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Property Rights and Labour Supply in Ethiopia

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  • Kenneth Houngbedji

Abstract

In rural areas agricultural plots are seldom delineated and can be encroached upon by neighbours. Under these circumstances labour supply can be inefficiently distorted to safeguard the plots from encroachment. Using panel data, we study the variation of household labour supply following a land registration programme which has demarcated agricultural landholdings with cornerstones and has issued a documentary evidence of the household land rights. Our results indicate that after the registration of their landholdings, households with a land certificate have reduced total time allocated to farming activities with no impact on agricultural yields. The reduction in labour supply is primarily driven by a decrease of time allocated to the pre-planting season. This is consistent with qualitative evidence that plots under cultivation have no visible sign of demarcation during pre-planting and disputes arise as neighbouring landholders pushed the boundaries of their plots while ploughing. Following land registration, the cornerstones reduce the need for guarding parcels as they make encroachment easier to detect.

Suggested Citation

  • Kenneth Houngbedji, 2018. "Property Rights and Labour Supply in Ethiopia," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 131, pages 137-179.
    • Handle: RePEc:adr:anecst:y:2018:i:131:p:137-179
    DOI: 10.15609/annaeconstat2009.131.0137
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wibke Crewett & Benedikt Korf, 2008. "Ethiopia: Reforming Land Tenure," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(116), pages 203-220, June.
    2. Crewett, Wibke & Bogale, Ayalneh & Korf, Benedikt, 2008. "Land tenure in Ethiopia: Continuity and change, shifting rulers, and the quest for state control," CAPRi working papers 91, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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    1. Chhaochharia, Vidhi & Ghosh, Suman & Vishwasrao, Sharmila, 2024. "Property rights and human capital investment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 11-31.
    2. Kotchikpa Gabriel Lawin & Lota Tamini, 2018. "Droits de propriété foncière et performance des petits producteurs agricoles des pays en développement : une synthèse de la littérature empirique," CIRANO Working Papers 2018s-05, CIRANO.
    3. Moshoeshoe,Ramaele Elias, 2020. "Long-Term Effects of Free Primary Education on Educational Achievement : Evidence from Lesotho," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9404, The World Bank.
    4. Congdon Fors, Heather & Houngbedji, Kenneth & Lindskog, Annika, 2019. "Land certification and schooling in rural Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 190-208.
    5. Aberra, Adam & Chemin, Matthieu, 2021. "Does legal representation increase investment? Evidence from a field experiment in Kenya," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time allocation; Agricultural Investment; Land Administration; Property Rights; Ethiopia.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • Q1 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture

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