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The Welfare Impact of Land Redistribution: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Initiative in Malawi

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  • Mendola, Mariapia
  • Simtowe, Franklin

Abstract

Land reform may be an effective means of reducing poverty in many developing countries where policy efforts have recently embraced a decentralized market-based approach to land redistribution. We use household panel data combined with a quasi-experimental program to assess the impact of a joint Malawi/World Bank land program on household well-being. Double difference and matching methods are used to address identification sources of bias. Results point to average positive effects on several productive outcomes of beneficiaries, while no effects are found with respect to access to social services. There is also evidence of heterogeneous effects by gender and inheritance systems.

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  • Mendola, Mariapia & Simtowe, Franklin, 2015. "The Welfare Impact of Land Redistribution: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Initiative in Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 53-69.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:72:y:2015:i:c:p:53-69
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.02.010
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    9. Fitz, Dylan, 2018. "Evaluating the impact of market-assisted land reform in Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 255-267.
    10. Mengesha, Ayelech Kidie & Damyanovic, Doris & Mansberger, Reinfried & Agegnehu, Sayeh Kassaw & Stoeglehner, Gernot, 2021. "Reducing gender inequalities through land titling? The case of Gozamin Woreda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
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    13. William Nkomoki & Miroslava Bavorová & Jan Banout, 2019. "Factors Associated with Household Food Security in Zambia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Meinzen-Dick, Ruth & Quisumbing, Agnes & Doss, Cheryl & Theis, Sophie, 2019. "Women's land rights as a pathway to poverty reduction: Framework and review of available evidence," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 72-82.
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    18. Ambler, Kate & Jones, Kelly & O'Sullivan, Michael, 2021. "Facilitating women’s access to an economic empowerment initiative: Evidence from Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    19. Blackman, Allen & Dissanayake, Sahan & Martinez Cruz, Adan & Corral, Leonardo & Schling, Maja, 2022. "Benefits of Titling Indigenous Communities in the Peruvian Amazon: A Stated Preference Approach," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 12633, Inter-American Development Bank.
    20. Shikuku, Kelvin Mashisia, 2019. "Information exchange links, knowledge exposure, and adoption of agricultural technologies in northern Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 94-106.
    21. Medina, Gabriel & Almeida, Camila & Novaes, Evandro & Godar, Javier & Pokorny, Benno, 2015. "Development Conditions for Family Farming: Lessons From Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 386-396.
    22. Par Mardochée & Christian Mabi, 2015. "« Les actifs productifs influencent-ils le niveau de revenu en milieu rural ? Evidence empirique issue de Shabunda/Est de la RD Congo »," Working Papers hal-01202322, HAL.
    23. Arnaud Deseau, 2023. "Land Reform and Productivity: Evidence from the Dissolution of the French Monasteries," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2023009, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    24. Wang, Qian & Li, Fan & Heerink, Nico & Yu, Jin & Fleskens, Luuk & Ritsema, Coen J., 2023. "Land Rental Markets, Specialization and Rural Household Income: Evidence from the North China Plain," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 48(3), September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    land reform; program evaluation; community-based rural land development program; Malawi;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment

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