it. Together we can change this!!

Note: Already Wednesday the 26^th of October we will have a minor event leading up to the big event on Friday. It is a basketball tournament which will be at the Gym Khana Basketball Grounds at Ocean rd. from 4pm to 6pm. It is an open event where everybody is free to join.

Je, Huu si Unyang’anyi wa Ardhi?

Utafiti tulioufanya 26-27 september2010 katika uwekezaji wa mazao ya nishati hai (Bio-fuel) unaofanywa kwenye ardhi yenye rutuba katika wilaya ya Kisarawe,kata za Marumbo na Kibuta, vijiji vya Marumbo, Muhaga, Palaka na Mtakayo umebaini kuwa wanavijiji walinyang’anywa ardhi yao na kupewa mwekezaji wa mazao ya nishati hai. Inasikitisha kuona mkulima aliyelima shamba na kupanda mazao ya kudumu kama vile miembe,mikorosho na minazi na ambapo ardhi ndio mtaji wake wa kuzalisha chakula akinyang’anywa.
Pamoja na kuwa na sheria ya ardhi ya vijiji no 5 ya mwaka 1999 inayotambua mwakijiji yeyote alie kalia ardhi na kuitumia kuwa anamiliki ardhi hiyo kihalali bado kuna uporaji wa ardhi unaofanywa na maafisa wa ardhi wa wilaya.
Kwa mujibu wa sheria ya ardhi ya vijiji, halmashauri ya kijiji ina uwezo wa kujadili maombi yaliyowasilishwa ndani ya siku tisini na kutoa majibu. Lakini cha kushangaza wanakijiji hawakupata fursa ya kumjadili mwekezaji huyo wala hakuna barua ya maombi ya mwekezaji, isipokuwa habari walizopata wanakijiji ni kuwa wanachotakiwa kufanya ni kuandika muhtasari wa kukubali kumpa mwekezaji.
Wakitoa ushuhuda jinsi ardhi yao ilivyoporwa wanakijiji wa muhaga walisema afisa ardhi alifika kijijini hapo na bila kutupa muda wa kumjadili mwekezaji alituambia mnachotakiwa kufanya ni kuandika muktasari wa mkutano wa kijiji kwani kampuni hiyo inayotaka ardhi ni kwa manufaa ya taifa na hatukutakiwa kuchelewesha kuandika muhtasari huo kwani vijiji vya jirani walishapeleka muhtasari zao wilayani. Kwa vile mbunge wetu nae alikuwepo na ndio kioo cha jamii tulikubali kumpa mwekezaji huyo ardhi. Bila ya kuwepo kwa mkataba wowote wala fidia ya ardhi iliyochukuliwa na mwekezaji hoyo mpaka sasa hatujui ukubwa wa eneo alilochukua mwekezaji kwani wakati mwekezaji anapimiwa eneo sisi hatukushirikishwa kazi hiyo imefanywa na maafisa ardhi wapimaji. Mwekezaji alishatuambia ni marufuku kuingia kuokota kuni kwenye eneo tulilompa .
Inahuzunisha kusikia mtu mwenye dhamana ya kuwasaidia wanakijiji katika mambo ya ardhi akitumia kutoelewa kwa wanakijiji kama njia ya kuwanyang’anya ardhi yao yenye rutuba kwa manufaa ya kampuni za kutoka nje ya nchi.
Ardhi ni mtaji wa kwanza muhimu kwa mtu masikini kujikwamua kiuchumi na kuondokana na umasikini na njaa na kama mtaji huo atanyang’anywa basi ni dhahiri kuwa kutakuwepo na uongezeka la umasikini na njaa na kushindwa kufikia malengo ya millennia namba moja la kupunguza umasikini na njaa ifikapo mwaka 2015. Zuia uporaji wa ardhi saidia wazalishaji wadogo.

"Adding melody to our campaign!!"

Global change students making a song- its sounds like a joke right..! Yes we did it!  OnThursday the 21^st of October we went to the studio to record the song we have been working on and it’s called “Punch hunger!!”

From the word go we have been doing case studys,research upon research and reports ,meetings(on Bio fuels in relation to Hunger in Tanzania)etc.. During our punch hunger campaign! 

