(RUS1b) Mainstreaming Gender and Land Policy in Asian and Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons on Issues and Strategies for Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development II

Gender inequality in land ownership, access, and control is a significant issue in many Asian and Sub-Saharan African countries. For instance, in Asia, women constitute only 10% of landholders, and they usually own smaller plots of land than men. Similarly, in Sub-Saharan Africa, women are often excluded from land ownership and control due to customary laws and practices that favor men. This situation has adverse effects on agricultural and rural development, as women play a crucial role in food production and security. To address these issues, many countries have developed legal frameworks that enhance women's rights to land, including Rwanda's land policy, which recognizes women's equal rights to inherit, own, and control land. In India, the Hindu Succession Act was amended to give women equal rights to ancestral property. Whereas, in Bangladesh, the government is implementing a policy that allows widows and unmarried daughters to inherit land. Moreover, community-based approaches to land policy decisions have been adopted in several countries, such as Tanzania, where land committees comprising men and women are responsible for managing land disputes and making decisions on land use. However, much remains to be done to ensure gender-responsive land policies in Asia and Africa. Therefore, this session will focus on the future implications and possible research directions for the development and implementation of policies that foster sustainable development and gender equality on the continents. This session's objective is also to fill in knowledge gaps by highlighting recent issues on gender and land policy. This session invites papers from academics and non-academics working in these thematic and regional areas. Tags: Communities, Rural And Urban

Organizers: Sunday Idowu OGUNJIMI, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria, James Mbaziira, Makerere University, Uganda, Sumoni Mukherjee, Changescape consulting, New Delhi, India, Hannah Benedicta Taylor-Abdulai, University of Cape Coast,  Ghana

Presentations

Olajumoke Alabi, Federal University Oye Ekiti

Assessment of Land Tenure System Practiced among Rural Farming Households in Nigeria

Despite the significant role of land tenure systems in shaping agricultural practices and rural livelihoods in Nigeria, there exists a dearth of comprehensive gender analysis within these systems. Land serves as a vital resource for rural farmers giving them a source of income, food, and a sense of social identity. The study assessed land tenure systems practiced among rural farming households in Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 320 rural households for this study. 50% of states in south western Nigeria were randomly selected. Primary data on respondent’s socio economics characteristics, different land tenure systems practiced, specific challenges in attaining agricultural land and gender based impacts of land tenure security on household food consumption patterns were obtained using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean and Chi-square. Result showed that majority (81.3%) of the respondents were married with a mean households size of 5 persons, income of N150,000.00 and 15years of farming experiences respectively. Different land tenure systems were by inheritance (49.2%), rent (13.3%), and leasehold (21.1%) while the least is customary court (0.8%). The specific challenges in attaining agricultural land were conflict over land ( x =4.2 ) ranking 1st, increase in number of fraudulent land selling ( x =4.1) was ranked 2nd, limited access to credit and finance ( x =4.0)  was ranked 3rd, while the least was distance from home ( x =3.5). Chi square result showed that the impact of land tenure security on household food consumption patterns were found among those that have a secured land tenure and those that had no secured land tenure at p< 0.05. The studys chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between land tenure security and household food consumption patterns at p< 0.05 emphasizing the critical role of secure land tenure in ensuring food security and stability within rural households. The study concludes that these challenges could potentially hinder agricultural productivity and rural development if not addressed effectively and recommends that addressing gender-specific barriers in accessing agricultural land, resolving conflicts, and enhancing financial inclusion for women in rural areas is crucial for sustainable agricultural development. Also, strengthening land tenure security through legal frameworks and community-based initiatives may also be imperative to promoting agricultural productivity and improving household food consumption patterns.

