Investigation of the social and economic aspects of a land tenure and production program in El Salvador

THEIR AVERAGE ANNUAL FAMILY INCOME IS ABOUT C900. IT IS CRITICAL THAT EVERY FAMILY HAVE ACCESS TO AT LEAST ONE OR TWO MANZANOS OF LAND TO ENSURE SUBSISTENCE AND REDUCE THE ANXIETY AND HOSTILITY OF THE POOR COMPESINO. A C25,000,000 LAND PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM IS DISCUSSED. THIS WOULD INVOLVE 31,000 MANZANOS OF LAND, OF WHICH 13,000 MZ. ARE ARABLE. IF THE PARTICIPANT FAMILIES BEAR THE COSTS OF ONLY THE ARABLE PORTION, THEY WOULD HAVE TO AMORTIZE LAND COSTS OF ABOUT C38,800,000. THE GENERAL PUBLIC WOULD HAVE TO BEAR ABOUT C6,000,000 OF THE LAND COST. ACTUALLY A LAND DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM SIX TIMES THE SIZE ANALYZED WOULD BE NEEDED TO SETTLE ALL RURAL POOR FAMILIES IN EL SALVADOR. PARCELLIZATION AND LAND SALES WILL INCREASE AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT AND SUCH A PROGRAM CAN BE SELF-SUPPORTING. THE GOVERNMENT OF EL SALVADOR WOULD REALIZE MORE ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY FROM A LAND PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM THAN FROM ALMOST ANY OTHER INVESTMENT IT COULD MAKE.