Timu ya Rasilimali ya Jamii ya Ujamaa (Ujamaa Community Resource Team)

Timu ya Rasilimali ya Jamii ya Ujamaa (Ujamaa Community Resource Team) works across northern Tanzania to help secure land and resource rights for pastoralist, agro-pastoralist, and hunter-gatherer communities, many of whom are negatively affected by the existence of the country's large protected areas. The group's approach has capitalized on Tanzania's village land legislation, which allows communities to develop by-laws and land use plans for their customary lands, and has also focused on improving the ecosystem management capacity of these communities.

By guiding socially marginalized groups through the arduous process of securing official rights to land, the NGO has secured several landmark agreements, including the legal demarcation of the first village for hunter-gatherers in Tanzania. Capacity-building, conflict resolution, and sustainable livelihoods programming have underpinned the initiative's work, helping to demonstrate the effectiveness of these rural communities as land and resource managers.

Key Facts

Equator Prize Winner: 2008

Founded: 1998

Location: Northern Tanzania

Beneficiaries: Pastoralist & agro-pastoralist communities

Biodiversity: Community-conserved areas

Case Study