Land access and security of tenure in Ghana : some considerations for improvement
Plus: the outcome report of the thematic dialoque held on 24 january 2006 Accra, Ghana.
Access to land and security of tenure are key considerations in Ghana as the majority of its population are engaged as food and cash crop farmers. According to Population and Housing Census in 2000, 56.2% of the population is rural; the majority of whom solely depend on primary land activities for their sustenance. The countryys development aspirations over the past years have been met significantly, and continue to be met considerably through agriculture. Ghanaas long-term vision is to become a middle-income country by the turn of year 2020 with significant improvements in living standards. As an agriculture-driven economy, any expected increases in human welfare must first and foremost see to the improvement of agricultural production and productivity. This is a daunting task as population continues to increase and serious problems confront land accessibility and security of tenure. The impacts of insecure access to land have particularly been very devastating for vulnerable groups such as women, migrants, and landless youth. There are concerns that as these trends persist, these and other groups would find their land rights marginalised and this will deepen their poverty. Three legal land regimes are recognised in Ghana comprising the customary, statutory, and common practice. However, around 80% of lands in Ghana are in the custody of customary authorities, hence they play the most significant influence in land ownership and use arrangements.
Event: A vision for the future : International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development
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