Country profiles of land tenure : Africa, 1996

Abstract

These Country Profiles represent a new edition of a continent-wide set of profiles prepared and published by the Land Tenure Center in 1986. This new volume reflects a decade of intensive work on the continent by LTC and a very considerable deepening of knowledge and understanding of land tenure issues in Africa. It addresses events of the past ten years, which have been substantial in many of the countries covered. Land tenure continues to be a volatile policy domain. The standard topics from the earlier profiles have been revised to take into account new development concerns. The following are examples of topics covered: national land policy and legal framework, replacement and adaptation of indigenous tenure systems, tenure constraints and opportunities, economic growth and food security strategies, agricultural development, natural resource management and conservation, democratization and governance, gender dimensions, present policy position and reform debates, and implications for policy reform and programming. Three regional syntheses have been prepared, for West Africa, the Greater Horn of Africa, and Southern Africa.