Enclosures revisited : privatization, titling, and the quest for advantage in Africa

This interest is driven by two beliefs: (1) that the rate of adoption of new agricultural technology is too slow and (2) that the absence of credit markets is the cause of low investment in new technology. These problems are usually attributed to property rights regimes that allow a mix of communal (tribe, clan, lineage, extended family) and individual rights. According to this logic, farmers are unwilling to invest in improved farming techniques due to the disincentives associated with tenure insecurity. This paper argues that the above reasoning is theoretically incorrect, and in the case of sub-Saharan Africa, lacking empirical evidence as well. Moreover, the paper claims that land titling is an example of the rent-seeking behavior that is so often denounced by those most enthusiastic about land privatization. The report concludes that the most important reason why farmers reject so-called "improved" agricultural technology is probably not because of tenure insecurity, but the simple fact that such technology usually does not result in improvement. Rather than allocating public resources for land titling, efforts should be made in technological development. Includes 5-page bibliography.