Land tenure policy and registration in Somalia : an action plan for legislative and administrative reforms

While customary arrangements are still prevalent on most agricultural land, state tenure is becoming more widespread, particularly in the fertile Shabelle and Jubba [Juba] river valleys. Officially, all Somali land was placed under government control by the 1975 Agricultural Land Law. However, the Land Law"s overly restrictive and expensive tenure process has discouraged registration, especially among small farmers. This report presents recommendations for legislative and administrative reforms aimed at improving Somalia"s land tenure policy. It contains a review of land tenure policy and recommendations for changes in the Land Law, followed by an assessment of existing provisions and procedures related to registration of concessions. It further explains a recommended system of land registration based on systematic adjudication. The report then proposes a short-term (5/89-8/90) action plan for drafting and enacting a new or revised Agricultural Land Law, an Adjudication Law, and a Land Registration Law. The final chapter outlines a longer-term program of research and land registration for 1990 and beyond.