Abstract
This paper draws on recent empirical studies of changing land and water use in semi-arid Africa to identify socioeconomic and political dynamics and discusses their implications for current policy which emphasizes decentralization and the strengthening of “local”––often customary––land rights. The paper presents cases where local initiative in response to market opportunities is driving investment and intensification of water use to increase production. This trend is associated with an increase in individualized control and market relationships in access to land, with increasing disadvantage to the poor. It is argued that this “default” pattern of development is occurring irrespective of the formal system of land tenure and may be promoted, rather than inhibited, by policies of decentralizing natural resource management.
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