Customary Land Rights in Africa: A survay and Selected Case Studies from Africa

Abstract

UlIld right, panieularly in the COllfext of Africa, is illextricably /iI/ked lI'illl /lIe
right 10 food al/d of/ler basic necessities, However, all aspect of lall(l rigllls, i,e ..
customary land rigllts, has remained lillle. lllulerstood, misconceiveli, (Uullargely
/leglected by researchers and lievelopmem acrors. III Ihe COI1 V(!lIliOIiOI literature,
customary riglits are often assQciared witll the so-calleli "t"fagedy of the
common " and with inefficiency in the IIses of agricultural lallli. 17lis paper
crilically illvestigates the cOllvemiollal concepl of customary rig/ItS, discusses
allert/mive aporoaches to our understanliing of these rights, (lflli reviews Ihe
dynamtsm and resilience of customary institutions ul/der pressure from ;lIIemo/
and extemal forces of change. The survey reillforces the argumemlhar custom{/f)'
land laws be recognized and scaleli up so thar 'hey operate side-by-s;lie lI'ilh
statutory laws. Whar emerges from the survey is ,11(1/ lega/ pluralism be pili ill
place to 8ccommodate the diverse interests of marginalized peoples, millorities,
and rhe poor