Impact of second level land certification on tenure security, investment and incomes

Land Investment for Transformation (LIFT) programme works with the Government of Ethiopia to deliver second level land certification (SLLC) to smallholder farmers.

This report documents quantitative findings on how tenure security translates into increased investments, productivity and incomes. 

The most recent income survey (2021) finds that tenure security effect from roll-out of SLLC is a necessary but an insufficient driver of productivity improvements for smallholder farmers. It is a secondary driver of productivity and income, with other variables, such as weather and input-use, playing a larger, primary, or direct role in determining agricultural productivity.

The report reflects that:

• SLLC investments can play a central role in reducing soil erosion and other climate change effects, thereby reducing drastic coping mechanism such as migration
• SLLC contributes to an expanding land rental market, which increases the overall productivity of land in Ethiopia
• Complementary market interventions impact on incomes in the short-term

Intervention description

Specific interventions included providing SLLCs, which added a spatial component to first-level certifications, and supporting rural land administration systems.

The programme worked with the Government of Ethiopia and other stakeholders to issue 14.3 million SLLCs across 175 woredas (districts), benefitting over five million households. The SLLCs included parcel maps verified by the local community and maintained in a digital cadastre.

Additionally, LIFT introduced complementary market-system innovations in access to credit, land rental and agricultural input markets through its Economic Empowerment Unit (EEU). Many landholders reported increased tenure security and reduced boundary disputes due to SLLC, with 72 per cent of households perceiving significant improvements in tenure security.

Evidence methodology

The evaluation employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection. This included household surveys, key informant interviews (KII).

The methodology was guided by the Qualitative Impact Protocol (QuIP) to ensure unbiased and credible evidence on the impact of SLLC on tenure security, investments, productivity and incomes.

The 2021 income study involved 669 households across 12 woredas, utilising both structured surveys and open-ended qualitative interviews.