This study analyses the impact of land registration and certification scheme on sustainable
use of farmlands in Debre Mawi and Densa Bahta rural kebeles of Amhara region in
northwestern Ethiopia, with a view to contributing to the theoretical debate on tenure security
and more realistic policy advocacy on the sustainable use of farmlands. Within the
framework of qualitative research methodology, the case study approach helps to observe and
understand the relationship between land titling and sustainable use of farmlands in Densa
Bahta and Debre Mawi kebeles of the Amhara region in Ethiopia. Specific methods employed
were focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and observation, complemented by context
analyses of relevant documents. It was found that land titling has contributed to a high
perception of security of land tenure among study respondents. However, results show that
land titling has both positive and negative impacts on sustainable use of farmlands. The
positive impact of land titling is ascribed to its assurance effect and legal obligation imposed
on farmers to adopt proper land management practices. The negative impact of land titling
arises from its failure to address the existing inequality in possession of farmlands among the
village communities. Failure of farmers’ high perceptions of their security of land tenure to
translate into sustainable land use practices has implications for the relative importance of
productive asset endowments, self-efficacy and risk perception on the sustainable use of
farmlands in the Amhara region. Interviewees that follow unsustainable farming practices
were endowed with relatively lower pieces of farmland and disadvantaged in possession of
other productive assets. They also demonstrated a low level of self-efficacy and a risk-averse
attitude to adopting conservation technologies, as they possessed smaller sizes of farmland compared with the village and regional average. The study urges a holistic approach and
comprehensive analytical framework to understand the synergy of several factors that affect the sustainable use of farmlands. / Environmental Sciences / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/18761 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Ermias Ashagrie Abebe |
| Contributors | Kotzé, Derica Alba |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (xi, 318) : illustrations (color), application/pdf |
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