Dynamics of greenfield development: Evidence from the "20,000 plots" project in Dar es Salaam
De novo (greenfield) projects address the problems of informal housing by purchasing cheap agricultural land on the city edges, surveying it, and partitioning it into formal plots that people can buy and build homes on. These policy briefs assess the "20,000 Plots" project in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and offer policy recommendations to improve greenfield developments.
Authors
Francisco Libano-Monteiro
PhD Candidate, Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Martina Manara
Lecturer in Urban Studies and Planning, Bartlett School of Planning, University College London
Guy Michaels
Associate Professor of Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Tanner Regan
Assistant Professor of Economics and International Affairs, George Washington University-
Henderson-et-al-Policy-Brief-May-2025-housing-and-neighbourhoods.pdf
PDF document • 883.72 KB
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Henderson-et-al-Policy-Brief-May-2025-public-goods-and-services.pdf
PDF document • 671 KB
Housing and neighbourhoods brief:
The "20,000 plots" project in Dar es Salaam shows that greenfield developments can effectively address informal housing by offering formal plots on city outskirts, with success depending on secure property rights, road access, and early settlers. Key recommendations include offering smaller, affordable plots, prioritising well-connected and flood-safe land, and coordinating early resident clusters to stimulate community development.
Public goods and services brief:
To improve public goods provision in greenfield developments, the brief emphasises strategic land management, including retaining public use plots and penalising underdevelopment. It also highlights the importance of community-led initiatives, flexible infrastructure partnerships, and sharing effective grassroots practices to support sustainable neighbourhood growth.