                                        how about giving our campaign some melody!

To be honest there gazillions of people out there who don’t care about reports, newspaper articles etc because it can be boring..And we agree. Music on the other hand is easy to listen to! To many people in many cultures music is an important part of their way of life. Which is why we decided to do a song on hunger? So we can reach out to everyone! Because fighting hunger is a collective responsibility!!

In the near future the word hunger has to be like it never existed! There is enough food to feed every person in the world! You are part of this campaign to end hunger until its gone!!

We will upload our song immediately we are done working on it!

                          Lets make hunger HISTORY people!!

The World Food Day – bottom up approach?

Saturday we attended the event to commemorate The World Food Day 2010 arranged by ActionAid Tanzania, Oxfam and Haki Ardhi. 

It was a highly successful day!! We did the media stunt with the car, build together with volunteers from different organizations and university students around Tanzania, which was shown to all the participants including different media. The event shows and reflects how food security is compromised by foreign biofuel investments. 

In addition to that was our spokespersons were interviewed by BBC News. In the afternoon we had a world premiere on a short documentary presenting our key finding from the fieldtrip to Kisarawe and Rufiji. The documentary was prepared with help from DC Studio (we hope to be able to share it with all of you here on the side very soon!). 

Lastly but not least, we gave our speech (also posted on our blog) and presented a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food security with a golden FOOD right FIGHTER Future Award! The idea behind the Future Award was to approach the stakeholders who are involved in the process of making the policies on biofuel investment in a positive and humorous way. Our message was clear: the stakeholders hold the Tanzanian future in the hollow of their hands and therefor they should start acting today – not tomorrow!

It was a long day (especially for those of us who unfortunately don’t speak Swahili) but worth the wait. Our approach really worked out very well and we are now in contact with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food security and arranging a dialogue meeting where we will hand them a report with our main findings and discuss what should be done in shorter and longer perspectives to Punch Hunger in Tanzania.

All the way through the training on the Global Platform we have being talking a lot about how important to the do the campaign ‘bottom-up’ and go to the streets, raise awareness and inspire people to ‘be the change’ and become FOOD right FIGHTERS themselves.

The World Food Day was the day we took action! After the event inside the walls of the Blue Pearl Hotel we took the media stunt with the car to the streets and the people. Some of the Swahili speaking students from the Global Change course explained the event and we talked to people who walked by on the streets (see the media stunt on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRkqDZ_9h-I&feature=player_embedded).


We experienced that, even though it is an upcoming issue in the media and newspapers like The Guardian and The Citizen have been writing about it, the ‘guy on the street’ did not know that the biofuel investments is a treat to food security in Tanzania.

But we cannot do this alone - and that is why we need YOU to take action! 

Our next public event is already next week on Tuesday the 26^th of October and you are ALL invited. We really want you to participate in the event and help us create public debate about biofuels in relation to the food security – how biofuel investment without a policy that ensures food security will increase poverty and hunger the Tanzania. Time and venue is on the drawing board but we will hopefully be able to post it on the blog later today – and you are of course always very much welcome to write us an email: msglobalchange2010@gmail.com

The FOOD right FIGHTERS’ speech at the World Food Day the 16th of Oct. 2010

We are all gathered here today at World food Day, to raise awareness of the global food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

 We are 20 youth Activistas - known as the “FOOD right FIGHTERS” from Uganda, Kenya, Denmark, Zambia, Zimbabwe, The Gambia and Tanzania with one common goal - to Punch Hunger in Tanzania.

Approximately one billion people are hungry in the world. According to the ActionAid report on implications of biofuel production on food security in Tanzania more than 36% of the population lives for less than a dollar a day and 60 % are food insecure, most of them are living in rural areas. That makes Tanzania among the poorest counties in the world.

We have been looking at the causes of hunger here in Tanzania and one of the recent causes is biofuel investment. Through our research in Kisarawe and Rufiji, we have seen how this affects the people. We have seen how food security has been compromised by biofuel production as land, water and labor which should be used for food production is being used for biofuel.  These findings are supported by the ActionAid report.

