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Land appropriation in developing countries has boosted interest in land policy. Issue 4 of Perspective sheds light on the issue, by analysing the novel policy of decentralized land management adopted in Madagascar.
In developing countries, land is under increasing pressure, due to the development of the market economy, galloping urbanisation, and land seizure strategies on the part of the main economic players. In the face of such pressure, the policies adopted in developing countries are often ill-equipped to secure land tenure rights.
Between maintaining old instruments that have now shown their limitations and the hit-and-miss promotion of community-based regulation, some countries are testing a halfway approach combining recognition of social land management practices and the formalisation of rights by the authorities. This is the case of Madagascar, which in 2005 launched a reform of its land tenure policy based on decentralisation.
Published by CIRAD