A reality check on the quest for tenure security and land administration in Ethiopia
Abebe Haile, Solomon
Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) is the new policy and program context in the developing world within which land administration (LA) is now being discussed. There seem to be good reasons for doing so. Most people who are designated as poor in these countries live off the land. However, the land from which they earn their livelihood is beset by a variety of problems (degradation, fragmentation, etc). Also, the poor land owners/users are helplessly witnessing the deterioriation of the cherished asset reportedly because of tenure insecurity, poverty, and other reasons. The net impact is more destitution and perhaps starvation. Therefore, for LA to be relevant, it has to tally with poverty reduction, help reverse this trend and thereby assist the poor improve their lot. Like most countries in the developing world, this characterization of LA and poverty somehow explains the situation in Ethiopia. Analysing policy statements set out in the countryys Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Program (SDPRP) and other documents, this paper attempts to make a short to mid term prognosis of tenure insecurity and LA. To complement this, the situation of land users and their land is briefly analysed based on primary data obtained from a field survey. An aspect of this survey that looked into willingness to pay (WTP) for titling found out that farmers are committed to earn their tenure security. In relation to government activity, the emerging nation-widee land certification is considered which some regard as a welcome development due to the promise it holds in reducing tenure insecurity. On the other hand, there are also legitimate concerns that admonish that this endeavour could be severely handicapped in availing the benefits of conventional LA because it lacks spatial framework (geometric information) and also the commensurate legislative reform.
Event: FIG HABITAT ISK CASLE Expert Group Meeting on Secure Land Tenure : New Legal Frameworks and Tools
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