Ghana Strategy Support Program: Land Policy and Governance Reforms and Agricultural Transformation

INTRODUCTION

The impact of land tenure systems in sub‐Saharan Africa on agricultural investment and productivity continues to be the subject of intense scrutiny. Recent food security crises in Africa have revived the debate over whether current land tenure systems constrain farmer innovation and investment in agriculture. In 2009,recognizing the importance of good land governance,the African Union (AU) heads of state agreed to a frame‐ work and guidelines for land policy initiatives in Africa. As a result, an increasing number of countries have implemented far reaching programs to improve land tenure security. These changes in tenure systems have potential major implications for agricultural transformation. This chapter summarizes the arguments about how best to provide secure land rights in Sub‐ Saharan Africa and reviews recent experience and evidence arising from innovative interventions in Ghana.