The Status of Rural Land Tenure Security in Dejen Woreda, North-West Ethiopia

This study was carried out with the objective of examining the status of rural land tenure security in Dejen woreda, north-west Ethiopia. Using simple random sampling technique, 360 households were selected. Qualitative and quantitative data emanated from both primary and secondary sources using questionnaire, interview, and focus group discussion. While qualitative data were analyzed using. narrative and interpretative methods, quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found out that most of the rural community believes that rural land is not owned by private farmers rather they perceive that land is under joint ownership which is even vague for them. As a result, an overwhelming majority of the respondents preferred private ownership of rural land. Similarly, land redistribution is found to have a stronger support from the rural community, especially the newly emerging rural households. The bargaining power of the rural community to decide on their land holdings is also minimal. Land holders are not included in the land valuation committee when their land is to be taken. Hence, the amount of compensation for their lost land is decided by another external body and the amount is very small. On the other hand, the land registration and certification programs are found to have some positive effects on the farming community. However, a significant portion of the community is still not satisfied by the role of the land certificate in securing land rights. The study has also found that sex of the respondent, expectation of land redistribution, access to credit service, number of plots, application of tree planting, application of terracing and land certificate have significant roles in determining farmers’ sense of land tenure security. Taking the aforementioned findings of the study together, it is possible to state that the community in the study area has a problem of land tenure security. Therefore, the study recommended that the government shall make a policy shift from state ownership of rural land to private ownership modality. Keywords: Land Tenure Security, Land Registration & Certification, Land Redistribution, Compensation DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/89-03 Publication date: November 30th 202