Population, land tenure, and natural resource management: the case of customary land area in Malawi
This paper uses cross section-time series data on 57 communities in Malawi to determine statistically the factors determining changes in land use, tree cover, and crop yield. The econometric model is developed from a theoretical model which also endogenizes population growth and prevailing land tenu...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Artículo preliminar |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
International Food Policy Research Institute
1997
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161175 |
| _version_ | 1855539970790391808 |
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| author | Place, Frank Otsuka, Keijiro |
| author_browse | Otsuka, Keijiro Place, Frank |
| author_facet | Place, Frank Otsuka, Keijiro |
| author_sort | Place, Frank |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | This paper uses cross section-time series data on 57 communities in Malawi to determine statistically the factors determining changes in land use, tree cover, and crop yield. The econometric model is developed from a theoretical model which also endogenizes population growth and prevailing land tenure institutions within the customary sector of Malawi. The analysis reflects changes between 1971 and 1995, utilizing aerial photos taken at these dates and complementing these with field surveys. The data show a deterioration of Malawi's natural resource base: declining yields, loss of tree cover, and near exhaustion of land for agricultural expansion. Key findings are that population pressure induces land conversion but not yield or tree cover change; the matrilocal system of household residence is negatively associated with tree cover but induces agricultural conversion; and there is some improvement in management of resources as their scarcity increases. Policy recommendations include greater focus on agroforestry to increase tree cover as woodland areas are poorly managed, and increased effort to improve market integration since this benefits crop yields without adverse effects on tree cover. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace161175 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 1997 |
| publishDateRange | 1997 |
| publishDateSort | 1997 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1611752025-11-06T07:22:32Z Population, land tenure, and natural resource management: the case of customary land area in Malawi Place, Frank Otsuka, Keijiro crop yield econometrics population density forest management This paper uses cross section-time series data on 57 communities in Malawi to determine statistically the factors determining changes in land use, tree cover, and crop yield. The econometric model is developed from a theoretical model which also endogenizes population growth and prevailing land tenure institutions within the customary sector of Malawi. The analysis reflects changes between 1971 and 1995, utilizing aerial photos taken at these dates and complementing these with field surveys. The data show a deterioration of Malawi's natural resource base: declining yields, loss of tree cover, and near exhaustion of land for agricultural expansion. Key findings are that population pressure induces land conversion but not yield or tree cover change; the matrilocal system of household residence is negatively associated with tree cover but induces agricultural conversion; and there is some improvement in management of resources as their scarcity increases. Policy recommendations include greater focus on agroforestry to increase tree cover as woodland areas are poorly managed, and increased effort to improve market integration since this benefits crop yields without adverse effects on tree cover. 1997 2024-11-21T09:53:57Z 2024-11-21T09:53:57Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161175 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Place, Frank M.; Otsuka, Keijiro. 1997. Population, land tenure, and natural resource management;the case of customary land area in Malawi. EPTD Discussion Paper 27. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161175 |
| spellingShingle | crop yield econometrics population density forest management Place, Frank Otsuka, Keijiro Population, land tenure, and natural resource management: the case of customary land area in Malawi |
| title | Population, land tenure, and natural resource management: the case of customary land area in Malawi |
| title_full | Population, land tenure, and natural resource management: the case of customary land area in Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Population, land tenure, and natural resource management: the case of customary land area in Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Population, land tenure, and natural resource management: the case of customary land area in Malawi |
| title_short | Population, land tenure, and natural resource management: the case of customary land area in Malawi |
| title_sort | population land tenure and natural resource management the case of customary land area in malawi |
| topic | crop yield econometrics population density forest management |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161175 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT placefrank populationlandtenureandnaturalresourcemanagementthecaseofcustomarylandareainmalawi AT otsukakeijiro populationlandtenureandnaturalresourcemanagementthecaseofcustomarylandareainmalawi |