DR Uganda Congo Lake Victoria Kenya Ruanda MARA MwanzMwM a KAGERA MWMWANNZAA ARUSHA KI Burundi Arusha LI SHINYANGGA MANMANJA Moshi A Indian R O Ocean KIGOMA MANYYARRA Kigoma Tanga STUDY Tabora DODOMA TANGGA Pemba TABORA SINGIDDA Zansibar Dodoma RUKWKWA Dar es Salaam Lake Morogoro Tanganyikga a DDRRCR Congongooonnngngogo Tanzania PWANPW I Mafiaa Island MBEYEYA MOROGORO Mbeya IRINGA LILINDNDI LiLLindLinLindiiindnndndiddii Zambia Songeo a Lakeak MTWARAWAWARWARA Nyasa RUVUR MA MalaMalaa wii Mozaozazambiqm uee 0 1001 200220 300000 kmm Impacts of large-scale agricultural investments on small-scale farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania: A Right to Food Perspective Hannah Twomey, Christina M. Schiavoni, Dr. Benedict Mongula Impacts of large-scale agricultural investments on small-scale farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania: A Right to Food Perspective Imprint Published by: Bischöfl iches Hilfswerk MISEREOR e.V. Mozartstr. 9 52064 Aachen Germany Phone +49 (0)241 442 0 Fax +49 (0)241 442 1 88 www.misereor.de, www.misereor.org Authors: Hannah Twomey Christina M. Schiavoni Dr. Benedict Mongula Edited by: Kerstin Lanje, Silvia Cottin Photo Front Page: Christina M. Schiavoni Graphic Design: VISUELL, Büro für visuelle Kommunikation Aachen Published July 2015 This study was produced with the support of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of the publisher and shall not be considered the viewpoint of the patrons. 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents Foreword . 4 Acknowledgements & Abbreviations . 6 Executive Summary . 7 1. Introduction . 11 1.1 Context of the Study: Agricultural Investment and the Global Land Rush. 11 1.2 Selection of Case Study . 12 1.3 The Main Debates: Investment for and by Whom? . 15 1.4 Objectives and Outline of the Report . 17 2. The Right to Food. 17 2.1 Defi ning and Situating the Right to Food . 17 2.2 A Right to Food Approach . 18 2.3 A Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Agricultural Investment vis-à-vis the Right to Food . 20 3. Methodology . 24 3.1 Process. 24 3.2 Selection of Participants and Sites . 24 3.3 Background to the Sites . 25 4. Findings . 26 4.1 Impact of Investment upon Access Channels . 26 4.2 Processes and Mechanisms that Make Violations of the Right to Food Possible. 35 5. A Right to Food Analysis of SAGCOT . 38 5.1 Origins of SAGCOT . 38 5.2 Main Elements of SAGCOT . 39 5.3 SAGCOT vis-à-vis Food Access Channels . 40 5.4 Summarizing Remarks on SAGCOT and the Right to Food . 45 6. Conclusion . 46 References . 48 Appendix . 50 3 Impacts of large-scale agricultural investments on small-scale farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania: A Right to Food Perspective Preface to the study investments. This G8’s New Alliance initiative involved six African countries, namely Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mozambique and Tanzania, as well as multilateral organizations like the World Bank, the World Food Programme and some of the biggest agribusiness multinationals in the world such as Cargill, Syngentha, Monsanto and Yara. In Southern Tanzania the New Alliance concept is implemented under the name of Southern Agricultural Photo: MISEREOR Growth Corridor (SAGCOT). In a dedicated growth corridor so-called “modern” agriculture is promoted Tanzania is a priority country of Germany’s offi cial with the help of large-scale private investments that development assistance. Also MISEREOR, a Catholic are meant to bring some two million people out of development agency, has been funding projects in poverty. this East African country since its foundation in 1958. This prompted MISEREOR to take a closer look at Among other things, the co-operation prioritizes the the much-criticized concept and deal more in depth promotion of sustainable farming, the right to food with the following questions: and the land rights of small-scale farmers. • How does foreign agricultural investment impact At the latest since autumn 2012 MISEREOR’s small-scale farmers? partners in Tanzania have been voicing more and more • Does the SAGCOT concept contribute to reducing concerns about an increasing presence of foreign hunger and poverty? investors and land grabbing. In rural areas Tanzanians • Is SAGCOT a sustainable development concept? depend on access to land for their livelihoods: 80 • Yet, most importantly: Does it support or hinder percent of the people live on farming and livestock the right to food? breeding. Since the food and fi nancial crises in 2007 small-scale farmers have drawn the attention of devel- A total of 40 representatives from agriculture, science opment actors and the public. However, uncertainty and politics, from parishes and NGOs, came to the persists over what “recipes” might eradicate hunger following conclusion in Dar es Salaam in the spring of and poverty or what agricultural investment models 2014: “The consultative meeting concluded that the proposed by whom are the most suitable. negative impacts of the investment in agro-business In May 2012 Barack Obama launched