Land tenure security, soil improvement and maize output of smallholder farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana

Abstract

The study is in two folds. It first examined the effect of land tenure security dimensions on households‘ soil improvement and subsequently explored the effect of soil improvement on maize output among smallholder farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana. The data employed for this study were obtained from the 2011 Innovation for Poverty Action survey. The endogeneous switching regression model was employed for the analyses. The study found that, households who had full land right had a significantly higher probability of undertaking soil improvement than those with non-full rights. Again, relative to households whose lands were disputed, households with undisputed lands had a significantly higher likelihood of undertaking soil improvement. It was also found that soil improvement by households proved to be positive in influencing maize output of households in the region. It is recommended that government should strengthen land disputes resolution and arbitration bodies to amicably settle land related disputes as it adversely affects land tenure security. Again government is advised not to perceive land titling as the only means of improving land tenure security but should create a system that would check and recognise customary claims to land.