Interaction between agroforestry and women's land tenure security in sub-Saharan Africa: A matrilocal perspective

• Published in: Forest policy and economics 2021-12, Vol.133, p.102617, Article 102617
• Main Authors: Benjamin, Emmanuel O., Ola, Oreoluwa, Sauer, Johannes, Buchenrieder, Gertrud
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agroforestry; Conservation; Customary law; Empowerment; Farmers; Heredity; Indigenous peoples; Inheritance and succession; Institutional investments; Land conservation; Land tenure; Malawi; Ownership; Security; Sub-Saharan Africa; Tea; Women
• ISSN: 1389-9341; 1872-7050
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102617

The co-existence of customary and statutory land tenure institutions makes land tenure a complex issue for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, land tenure systems are gendered, which is often to the disadvantage of women. We outline a land tenure framework, which acknowledges the interactions between gender and different land tenure institutions and their impact on investments in agroforestry. Agroforestry is widely acknowledged as a conservation measure. Investment in agroforestry is also associated with claiming ownership of land under different tenure systems and changes the character of land. The study concentrated on female smallholder tea out-growers in the Mulanje District of southern Malawi, where the matrilineal land inheritance system predominates. The land tenure framework is econometrically validated by analyzing data of 228 women farmers surveyed in 2018. Results suggest women famers who gained access to land through inheritance or purchase were less likely to invest in agroforestry. However, married (non-native) women farmers have a higher probability to invest in agroforestry after purchasing land, likely to demark their access right in relation to their husbands. An understanding of the interactions between various gendered land tenure institutional setups and agroforestry is useful to the discourse on land tenure security, conservation, and women empowerment. •African customary land tenure is gendered and influences women investment decision.•Investment in agroforestry could establish women legitimacy to land in Malawi.•Women that inherit land and martilocal widows do not invest in agroforestry.•Non-native women in martilocal residency in southern Malawi invest in agroforestry.