Making land grabbable: Stealthy dispossessions by conservation in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

Land grabbing in conservation areas, such as Tanzania's Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is not an abrupt event but a result of long-term structural marginalization that makes local populations relocatable. This study reveals how systematic disinvestment in social services and restrictive production practices create conditions where 'voluntary' relocation becomes justified, often leading to stealthy dispossessions. Unlike traditional analyses focusing on major land-grabbing events, this research emphasizes the precursor processes of marginalization that pave the way for such dispossessions. By analyzing policy and practice in Ngorongoro, it provides a framework for understanding similar cases where large tracts of ostensibly empty land are made available for investment, offering insights applicable beyond Africa.

Weldemichel, T. G. (2021). Making land grabbable: Stealthy dispossessions by conservation in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 5(4), 2052–2072. https://doi.org/10.1177/25148486211052860