Stronger land rights have been shown to spark growth in African economies.
As our new fact sheet, “Grow the Economy: Africa” explains, land tenure security is associated with greater household productivity, wealth and investment:
- 1In Ethiopia, a study found that stronger property rights increased agricultural productivity by as much as 45 percent
- 2In Tanzania, women with strong property and inheritance rights were nearly 3 times more likely to be employed outside the home and earned nearly 4 times more income
- 3In Zambia, farmers with secure rights to land invested as much as $1,280 more in their land
Category:
Related resources
Strong Roots, Stronger Futures: Momtaz Rebuilds with Hope
Meet Momtaz Begum, a woman rebuilding hope in coastal Bangladesh by adapting her land and planting mangroves to protect her home from the rising tide of climate change.
Success Stories
From Challenge to Change: A Journey to Secure Land Rights
After decades without secure shelter, Naima and her family in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans gained legal access to land through a government lease program after attending a training supported by Shushilan and Landesa. They are now building a permanent home and planting a garden—laying the groundwork for a more stable future.
Success Stories
Climate Change Adversities and Gender Inequality in Bangladesh
This program reflection from the Coastal Livelihoods and Mangroves Project explores how gender norms shape women’s and girls’ experiences of climate change in Bangladesh’s coastal communities. Drawing on fieldwork in Satkhira and Khulna districts, Shushilan's Snigdha Ghosh highlights how unequal access to forest resources and mobility restrictions limit women’s participation in climate resilience efforts—reinforcing vulnerabilities and increasing the risk of gender-based violence. The insights underscore the need for gender-sensitive climate action that centers the voices and rights of women and girls.
Issue Briefs