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Non-presenting authors: Oluwayemisi Agbaje, Federal University Oye Ekiti; Oluranti Adewumi, Federal University Oye Ekiti

Oluwaseun Bamigboye, Federal University Oye Ekiti

Empowerment of Women: Navigating the Dynamics of Land Access and Ownership

The global challenges surrounding women’s access to and ownership of land persist. While numerous studies have addressed women’s rights to land, a clear distinction exists between access to land and actual ownership. Surprisingly, there is a dearth of comprehensive analyses examining the trends and key findings that link women’s empowerment with the dynamics of land access and ownership. This study introduces a conceptual framework to identify the various dimensions of women’s land access and ownership. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, articles were screened from diverse databases using different notions of women’s empowerment, land access and ownership. The examination identified twenty-six review studies from various countries. The current mapping highlights a consistent association between women’s empowerment and access to land in the majority of the review studies. However, there is a notable scarcity of studies focusing on women’s land ownership. The study categorizes the concept of land access and ownership into rights and control, security, economic benefits, type of agreement, vulnerability, decision making and acquisition. To empower women in land-related matters, strategies should not only concentrate on granting access but also on facilitating ownership. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for policymakers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and development practitioners to design and implement effective strategies that uplift and empower women in land ownership. Ultimately, these efforts contribute to fostering gender equality and sustainable development.

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Non-presenting author: Olapade Bamigboye, Akwa Ibon State University

Hannah Benedicta Taylor-Abdulai, University of Cape Coast,  Ghana

Gender dynamics in navigating the glass ceiling in land acquisition and management in sub-Saharan Africa

Worldwide, there is gender disparity in land acquisition and management. Sub-Sahara Africa has seen enormous land reforms that sought to make land acquisition and management equitable. The current land reforms in sub-Saharan Africa has seen a shift in land acquisition in some countries. In spite of these reforms there are still disparities between men and women. Culture in the form of customary law embedded in patriarchy determines ownership and management of land which is highly gendered. Whereas men own appreciable size of land, and are more likely to be engaged in cash crops, women on the other hand are more likely to have restricted and unguaranteed rights and use of land. We posit that there is gender difference in land acquisition and management in sub-Saharan Africa as a result of cultural differences. This paper explores the gender dynamics in navigating the glass ceiling in land acquisition and management in sub-Saharan Africa countries. This paper adopts a systematic review as a methodology in reviewing existing literature from both published and unpublished sources such as articles, government reports, Demographic and Health Data Surveys (DHS) on gender variations of land ownership, management, use and control over property. In this paper, an inclusion and exclusion criteria were set to be able to develop a bench mark for data sources, identify pertinent articles, avert duplication of previously addressed questions, at the same time ensure that we have sufficient articles for conducting the study. Therefore we included qualitative and mixed methods studies involving countries from sub-Saharan Africa over the past 20 years. A comprehensive search was conducted on Google Scholar and Cochran databases with search terms such as: land reforms, land acquisition, land management, land rights AND gender. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers using a standardized form. Pertinent information, such as study methods, country's land reforms, government interventions, and outcomes, was extracted. A total of 250 titles and abstracts, resulting in 99 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. In all 22 studies and reports met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. A narrative synthesis was employed to qualitatively summarize the findings. Preliminary findings from the systematic reviews show several pathways to navigating land acquisitions in sub-Saharan Africa. A significant percentage of reported owners do not have the rights to sell or use the land as collateral and women are mostly disadvantaged and are often participant in the management of plots owned by men. Six countries had consistent data on land ownership and land management and reported who makes the decision on what to plant on the land. In Ghana, 59 percent of agricultural lands and 45 percent of housing were reported to be inherited as a gift, mostly as early inheritances received through marriage. In Tanzania 68 percent of all lands that are owned jointly can be sold by both owners, 23 percent by the male owner alone and just1 percent by the female owner alone. In Ethiopia all lands are vested in the government. Ethiopians have land use rights only. Certified lands allow alienation through inheritance. The certification allows for spouses to be joint owners of land, making Ethiopia, Uganda, Malawi and Tanzania have high joint management of land. Nigeria and Niger have low joint management of land. Whereas Niger has high management of land by women, Malawi has high women ownership of land. Sub-Saharan African cultural practices are not in conformity with modern socioeconomic realities. If sub-Saharan Africa is to achieve SDG 5 which is gender equality and SDG 1 which is eradication of poverty, then, practical steps should be taken to ensure that both genders have equal access to land and management. Various governments must enact laws, and demonstrate through established institutions backed by renewed commitments at enforcing the law, and revisit the reforms through social and political institutions that deal with land issues.

