Analysing land policy processes with stages model: Land policy cases of Ethiopia and Rwanda

Abstract

Land policies are formulated with the goal of addressing land use management challenges. Therefore, a thorough investigation is required to assess effectiveness of land policy processes. The unknown land use policy effectiveness is how and where the formulation and identification of land use problems affect the throughput of policy implementation. The main objective of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of land policy processes using models of public policy analysis. The study analyses how the stages model could be useful for analysis, and in which areas the advocacy coalition framework (ACF) could enhance the analysis. For comparative insights, land policy cases of Ethiopia and Rwanda were used. Data on land policy processes in the two cases were gathered from literature and data collected from field. The analysis with the two models shows that the effectiveness of executing land use policy processes does not only rely on the conventional cycle and sequence of land use policy implementation steps (i.e. identification of the problem, formulation of the solution, execution of the solution). Instead, during the problem formulation certain dynamics occur which may prevent finding the right and only solution. The stages model is useful for analyzing manifestations as they occur along processes, and the ACF is required as a valuable model to enhance analysis by understanding the cause of manifestations. This study would impact the research method for analyzing effectiveness of land policy processes and improving practices of policy making on the basis of good land governance and public administration perspective.