Looking back, looking ahead - land, agriculture and society in East Africa, A Festschrift for Kjell Havnevik

Is Africa rising? Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa experience remarkable growth. Afrooptimists claim that an economic transformation is imminent, while critics argue that growth is mainly in the extractive sectors, with little improvement being noted among the rural and urban poor.

This collection of essays focuses on East Africa, with an emphasis on Tanzania. It is published as Professor Kjell Havnevik retires from the Nordic Africa Institute. He has carried out research, taught and supervised students, and participated in policy debates on agriculture, the environment and development policies in Africa.

In this volume, authors review the challenges that agricultural producers have faced in the past and risk facing today and tomorrow; customary and individual land tenure regimes; the character of current growth; and policy dialogue between the donor community and the Tanzanian government. Several contributions converge on the drive for large-scale land acquisitions, their potential and shortcomings, as well as on the policy alternative - investment in small-scale farming. The book also includes essays on religion and education.

In addressing all these development issues, these essays are a fitting tribute to the work of Kjell Havnevik, his colleagues and students.