Securing Land Tenure through Title Registration: A Systematic Review of Global Evidence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/intrest.v20n1.452Keywords:
Land, Tenure security, Title registration, Community, Land reformAbstract
Land title registration reforms are widely promoted for their potential to strengthen tenure security, stimulate investment, and support broader social and economic development. However, evidence from different countries shows that the effectiveness of such reforms varies considerably across institutional and socio-political contexts. This study provides a systematic synthesis of global evidence on land title registration reforms by reviewing 50 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2024. The review followed a structured search strategy using the Scopus and Google Scholar databases, guided by the PRISMA framework to ensure transparent identification, screening, and selection of relevant literature. The review included English-language peer-reviewed publications that examined the impacts, implementation measures, and institutional dynamics of land titling programmes. The findings indicate that land titling initiatives are frequently associated with increased agricultural investment and productivity, improved access to formal credit, and stronger legal recognition of women’s land rights. Evidence from countries such as Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Rwanda demonstrates that well-designed registration programmes can support agricultural development and strengthen the legal recognition of land rights. However, the review also reveals that the issuance of formal titles does not always translate into perceived tenure security, particularly in contexts where institutional enforcement is weak, administrative systems are fragmented, or customary tenure arrangements remain unresolved. The analysis further identifies key enabling conditions for effective reforms, including decentralized governance structures, participatory implementation approaches, performance-based institutional incentives, and the adoption of fit-for-purpose technological tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Overall, the findings highlight that successful land title registration requires context-sensitive governance strategies that integrate legal reforms, institutional capacity building, and inclusive participation.
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