Factors influencing land fractioning in the context of land market deregulation in Ecuador

Abstract

Land fractioning is a continuous process that could lead to land abandonment. In this work, the relationship between the speed of land market dynamics and land fractioning were studied and compared in two rural parishes of Ecuador. For this study, a database with relevant information extracted from land property deeds was generated for both study areas. Additionally, 193 land buyers and sellers were surveyed to determine the factors influencing/motivating land transactions. We observed a gradual increment of land fractioning with the mean ‘fractionated parcel surface’ independent of the speed of land market dynamics. Instead, the purpose assigned to the land by the actors involved in the land market seems to be the factor influencing the mean fractionated parcel surface and average parcel surface the most. The similarities of the studied areas with others inside and outside Ecuador makes the study relevant in a wider context. Our results could aid local governments in improving their land administration strategies in a deregulated land market context.