Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 03/2009

Land titling and tenure security in the context of inequality

Rikke Broegaard

March 2009

Danish Institute for International Studies

Abstract

Land tenure security has rebounded on the development agenda and many donors and governments invest large sums in land titling and land administration projects in order to strengthen tenure security, promote investments in land and create a more dynamic land market. Yet, when examining small scale farmers’ understanding of what creates tenure security, it becomes clear that formal titles are not enough to obtain tenure security. One main reason for this is that the marked inequality in terms of economic and social resources as well as in terms of literacy and education affects peoples’ access to government institutions and the legal system, as well as the way they are treated by these systems.