Why land tenure reforms will usher in sound growth

The genesis for land tenure reforms in Kenya can be traced to the colonial period, particularly after the publication of J H Ingham report (1950) and the Swynnerton Plan of 1954. These two blueprints persuasively argued for individualisation of tenure as a pre-condition for increased agricultural production throughout the colonial period. In the post-colonial period, the World Bank has remained the leading institution in setting land policy agenda in Kenya and other African countries. Since 1975, the World Bank has put in place two landmark land policy documents namely Land Reform Policy Paper 1975, and Sub-Saharan Africa: From Crisis to Sustainable Growth 1989. These two reports capture the World Bank’s thinking on a range of land issues such as landreforms, land administration, land rights, land markets and how these can play a leading role towards poverty reduction in Africa.

As recently as 2011, the World Bank’s focus and land tenurereforms has continued to be guided by the argument that modern, efficient and transparent land administration systems are important in reducing poverty, promoting growth and sustainable development