The role of formal and informal institutions in land management in the Uluguru Mountains, Morogoro, Tanzania

Land degradation has remained a challenge in the Uluguru Mountains in spite of efforts by various actors to address the problem. Cognizant of the role institutions can play in land management, the paper analysed formal and informal institutions for land management with a focus on their role in governing land management in the Uluguru Mountains. Data were collected through participatory rural appraisal, focus group discussions and structured interviews. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The primary education system, village environmental management committees and village extension system, as well as knowledge transfer from elders to the younger generation, labour pooling (ubava), traditional dances and farmer groups' networks enhance land management. Blood sucking belief (umachinja) and a tendency to envy a person making good progress (katsopata) constrained land management. Land tenure system, belief in supernatural powers and religious institutions played both enhancing and constraining roles. The study affirms that institutions influence perceptions, preferences, behaviours and action. It contrasts with the rational choice thinking, which sees behaviour as only following an individualistic rational calculus independent of institutional setting. Through designed and spontaneous change, some institutions have become more relevant for land management. It is crucial that land management interventions take into consideration the existing institutional landscape.