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Allocating and Enforcing Property Rights in Land: Informal versus Formal Mechanisms in Subsaharan Africa

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  • Jean-Philippe Platteau

Abstract

The standard view of economists is that formalisation of private rights in land is a prerequisite of economic growth, especially so in conditions of acute population pressure and agricultutal commercialisation. That stage has been reached in many regions of the African continent, hence the recommendation that land rights be duly registered by a central authority acting on behalf of the state. An alternative view, more prevalent among social scientists, claims that, far from being bypassed by evolving scarcity circumstances, the informal (customary) land tenure system is capable of adjusting itself to the needs of a modern agriculture while at the same time ensuring a more equitable access to land for those whose livelihood narrowly depends upon it. This paper aims at assessing these two views by carefully looking at the arguments advanced by their respective upholders as well as by taking stock of the most recent empirical evidence available to test their validity. It will be shown that the first view is not as solidly grounded as it may seem at first sight, yet the second view must be duly qualified to allow for serious inter-community failures of the 'indigenous order' solution.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean-Philippe Platteau, 2000. "Allocating and Enforcing Property Rights in Land: Informal versus Formal Mechanisms in Subsaharan Africa," Nordic Journal of Political Economy, Nordic Journal of Political Economy, vol. 26, pages 55-81.
  • Handle: RePEc:noj:journl:v:26:y:2000:p:55-81
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    Cited by:

    1. Genicot, Garance & Hernandez-de-Benito, Maria, 2022. "Women’s land rights and village institutions in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    2. Katleen Van den Broeck & Carol Newman & Finn Tarp, 2007. "Land Titles and Rice Production in Vietnam," Trinity Economics Papers tep1207, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
    3. Ephraim Kabunda Munshifwa & Roy Alexander Chileshe & Niraj Jain, 2020. "Evolution of Customary Land Tenure Institutions in Zambia: The Case of Lufwanyama District in the Copperbelt Province," Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy, Centre for Agrarian Research and Education for South, vol. 9(2), pages 117-143, August.
    4. Naughton-Treves, Lisa & Wendland, Kelly, 2014. "Land Tenure and Tropical Forest Carbon Management," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1-6.
    5. Fafchamps, Marcel, 2012. "Reprint of development, agglomeration, and the organization of work," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(5), pages 765-778.
    6. Mintewab Bezabih & Stein Holden & Andrea Mannberg, 2016. "The Role of Land Certification in Reducing Gaps in Productivity between Male- and Female-Owned Farms in Rural Ethiopia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(3), pages 360-376, March.
    7. Olli-Pekka Kuusela & Gregory S. Amacher, 2016. "Changing Political Regimes and Tropical Deforestation," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 64(3), pages 445-463, July.
    8. Fafchamps, Marcel, 2012. "Development, agglomeration, and the organization of work," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 459-472.
    9. de Laiglesia, Juan R., 2005. "Investment and credit effects of land titling and registration:," Proceedings of the German Development Economics Conference, Kiel 2005 10, Verein für Socialpolitik, Research Committee Development Economics.
    10. Deininger, Klaus W. & Mpuga, Paul, 2003. "Land Markets In Uganda: Incidence, Impact And Evolution Over Time," 2003 Annual Meeting, August 16-22, 2003, Durban, South Africa 25809, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Manuela Angelucci & Giacomo De Giorgi & Imran Rasul, 2018. "Consumption and Investment in Resource Pooling Family Networks," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(615), pages 2613-2651, November.
    12. Ismail OMAR & Djurdjani WARDAYA & priyono Nugroho DJOJOMARTONO, 2009. "The Role Of Land Rights In Urban Heritage Management €“ The Explanatory Power Of Institutional Economics Analysis In The Reconstruction Of Cultural Heritage Of Kotagede Yogyakarta, Indonesia’S Post," Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 4(1S), pages 60-75, April.

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