The Effects of Rural Land Registration and Certification on Land Management Practices in Damot-Gale District, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to assess the role of rural land certification on land management and agricultural production in Damot –Gale District in Southern Ethiopia. It aimed to assess farmers’ awareness of rural land registration and certification on land tenure security. Both primary and secondary data have been used to achieve the objectives of the study. The primary data for this study were collected from 145 HHs selected from four KFAs by using simple random sampling technique. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from the respondents using questionnaires, group discussion and interviews. The finding of this study showed that the perception of farmers increased about the importance of land certificate in providing land tenure security after certification. This shows that land certificate helps to increases the perception of farmers about their land security rights. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data showed that the respondents believe ast land certification reduced land related disputes, protected security of women land rights, helps farmers in renting their land for short period of time and access to credit. The study findings from the survey also showed that the majority of the respondents perceived that the current land administration is good for them. In terms of land management practices the finding revealed that the majority (62%) of the respondents indicated that they are practicing soil and land management due to certificate, i.e. land certificate increases the perception of farmers in LMPs. But the other (38%) of the respondents do not practicing soil and land management due to certificates. They were managing land even before getting certificates and seemed to be more motivated by the extension services. When LMPs are concerned farmers are motivated to practice different types of LMPs (such as terracing, planting of trees, Application of compost, planting fodder trees on pasture land, harvesting water structure etc) each of these land management practices has shown significant differences after certification. Key words: Land rights, tenure security, LMP, land administration system DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/85-03 Publication date: May 31 st 2022