Formalisation of Land Rights in Africa: Impact on Security of Land Tenure

Numerous African countries have undertaken land rights formalisation programmes since 1970-80. These programmes are within the context of a larger theoretical debate for and against the formalisation of property rights. Programmes vary based on diverse input and output factors. For instance, finance and human resources are input factors. The recognition of communal management rights, administrative recognition of occupation, and registration of transactions of land are output factors. Despite the diversity of different programmes, some broad conclusions can be drawn about their effects. The effect of such programmes on tenure security is analysed by discussing the meaning of tenure security, actual and perceived elements of 'security', whose tenure security (identifying the winners and losers) and de jure and de facto security (legal and practical elements). The chapter collates numerous secondary sources to show how formalisation, although aims and claims to increase tenure security have either no effect or a detrimental effect on tenure security.