Land tenure insecurity in post-certification Amhara, Ethiopia

- The land certification programme solved problems that did not exist and created new ones.
- Young farmers tend to farm much rented land, with high and tenure insecurity.
- Operated farms of young farmers have become more fragmented.
- There has recently been a steep increase in conflicts over inheritance rights.

It is generally believed that tenure security has improved due to the programme of land certification. In this paper I argue the opposite. Tenure security concerns three different rights: possession, renting and latent rights. Rights of possession are believed to have improved, but the evidence is weak and conflicting. Land rentals are expanding and farmers face high tenure insecurity. The main problem, though, is latent rights, with great insecurity and increased conflict levels. Despite rapid economic development there is considerable social malaise, an unfortunate agricultural structure, and considerable pressure for land redistribution due to unresolved land tenure issues. The paper is based on the certification literature and primary material from North Shäwa.