We have seen how TIC has allocated village land to biofuel investment and heard how investors promised the world to these people and yet almost nothing has happened. Still the farmers hope for a better future, where they get what they were promised - Schools for their children, water to survive, jobs for the youth and hospitals for the sick. Even in the rare cases where people do get jobs the conditions they work and live under are horrifying. They are based on seasonal contracts which mean no rights for the workers. We have cases where workdays are from 6 am to 6 pm every day of the week for a minimum wage of 3000tsh. Not only is this not enough money to feed their families, also, they have no possibility to provide medication or schooling for their children. This is not only depriving them of education but also against the labor law here in Tanzania that should ensure the wellbeing of the people.

The consequences of biofuel investment in Tanzania are huge. More and more land is being grabbed for biofuel production resulting, which has the potential for food insecurity if the situation is left as it is. This means that the farmers have less or no land for their own food production, and no money to buy the food they need.

The biofuel guideline has been under construction since 2006, and is now to be released. However they are not enforceable by law, and will not demand investors to own up to their responsibilities. That is way we say “No biofuel without a policy that is implemented and that ensure food security!”

You might think that this problem only affects the farmers in Tanzania, so why should you care?

The truth of the matter is that it does affect you. Tanzania’s future is on the line! Your future is on the line!

When the ministry of land through TIC allows the land to be taken from the farmers and given to biofuel companies, it becomes a threat to all Tanzanian people. Government has to prioritize food security and not only focus on investments that are not benefiting Tanzania.  Right now the government’s main focus should therefore be to feed the people of Tanzania. Make it a right to have food on the table in every household!

Reality is that people are dying of hunger! The biofuels investments do not benefit Tanzania by bringing any local development. This is only the beginning. As reported in The Guardian dated 11 October, four million hectares of land is as I speak being requested for biofuel production without a policy! Four percent of your country’s land is in danger of being used for biofuel production. If we don’t stand together now against this problem: food insecurity will only increase in the future. Not only will you not have enough food for you and your family - your children will be deprived of the right to go to school, and the right to have a bright future.

Africa’s land, Labour and Water is been exploited to grow biofuels that benefits the western countries. Is it right that YOU are growing food for the western vehicles, when YOUR children are starving in your country?

That is why we are Food right Fighters, and you can be a Food right Fighter too. Together we can create great social change and make hunger history. So take action! Be a Food Right Fighter!
We have a collective responsibility to make sure that biofuel investments do not compromise food security. “No biofuel without a policy- ensure food security!”

We demand that the ministry of energy and minerals ensures that the national biofuel task force develop a policy and regulatory framework for biofuel investment that ensures food security!

We demand that the ministry of agriculture, though its representation in the task force, push for a policy that ensures food security!

We demand that the ministry of land and TIC, stop approving land for biofuel production, without a policy!

And we demand that the government stops delaying the process of policy formulation!

The government should start taking the responsibility for their own people. Start supporting the local small scale farmers and the local development instead of endangering the wellbeing of the Tanzanian people by favoring the investors. Food insecurity is a political manmade problem, and therefore mankind can change it. Together we can change this!!

This is the World Food Day!

This is the time for social change!

We now want to invite some very important people up on stage that we believe have the power to make the change that we want. We believe in you, and that you can be the best food right fighter there is. Would a representative from the ministry of energy and mineral, the ministry of agriculture and food security and the ministry of land to kindly join us on stage?

We would like to present you this future award, for the effort that you are going to make in meeting your demands J we believe that you want the best for Tanzania, and we recognize your intentions of formulation a policy and legislation that will guide biofuel investment in a sustainable manner. Therefore it needs to been effectively implemented.

We would also like a meeting with you, to discuss the way forward in dealing with this problem.

No biofuel without a policy!! Ensure food security!

Findings of field work Kisarawe and Rufiji

How the land was acquired

·         They were not involved in land acquisition process

·         They did not know the underlying frameworks on land acquisition and land rights and they still not sure who to go for the compensations.

·         The government officials fraud them to make imprecise decision to let go off their land

·         They did not sign any contracts with the investor regarding their compensation.

·         Some villagers said the land acquired was under cultivation while others said land was not under cultivation or any other use.

