Assessing the impacts of land tenure regularization: Evidence from Rwanda and Ethiopia

Abstract

This article connects theoretical effects of the Land Tenure Regularization (LTR) and available evidence from Rwanda and Ethiopia. Based on a review of 26 quantitative and qualitative relevant and robust studies, the paper contributes to the understanding on what evidence exist to validate the LTR effects and how to gain long-term economic, environmental and social impacts. Results suggest a propensity of well supported evidence for positive LTR effects on investment in soil conservation and the role of LTR in enforcing certain dimensions of women’s empowerment. Agricultural productivity and rental and sale effects are more supported in Ethiopia but with mixed findings for the case of Rwanda. There is lack of any robust evidence for credit mechanism except some very limited support from qualitative studies on Rwanda as well as for youth inclusion in the LTR. Key institutional and economic factors identified for long-term impacts relate to reliable agricultural market incentives and contract arrangement, adapted financial products and services to guaranty credit access and collateralized effects of LTR, and active land markets to support modernised and collective investment in agriculture.