Impact of Insecure Land Tenure on Sustainable Agricultural Development: A Case Study of Agricultural Lands in the Republic of Benin, West Africa

Abstract

This study assesses the impact of insecure land tenure on sustainable agricultural development in Africa to demonstrate how the economic profitability of agriculture strongly depends on land tenure security. The Republic of Benin is used as the case study following the country’s recent enactment of land law 2013-01 that focuses on reorganizing the land sector, which has suffered from inappropriate management since the colonial era. Through an interview survey among landowners and presumed owners combined with standardized observations in designated rural areas, issues related to the use and management of rural lands in the Republic of Benin are highlighted and discussed. The result demonstrates that agricultural economic profitability strongly depends on land tenure security. The outcome reveals land security as a key factor for sustainable agriculture toward poverty reduction and confirms the unbreakable link between land tenure security, agricultural production, and sustainable development.