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Non-presenting authors: Stella Owusu Afari, Ghana Education Service; Eric Koka, University of Cape Coast

Julius Olatunde Ayinde, Obafemi Awolowo Uniersity

Climate Smart Adaptation Strategies: Utilisation among Arable Crop Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria.

People are known to make decisions based on how they perceive their surroundings rather than how they actually are. The beliefs of farmers also have a propensity to alter the coping mechanisms, which in turn decide how much the climate affects agriculture. However, given that more than 70 percent of Nigerias population depends on agriculture for their primary source of income, the issue of climate change is especially crucial. It has also been claimed that the continued reliance of agricultural production on sunlight, heat, water, and other climatic factors; the dependence of a large portion of the worlds population on agricultural activities; and the significant magnitude and rapid rates of potential climate change all combine to create the need for a thorough consideration of the potential effects. The study assessed the utilization of climate smart agricultural practices among arable crop farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. Specifically, it described the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, identify the climate change that are influencing farming activities with various climate smart adaptation strategies used by the respondents, determined the level of utilization of climate smart practices among the respondents and identified the constraints to the usage of climate smart adaptation strategies in the study area. The study was carried out in Osun State. It lies between longitude 6o51′N and 8o10′N on the North – South Pole, and longitude 4o05′E and 5o02′E on the East – West Pole. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to select 311 respondents for the study. Structured interview schedule and key informant were used to collect data for the study. Data was analysed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics. This study was based on rational choice theory. Rational choice theory is an umbrella term for a variety of models explaining social phenomena as outcomes of individual action that can in some way be construed as rational. It has become one of the “hot” theories in contemporary sociology (Heckathorn, 2005). The basic principles of rational choice theory are derived from neoclassical economics (as well as utilitarianism and game theory; Lindenberg, 2001). The focus in rational choice theory is on actors. Actors are seen as being purposive, or as having intentionality. That is, actors have ends or goals toward which their actions aimed “Rational behavior” is behavior that is suitable for the realization of specific goals, given the limitations imposed by the situation. Results revealed that, the mean age of the respondents was 32.86 ± 8.30years, mean years spent in formal education was 2.78 ± 0.657 and mean of annual income was N59535.71 ± 34902.420. Majority (78.6%) belonged to the Yoruba ethnic group, while all practices farming as primary occupation. Respondents indicated that choosing (tested adaptation) planting date (89.3%) was the highest distribution in term of identification of climate smart strategies. About 59.8 percent of the respondents indicated high level of utilization of climate smart adaptation strategies. The results of Chi square analyses show that there was a significant association between types of crop grown (χ²= 12.743) and the level of utilization of climate smart adaptation strategies at p ≤ 0.05 level of significance. Also, the results of correlation analysis show that there exists a significant relationship between age (r= -0.363**), years spent in formal education (r=0.217*) and the utilization of climate smart adaptation strategies in the study area. The study concluded that a range of climate smart adaptation strategies were used by the respondents to improve agricultural productivity and enhance food security. In other to enhance climate resilience and sustainable agricultural development in the study area, it is recommended that targeted support like financial assistance, capacity building programs, policy incentives among others interventions be provided by agricultural development stakeholders to address the identified constraints with a view improve respondents livelihoods, and contribute to agricultural development of the region.

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Non-presenting author: Olajide Julius Filusi, Obafemi Awolowo Uniersity