Malawi is facing increasing land scarcity and food insecurity for its large rural population and is in the midst of an on-going land policy reform process. This report asks how these reforms may affect women's land rights in a situation of increasing scarcity and competition for land. Reforms include the formalisation of customary land rights as private land rights as a way to ensure tenure security and equitable access to land. It warns that through this approach, women's rights may become increasingly marginalised.

O tema do mercado de terras integra a agenda contemporânea das políticas agrárias, tanto no Brasil como em outros países. No caso brasileiro, decorre da história de ocupação do território e da própria formação social e econômica que produziram um quadro de ilegalidade, de instabilidade jurídica e de fragilidade institucional.

Basing on a sample of Polish rural households present paper analyses how different households' and country-specific characteristics affect farmers' decision about renting additional parcel in. An attempt is made to see if local rental markets still have potential that could be further exploited. Obtained results indicate that despite facing various difficulties rental markets succeed in transferring land to farmers with higher skills and better relative inputs' endowments.

The ownership of land has always been an important precondition for lasting socio-economic situation and the development of the country. Despite that, there is a process of learning going on in practically all the new member countries, which are still learning that production efficiency of agriculture depends in a large part on the stability of land ownership and its tranquil farming. Despite many fundamental and substantial differences, we can say that hitherto development in land law was tremendous.

According to recent UN estimates, 924 million people - nearly one out of three urban dwellers – were living in slums in 2004. Of these, 874 million are from low and middle-income countries (Millennium Project, 2005). Urban poverty as a proportion of total poverty is clearly increasing: 43% of the population of developing cities are living in slums (28% in North Africa, 71% in sub-
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Economic aspects of land market in Slovakia were studied in two different regions, characterized by different soil and natural conditions. Two groups of Slovak land owners were analysed. The first group consisted of 412 private farmers with 43.2 ha of agricultural land (LA) per farm on average, the second one of 150 big enterprises such as cooperatives with 1,866 ha of LA on average. In addition, some facts about land markets in Bulgaria, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Ukraine are presented in this article.

A sample of 24 districts (1/3 of the Czech Republic) was used to evaluate the land market. Land prices depended on the area, culture and region of the plot. Sales of small plots (up to 1 ha) prevailed. These plots were usually purchased for non-agricultural use and their prices were many times higher than prices of large plots (above 5 ha) which are usually bought for agricultural purpose. Land market is not well developed, only 0.2-0.4% of the monitored area was sold each year. Compared with land prices in the west EU countries, land market prices in the Czech Republic are low.

Introduction – conceptual, policy and legislative frameworks. Overview of the impact of HIV/AIDS – on poverty, livelihoods, land and agriculture. Study findings and their implications – land tenure, land rights, gender and inheritance, land use, land administration, land markets and redistribution, agricultural production. Emerging issues and policy options on land tenure, land rights, land use, land administration, land markets and redistribution, agricultural production. Includes findings from household surveys, key informant interviews and focus group discussions.

Includes the pastoral land question – recognition in law and policy, establishment of protected areas, access and ownership of land, land use and sustainability. Pastoral rights in policy – international research and regional developments, conceptual framework for the Policy, Policy goal, principles and objectives – land and sustainable livelihoods, land tenure, land markets, land administration, land use and management, natural resources and environment.

Contains why the concept of public land must be incorporated in the National Land Policy; public land management; tenure of public land; administration of public land; acquisition of public land by foreigners; allocation and disposition of public land; the power of compulsory acquisition; public land and the indefeasibility of title; public land and land markets; land owned by statutory bodies; legislative framework. Each section contains a policy statement with suggestions as to what the National Land Policy should state.

With land being the main source of income for many people in the developing world, security of access or ownership rights is imperative to the alleviation of rural povety. Past polices of land redistribution, prohibition of land renting and later legalisation of short-term contracts only, may have prevented or undermined tenancy markets in Ethiopia. This paper examines the allocative efficiency of the land rental market in Northern Ethiopia, and the extent to which adjustment in the tenancy market is constrained by transaction costs.

Includes a retrospective of 10 years of land reform, restitution, redistribution, farm tenure reform, communal tenure reform, debating the future of land and agrarian reform, conclusions. Argues that there is a need for the state to intervene to make suitable land available to meet local needs, rather than relying wholly on land markets.