Gas extraction and community outcomes: The case of Mtwara rural district, Tanzania

This study examines the effects of gas extraction operations (GEOs) on livelihood outcomes among rural communities in the Mtwara Rural District of Tanzania. This study employed a cross-sectional research methodology with a proportionately stratified sample of 260 participants. A questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data during focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys. It examines net annual income in Tanzanian shillings (TAS), the monetary value of a household's assets in TAS, and food security using the Household Food Insufficiency Access Scale (HFIAS). The study revealed that nearby households (treated group) had much stronger food security than distant (control) households by 9.528 to 8.189 across near neighbor matching (NNM) and by 9.444 to 7.619 across radius caliper matching, with these differences being statistically significant at t = 2.0 and t = 2.5, respectively. The results suggest that the government should pursue measures that increase rural households' chances for off-farm jobs in order to improve their well-being.