Land tenure security and soil health: Evidence from Uganda

Land tenure security plays a vital role in promoting sustainable land management, but its impact on soil health remains poorly understood within Uganda's complex tenure systems. This study examines how formal land certification and tenure systems influence soil health outcomes using data from the Uganda National Panel Survey (2020/2021) and robust econometric methods, including ordinary least squares, instrumental variables, and propensity score matching. We constructed the soil health index by combining five key variables, namely organic matter, biodiversity, erosion control, fertilizer use, and fallow practices, with each factor weighted based on its importance. To reduce endogeneity, we used instrumental variables like historical land reform and distance to land registry offices. The results indicate that formal land certification enhances soil health, with leasehold and freehold land systems demonstrating the most substantial positive effects. Nonetheless, the impacts of land certification differ by tenure system. Certification of land combined with customary tenure has a significant impact on soil health, whereas certification within customary systems proves ineffective, underscoring the need for supplementary interventions. Conversely, inherited land and households led by widows are associated with negative outcomes for soil health, which may reflect issues of land fragmentation and resource limitations. Analysis of heterogeneity of the impact of land certification reveals that Mailo and Leasehold land tenure systems benefit from land certification. In contrast, Freehold systems exhibit negative returns, potentially due to existing security arrangements. We recommend including scaling up Uganda's Certificates of Customary Ownership while integrating gender-sensitive support, education, and credit access to maximize the benefits of soil health.