Investment in land, tenure security and area farmed in northern Mozambique

The analysis of land investment and tenure security usually assumes land scarcity. However, some developing countries have communities with land abundance. This article therefore examines the effects of land abundance for investment and tenure security. The author finds that in contrast to the literature, area farmed is a determinant of investment and tenure security. However, no link exists between investment and tenure security. These findings have strong implications for rural development policy in land abundant communities.These findings have potentially serious implications for the design of rural development policies in land abundant tropical agriculture. Rather than the modification of formal land rights regimes, agricultural development may benefit from:removing social and institutional inequalities in land accesscapitalising households with assetsencouraging credit and labour marketsgenerally reducing market access barriers at the household and community levelsMost importantly, the authro states, available land could be more effectively used with less uncertainty, more asset endowments and less social discrimination (especially against women). Under such a scenario, and in strong contrast to findings from land scarce areas, the area farmed and hence farm output could rise significantly without resorting to intensive production techniques.