Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Men and Women in land Conversion Processes in Central Zambia.
Keywords:
Gender Implications, Tenure Security, Patrilineal, Matrilineal, Land Markets, Chongwe, Chibombo, Women’s Rights
Abstract
Zambia’s Lands Act of 1996 provides for the conversion of land rights from customary to leasehold tenure by Zambian citizens and non- Zambians. This study reports on land conversion processes engaged in by rural men and women of Chongwe and Chibombo districts in central Zambia. Data was collected through 85 semi structured interviews with men and women resident in the two study areas, and several key informants. Results show that 75% and 58% of the men and women interviewed had obtained customary land from their village head persons and 31% and 42% respectively had engaged in land conversion processes. Land conversions have resulted in increased employment opportunities for men; and increased tenure security for unmarried and widowed women. Ambivalence towards the loss of power by chiefs over subjects with titled land, and paying property taxes to the state was evident in both men and women residents in the midst of more secure land tenure rights for their families. Retaining traditional leaders’ authority in the land conversion processes perpetuates discriminatory practices against women and privileges village head persons and men while continuing to disadvantage women. Land conversions are engendering changes in matrilineal inheritance patterns that are more favourable to landowners’ children.References
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2. Benjaminsen TA, Holden S, Lund C, and Sjaastad, E. (2009). Formalisation of land rights: Some empirical evidence from Mali, Niger and South Africa. Land Use Policy, 26, 28-35.
3. Bromley DW. (2008). Formalising property relations in the developing world: The wrong prescription for the wrong malady. Land Use Policy,26, 20-27.
4. Chileshe RA. (2005). Land tenure and rural livelihoods in Zambia: Case studies of Kamena and St. Joseph. Western Cape: University of Western Cape.
5. Chitonge H, Mfune O, Lungisile N, Umar BB, Kajoba G, Banda D. (2017). Silent Privatisation of Customary Land in Zambia: Emerging Dynamics in Chibombo and Chongwe. Journal of Social Dynamics, 43 (1): 82-102.
6. Cotula L, (Ed) (2007). Changes in customary land tenure systems in Africa. Hertfordshire: International Institute for Environment and Development; 2007.
7. de Soto H. (2000). The Mystery of capital. Why capitalism triumphs in the West and fails everywhere else. New York: Basic Books.
8. Due JM, and Gladwin H. (1991). Impacts of Structural Adjustment on African women farmers and female headed households. American Journal of Agricultural Economics. Vol. 73 (5), 1431-1439.
9. Farnworth CR, and Munachonga M. (2010). Gender approaches in agricultural programmes- Zambia Country Report: A special study of Agricultural Support Programme (ASP). Lusaka: SIDA.
10. Gender in Development Division (2005). Women’s access to agricultural land in Zambia. Lusaka: Cabinet Office.
11. Government of the Republic of Zambia (2021). National Land Policy. Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. Lusaka.
12. Holden ST, and Otsuka K. (2014). The roles of land tenure reforms and land markets in the context of population growth and land use intensification in Africa. Food Policy, 48, 88-97.
13. Huyer S. (2016). Closing the gender gap in agriculture; Gender, Technology and Development, Vol. 20(2), 105-116.
14. Lastarria - Cornhiel S. (1997). Impact of privatisation on gender and property rights in Africa. World Development, 25(8),1317-1333.
15. Lovo S. (2013). Tenure insecurity and investment in soil conservation. Evidence from Malawi. Working Paper No. 114. London: Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
16. Meinzen-Dick R, and Mwangi E. (2009). Cutting the web of interests: Pitfalls of formalising property rights. Land Use Policy, 26(1),36-43.Minitab Inc (2014).
17. Minitab 17 statistical software. State College: Minitab Inc.
18. Nyamu-Musembi C. (2006). Breathing life into dead theories about property rights: de Soto and land relations in rural Africa. Sussex: Institute of Development Studies.
19. Pelekamoyo J, Umar BB. (2019). Access to and control over agricultural labor and income in smallholder farming households: A gendered look from Chipata, Eastern Zambia. Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security, 4 (2): 42-57.
20. Peters PE. (2009). Challenges in Land Tenure and Land Reform in Africa: Anthropological Contributions. World Development, Vol. 37 (8), 1317 -1325.
21. Provalis Research (2009). QDA Miner Version 3.2. Montreal: Provalis Research.
22. Richardson AM. (2004). Women’s inheritance rights in Africa: The need to integrate cultural understanding and legal reform. Human Rights Brief. Vol. 11(2),19-22.
23. Sjaastad E, and Bromley DW. (1997). Indigenous land rights in sub-Saharan Africa: Appropriation, security and investment demand. World Development, 25(4), 549-562.
24. Toulmin C. (2009). Securing land and property rights in sub-Saharan Africa: The role of local institutions. In C. Toulmin and J. Quan (Eds), Evolving land rights, policy and tenure in Africa. London: DFID/IIED/NRI; 2009.
25. Tsikata D. (2003). Securing women’s interests within land tenure reforms: Recent debates in Tanzania. Journal of Agrarian Change, 3(1-2),149-183.
26. Tsikata D. (2004). Gender, land rights and inheritances. Securing women’s land rights: Approaches, prospects and challenges. Paper presented at Land in Africa Conference. November 8-9. London. Natural Resources Institute and Royal Africa Society.
27. Umar BB, Nyanga PH, Chibamba D, Nchito WS. (2020). Women’s empowerment, land and donor-driven agricultural interventions in Eastern Zambia. World Development Perspectives. Vol. 19, (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2020.100208.
28. Veit P. (2012). Custom, law and women’s land rights in Zambia. Focus on land in Africa, Placing land rights at the heart of development. Protection-for-women’s rights-in Zambia. BRIEF.
29. Villarreal M. (2006). Changing customary land rights and gender relations in the context of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
30. WILSA (2011). Final Strategic Plan 2011-2012. Women in Law in Southern Africa.
31. World Bank (2003). Land policies for growth and poverty reduction, A world bank policy research report. London: Oxford University Press.
Published
2022-07-12
How to Cite
1.
Umar B, Banda D. Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Men and Women in land Conversion Processes in Central Zambia. Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences [Internet]. 12Jul.2022 [cited 7Jul.2025];5(4). Available from: https://journals.unza.zm/index.php/JABS/article/view/591
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General
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