Securing Communal Land Tenure in Northern Tanzania Using Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy

Communal lands are central to the livelihoods of many Tanzanians, particularly to pastoralists and hunter-gatherer groups. But a number of factors can undermine the security of these lands remaining ‘communal,’ in turn threatening the livelihoods of many people and cultures. This brief sets out a new mechanism for strengthening community land rights by securing local tenure through acquiring a Certificate of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCRO). It describes the legal basis and process under this mechanism and provides recommendations on ways to mainstream this tool for the benefit of different public and private actors.