Visions for an African Valley

What was the effect of the numerous, albeit often unsatisfied, plans for development on the land and communities of the Kilombero valley throughout the colonial period and after independence?


This book traces histories of development in - and crucially, visions of development for - the Kilombero valley of south-central Tanzania. Taking the notion of development planning as a form of 'future making', the book examines the many visions or 'past futures' projected onto Kilombero by colonial and national governments, by international organisations, syndicates, and individuals. It examines how such plans were conceived, evaluates their successes, and analyses their shortcomings against changing political and economic landscapes. Four key themes - agricultural intensification, ecology control, infrastructure and (re)settlement - are shown to persistently surface and continue to shape the valleyscape today.

By considering past future visions for the reorganisation of rural life in Tanzania, the book reveals how even recent initiatives have suffered through their failure to learn from this history. Offering fresh insights and approaches to the historiography of development, Visions for an African Valley shows Kilombero to be a prism which refracts broader phenomena across more than a century.