Causes, Processes and Effects of Rural Land Certification in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A Review Article

Abstract

Land is a crucial resource for rural communities of Ethiopia for more than 85% of the population is engaged in agriculture. However, land policy in Ethiopia has been a very debating and controversial issue for the last few decades. The debates revolve around state versus private ownership of rural land. The current government of Ethiopia preferred state ownership of land and for which it has received serious critics form opposition political parties, academia, international organizations, and donors. The basic reason behind the critics is that state ownership of rural land creates tenure insecurity, discourages long-term investment on land, and decreases productivity. As a response to these critics, the government of Ethiopia has implemented a rural land certification program in its major regional states, including Amhara regional state. The major objective of this paper was, therefore, to systematically review such land-related issues as land tenure history of Ethiopia; debates related to modes of land ownership; land policies; and causes, processes & effects of rural land certification. As the review clearly indicates the controversial issue of rural land is still unresolved. It is possible to say that the rural land certification program could not bring meaningful positive effects compared to its intended objectives. There is still a considerable amount of tenure insecurity in the minds of the land holders; farmers prefer short-term investment on land; and land productivity is very low in Amhara regional state.

Keywords: Land Tenure, Land Policy, Land-Related Debate, Land Certification

DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/71-04

Publication date: November 30^th 2020