·         Land was undervalued

Effect of the Biofuel Investment on the communities members

·         Low wage for the people employed by the investors farmers

·         Workers are being sacked constantly without pay!

·         Over exploitation of farmers in the farmers since they work for long periods

·         Workers working under difficult conditions since they have no protective gears

·         Farmers lost  farms in which they had previously used to grow mango, and cashew nuts and some for food production

·         Natural forests were cut down and this is upsetting the climate patterns.

·         Farmers lost their land and cannot collect fire wood and burn charcoal

·         Investors never kept their promises

·         Access to water is now limited as the water points were fenced off by the investors

·         Farmers unable to expand their farming

What the community members want

• They need their land back

·         They need compensation

·         They need pledged promises fulfilled (building schools, health centers and provision of clean water)

·         Building relations between the investors and the farmers

·          A network of the farmers

·         Land to be distributed between the investors and the farmers

 Investor’s side of the story

·         They got land from TIC

·         They paid for land (compensation for villagers) through the government, and so government pays the villagers on behalf of the investor

·         They will provide social services for the villagers ranging from water, building schools and health centers, and ambulances.

·         They will employ villagers to work for the farms

·         Villagers are stealing their farm products e.g. (stolen maize worth  60,000,000 from the Turkish investor in Nyamwage village)

What are we working with here!

·         The land given to investors by the government belong to the villagers

·         The value of the land is incomparable with the compensation or any promises pledged to provides social services together with the investment made by the investors in the land as of now

·         Land taken by the investors was not being used by the villagers for farming activities, but rather for harvesting charcoal, woods and firewood. In some cases, farming activities were conducted though in very small scale

·         Villagers do not have capacity to develop the unused arable land for farming activities in large scale

·         In an event the farming activities should be conducted in large scale, advanced implements must be used

·         From villagers  anecdote, there is a thirst using land for economic activities though in the same old ways  as earlier (undisturbed ecosystem)

·         There is no any economic activity that does not have side effect and so is the case for agro fuels.

·         Agro fuels is as same as other non food crops such as sisal and cotton and all have their side effects

·         The villagers were given undeserved status (object of charity) instead of domestic investor, basing on the fact that the land belongs to them.

What are we recommending!

That government should stop issuing more land for biofeuel investment until policies and regulatory frameworks are in place, such policies and regulations should ensure food security is assured and that the Tanzanians benefit from such investments.

What is our campaign about?

Food fight campaign, ensuring that food security is not threatened by biofuel investments.

Objective

Governments don’t allocate land for biofuel production without policies that ensure food security are in place.

Message

No biofuel investments without policies. Ensure food security

Target

Ministry of land

Ministry of energy and minerals

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security 

And the government. 

THE WORLD FOOD DAY

World Food Day was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It marks the date of the founding of FAO in 1945. The aim of the Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty. In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that "food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity"

Therefore every year, on October 16^th the world commemorates this day. This year round, the global change Tanzania 2010, intends to attend this day at the Blue peal in Ubungo plaza on this coming Saturday under the umbrella of Action aid Tanzania. Unfortunately this is a closed event not open to the public but the media and different Tanzania government officials will be present.

The theme of the day will be “land grabbing”, this theme being very much in line with our campaign, we intend to take advantage of the day to present a speech about our findings from the field and our message. As global change, we are against land allocation for biofuels investment in Tanzania until there’s a policy in place. According to our research and findings, the biofuels production in Tanzania right now is a threat to food security. We are hoping to drive our message to our main targets of our campaign that are the Ministry of Energy and minerals, Ministry for Agriculture and food security and the Ministry for land.

We are also planning to build a car model which we plan to present that day as a demonstration of how maize is used for fuel production to move cars while people are starving with no food to eat.

The global change Tanzania being the food right fighters and members of Activista, our objective is to also try to convince people that they can be the change that they want in terms of hunger alleviation by becoming food right fighters. We do not want to portray any negative image like being against the government.

As food right fighters we have the confidence in the Tanzania government that they can formulate a good biofuel policy that ensures food security. That is why as a way to show our confidence in the Government that day, we plan to present the three ministries with three future awards, them accepting the awards will be a promise to the Tanzanians that they will from now on punch hunger by producing the best policy that ensures Tanzania food security