Food Security Advocacy Food Security Advocacy Capacity Building Capacity Building WorkshopWorkshop

Access to Land with particular focus on Women

Desmond Tutu Training Centre

22nd November 2010

Doris Musonda, Zambia

OutlineOutlineAcknowledgementIntroductionChallengesConclusionWay forward/Challenge

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsEcumenical Advocacy Alliance

(EAA)Africa Network on the Right to

Food (ANRF)Employer – Land O’ Lakes

IntroductionIntroductionLand is an important resource, source

of economic development and livelihood i.e. food, shelter, social status and power including cultural aspects

Land is a key asset – production, water source, shelter

Food = agriculture = land +++ (60% in Zambia)

Women are usually marginalised in owning assets, productive assets e.g. land included

Women form one of the largest marginalized and vulnerable groups

Introduction Cont’dIntroduction Cont’d• Women are very productive on land

as custodians of household food security

• Zambia has approximately 752,600 sq. km land vs 12 million people

• In Zambia, preference to investors owning huge tracts of land at the expense of vulnerable people utilizing it for food security

• Some Land Policies ignore the history reality of un-equal access to Land

Challenges Women face Challenges Women face about landabout landProblems include land tenure, disputes,

unsuitable land legislation or lack of it, unfavorable land administration, land grabbing and invasions

• Patrilineal customs do not assign women entitlement to land and there is poor administration of inheritance rights

• In matrilineal societies, women have access to land. But due to social cultural factors, men continue to control the benefits from land through control of marketing of the produce from the land

Source: Source: Programme for Luapula Agricultural and Rural Development. Baseline Survey Report 2009 (63)

7.3

3.3

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Hec

tare

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MHH FHH

Gender of H/hold head

Figure 5.1: Average land owned by HH by gender - Luapula province (ha)

1.568 M vs 245 F = 15.6%

Challenges Women face Challenges Women face about land Cont’dabout land Cont’dTraditionally not ‘allowed’ to own

landLand for their spouses is grabbed

when the later passes-onMajority of the rural poor depend

on traditional land (94 % in Z) – non legal bidding

Banks grabs land from defaultersPoor implementation of policies

African saying QuoteAfrican saying Quote“I conceive of land to as belonging to a vast family of whom many are dead, a few are living and countless are still unborn. (Nigerian herder)(Lane, 1998:1) “

In Africa, we hold land in trust for:◦ ancestors◦ the un-born and ◦the whole community.

Source: Source: Programme for Luapula Agricultural Programme for Luapula Agricultural and Rural Development. Baseline Survey Report and Rural Development. Baseline Survey Report 2009 (66)2009 (66)

4

33

0

5

10

15

20

25

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35

Pe

rce

nt

Va

lue

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Title to land Customary written

Tenure system

Figure 5.4: Title to Land Vs Customary Written (% HHs) - Luapula province

Displaced farmers in Kapiri, Displaced farmers in Kapiri, ZambiaZambia

ConclusionConclusionThe equitable access to land,

particularly in favour of women in Africa, is far from being won despite some positive pronouncements

But not all hope isn’t lost. The battle can be won if concerted effort is used

Way forward/ChallengeWay forward/ChallengeThis workshop should determine

way forward

Does the status quo continues or do we rise up and defend the fatherless!!!!!

Thank you for Thank you for AttentionAttention

Zikomo Zikomo ManingiManingi