the New in the form of SAGCOT out weight the possible pos- Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Africa at itive impacts of SAGCOT—as is evidenced by the so the G8 meeting in Camp David, aimed at creating rife land grabbing and displacement of smallholder secure framework conditions for private agricultural farmer’s communities in the Southern Highlands.1 1 Press release of 14 March 2014 by Caritas Tanzania 4 Foreword This study was carried out in the context of a co- • To promote the exchange of information between operation project (Teaching EcoFair Trade) between researchers and the civil society and shift the the Heinrich Böll Foundation (Germany), Caritas discussion by adding the views of the affected Czech Republic, the University of Stuttgart Hohen- people about the “right way to reduce hunger”.2 heim, the Humboldt University in Berlin (Germany), the Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic), MISEREOR wishes to point to the fact that the cor- the International Institute of Social Studies in The porations Olam-Aviv Limited, Sao Hill Industries, Hague (Netherlands), the University Louvain (Bel- Montara Continental and The New Forests Company, gium) and other universities in Europe. The Teaching that are the subject of criticism in this study, have ECO-FAIR initiative aims at enshrining the right to food been given the opportunity to defend themselves approach in the research and teaching activities of against the information reported. Their responses European universities. are included in the annex. The present study was sent to all Members of the The concrete aims of this case study are: Tanzanian Parliament and presented to the Tanzanian • To shed a light on the complex interrelation- government. It will also be used for lobbying and PR ship between the right to food and agricultural purposes regarding the G7’s New Alliance in Tanzania, investments; Germany, Europe and the United States, the country • To strengthen the right to food approach by ap- in charge of SAGCOT. plying the minimum principles developed by the We would like to warmly thank the authors of former UN Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter; and this study. Without the tireless work of the research team oof the International Institute of Social Studies inin The Hague,H Hannah Twomey and Christina M. Schi- avoni, and Prof. Benedict Mongula of the University Dar Es Salaam, the present results would not have been achieved. In addition, we wouldw like to thank all organizations that were involvedinvol in the study and the responsible persons inin Tanzania.Tanz PiPirminrmiSi Spiegel l DirectorDire General 2 Under the “Securing the Global Food Supply” (GlobE) initi- ative, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, a consortium of seven German research institutions, two international agricultural research centres and seven Tanzanian institutions are currently examining the question how to improve the food security in Tanzania. Securing the global food supply is also a central aim of the German National Research Strategy BioEconomy 2030. Photo: Hartmut Schwarzbach/MISEREOR 5 Impacts of large-scale agricultural investments on small-scale farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania: A Right to Food Perspective Acknowledgements There are a number of people and corresponding Importantly, we owe our sincerest gratitude to the organizations to whom we must express our deepest small-scale farmers that agreed to partake in our gratitude for helping to make this research a reality. research, sharing both their time and personal stories We would like to thank those at MISEREOR, par- with us. We hope that this report will provide insight ticularly Kerstin Lanje, Iris van Wickern, and Yvonne into the realities of those interviewed in order to Pankert, among others, for providing the institutional improve their lives. support, editing, and drive to conduct this research. In addition, we would like to thank the many In the current context of an increased focus on agri- other individuals that shared their time with us, in- cultural investment, MISEREOR has recognized the cluding Olivier De Schutter, Paul Chilewa, Josephine importance of understanding the impact of these Dungumaro, Father Makombe, Sister Sabina, Brito investments upon small-scale farmers. Mgaya, Georgina Mbawala, and Welmoed Rijpkema We must also acknowledge MISEREOR for con- of Caritas Tanzania, Jordan Gama of the Tanzania necting us with MVIWATA (Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM), Marc Wuyts Wakulima Tanzania), the National Network of Farmers and Blandina Kilama of REPOA, members of the Groups in Tanzania, without whom this report would organizations Muvi, Recordia, and CAST in Ruvuma, not have been possible. In particular, we would like the Songea District Comissioner Joseph Mkirikiti, and to thank MVIWATA Ruvuma, including Frank Ademba, Samuel Darkwah of Mendel University. Denis Mpagaze, Laika Haji, Rachel Terry, Bigambo Finally, we would like to give a special thanks to Ladslaus, and Bahati Fungafunga.