Tanzania - Land Tenure Improvement Project

Overview & Synopsis

Ratings of the Land Tenure Improvement Project for United Republic of Tanzania were as follows: outcome was moderately satisfactory; Bank performance was satisfactory; monitoring and evaluation quality was substantial. Lessons and recommendations are as follows. First, addressing rural–urban differences requires distinct technical and institutional approaches that reflect differing legal frameworks, readiness, and settlement conditions; future operations should sequence work to capitalize on existing rural models while allowing sufficient time to pilot and refine urban regularization systems, with realistic timelines, tailored strategies, and capacity building at local levels. Second, ambitious gender targets can catalyze institutional change even when not fully met; future projects should retain or raise aspirational goals, embed joint titling and gender-sensitive communication, and sustain targeted outreach to women to deepen inclusion and maintain high satisfaction. Third, sustaining systemic gains beyond the project lifetime depends on resilient institutions, standardized procedures, and durable digital platforms; continued government commitment and financing, routine training, and clear operational guidance are recommended to maintain and scale the national digital land administration platform (E-Ardhi) and associated certification processes. Fourth, complex land administration reforms benefit from a Multiphase Programmatic Approach, enabling early phases to focus on institutional strengthening, system rollout, and capacity building, followed by subsequent phases that scale certification and services; the design of each phase should integrate supervision lessons, including robust procurement planning, strengthened environmental and social capacity, and streamlined inter-agency coordination to ensure continuity and effective nationwide expansion.