Land Tenure under Transition

The perception of land tenure security is widespread in Uganda. This is one of the findings from an empirical analysis of the relationship between land tenure form, tenure documentation, economic behaviour and perceived tenure security for different types of land holders in the Amuru, Masaka and Pallisa areas in Uganda undertaken by researchers from DIIS and from Makerere University. This DIIS Working Paper presents the result of this analysis.

Land tenure is, however, under transition in Uganda. Despite the widespread perception of security in land tenure, the study finds that land tenure insecurity is associated with the co-existence of different tenure forms rather than with any tenure form in particular and that context and resource endowments of the individual are important constituents of tenure security. Thus, in order to maintain, deepen and widen the currently widespread perception of tenure security, great care is needed in the design and implementation of ongoing policy and institutional interventions with respect to land administration in Uganda.

The DIIS Working Paper forms part of a study on Land and Property rights and Economic Behaviour commissioned to DIIS by the Royal Danish Embassy in Uganda. It is informed by a review of the literature on land tenure and economic activities in Uganda and based upon qualitative interviews undertaken with different types of actors in Amuru, Masaka and Pallisa areas and upon a questionnaire survey administered to a total of 1,200 respondents holding access to land in the three areas.

See also DIIS Working paper 2012:13for a review of the literature on land tenure and economic activities in Uganda.