Farmers displaced by the EACOP project along the serene coastline of Chongoleani are concerned that the compensation paid to them by the project is inadequate.

The oil export project has pushed up the price of land, so compensation is too low to maintain affected villagers’ standard of living. While the $4-billion project promises economic growth and energy security for the region, it has sparked protests due to its negative environmental, economic and social impacts – which have been met by crackdown on the part of the authorities in both countries.

In Tanzania, residents said they had been warned by the village chairman and other ward leaders not to talk to journalists, but Climate Home spoke to two whose land had been taken over by the government for the pipeline and its port. Without adequate compensation, they said they had been unable to buy a new farm in the area and have to buy food from the city rather than growing their own and selling the surplus.

The Total spokesperson said EACOP will improve living conditions, adding that Total complies with local regulations and international standards and there is a fair grievance management mechanism in place.

An EACOP spokesperson said that since last year, the project has provided households affected by leasing of their land in Chongoleani with food baskets and cash transfers, adding that the villages are given preferential access to unskilled or semi skilled work on the project