The Effect of Rural Land Certification on Land Tenure Security: A Case Study in Libo-kemkem Woreda, Amhara Region
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2009-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study examines the effect of land certification in Libo-kemkem woreda, South Gonder administrative zone, Amhara region. Both primary and secondary data are employed in the investigation. The sources of the primary data were HH survey, interviews with key informants, discussions with focus groups and case studies. Secondary data sources include articles, published and unpublished documents, books and other related materials. The findings of the study revealed that in Libo-kemkem woreda community participation during the registration was generally good but it differs from one kebele to another. But the participation of females in land administration was very low. In all 84 sub-kebeles of the woreda, there were only 69 females. The participation of females in Shamo and Agelahana kebele KLAUC was none. Land registration in Libo-kemkem woreda was almost completed and more than 54% of the land holders have received their book of rural land possession. But there were problems during the land registration. Majority of the respondents (69.9%) were not satisfied by the measurements of their holdings that were registered on their certificates. About 62.5% of total respondents observed that most of the extra lands in their kebeles were not properly identified and recorded. There are corruptions at kebele and woreda level up on those extra lands. Other problems during the implementation of the registration were lack of proper support for the land administration institutions at all levels and the absence of an established and continuous monitoring and evaluation system. The study investigated that while 43.2% of the respondents do not feel guaranteed about the security of their lands to go to another place and work there for a longer period, about 23.8% were not sure whether or not their holdings would be secure. The majority of the respondents (64.8%) expect future land redistribution in the next five years. However, the investigation also shows that the majority of the respondents feel guaranteed that all or part of their holdings will not be taken from them by the government without compensation.
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The research found that women have faced several problems during the registration. Many female who married after the recent land redistribution were not entitled to register with their husbands in the study kebeles. Many women who don’t work the land themselves and who have to share crop, couldn’t succeed in registering their plots of land. Similarly, the land certification couldn’t bring for communal lands to be secure in the two kebeles. The boundaries of most communal lands were not demarcated properly during the registration. The encroachment has also increased after land certification. Land dispute has decreased after land certification in relation to the registration time. But the land registration process didn’t bring border dispute reduction between administrative areas. There are still kebele to kebele and woreda to woreda border disputes. For example, Shamo and Agelahana kebeles have dispute with their successive three neighboring kebeles. In addition, for those farmers whose holdings are around towns, the certificate couldn’t reduce the dispute with the municipalities. The study also reveals that although there are some efforts which are conducive for the sustainability of the land administration system, there are serious challenges and problems that should be resolved to sustain the system. Staff turnover, low capacity, lack of vehicles and other equipments are still some of the constraints in the office. Most members of the Committees in the woreda are not today in function. Moreover, the committees and the WEPLAUA office were inefficient for delivering justice and timely services. Favoritism, bribe, and unwillingness to give fair services were the major problems of the woreda EPLAUA office and KLAUC. The current situation of land register storage in Libo-kemkem woreda is also poor. These documents are in a manner in which they can be easily used for undesirable purpose and there are observations of corruptions in the office. Thus, to solve the problems encountered during the registration and improve the existing land administration system, there should be discussions with the community and the employees and there should be also efforts to remove bottlenecks that aggravate land tenure insecurity
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