Land Tenure Systems in Nigeria

What are Agricultural Laws and Reforms?

Agricultural laws and reforms refer to the set of rules promulgatedThe meaning of promulgate is to make (an idea, belief, etc.) known to many people by open declaration More for agricultural purposes.

Land Tenure Systems in Nigeria:

Land tenure means the act of acquiring land either by individual, family, community, or government, temporarily or permanently.

Types of Land Tenure System:

Land tenure system in Nigeria varies according to tribes, communities, and states. It can be grouped as follows:

• Communal Land Tenure.
• Land tenure by inheritance.
• Leasehold system.
• Land tenure by tenancy.
• Land tenure by purchase or freehold.
• Land tenure by free gift or pledge.
• Tenant at will of government.

On the other hand, these land tenure systems are referred to as individual land tenure systems:

• Freehold system.
• Leasehold system.
• Gift system.
• Tenants system.
• Tenants at the will of government.
• Inheritance system.

1. Communal Land Tenure:

Features:

The land belongs to the entire members of the community. Every member of the community has the right to use the land for agriculture, but cannot sell any portion of it.

It relies on the availability of a large area of land that can be shared with each member of the community.

Advantages of Communal Land Tenure:

• Easy access to land for farming by indigenesAn indigene is a person, animal, or plant that is native or original to a particular area or region; basically, it refers to someone or something that originates or is naturally... More which promotes increased agricultural production.
• Cooperative farming is possible.
• Cheap to acquire because no cost is involved.
• Guarantees sustainability of production resources for future generations.
• Community normsA norm is a rule, standard, or pattern for action. Social norm refers to shared standards of acceptable behaviour by a group of people. The norms in any society are based... More regulate access to land for use.

Disadvantages, or Problems of Communal Land Tenure:

• Restriction of land users activities.
• Land is highly fragmentedThe meaning of fragmented is broken or separated into distinct parts. More.
• Non-members of the community cannot have access to the land for farming.
• Does not encourage the planting of permanent crops.
• Land cannot be sold, pledged, or used as collateral by an individual.

2. Land Tenure by Inheritance:

Features:

This is a land tenure system in which land is inherited from one’s parents or from one generation to another.

In Nigeria, land for agricultural activities is mainly acquired through inheritance. It gives the owner complete freedom on the land.

Advantages of Land Tenure by Inheritance:

• The land can be used as collateral to obtain loans.
• The land can be utilized to cultivate permanent crops like cocoa and oil palm.
• Gives room for proper future planning and efficient land use.
• The land can be improved by applying fertilizer or organic manure in order to improve the fertility of the land.

Disadvantages of Land Tenure by Inheritance:

• Land defragmentation discourages mechanization.
• Land may be inherited by individuals who do not have an interest in farming.
• Land is not readily available for everybody.
• Large-scale commercial agriculture is impossible due to land fragmentationLand fragmentation is defined as the division of land into discrete plots dispersed over a wide area but owned by a single household. In areas of high population density such as... More.

3. Leasehold System:

Features:

This is a situation whereby a farmer is allowed by the owner of the land to work on it for a fixed period of time under specific terms and conditions.

It’s a special contract existing between a person called a lease. The lease will utilize the land and maintain it for the period of the lease.

Advantages of Leasehold System:

• Ensures use of available land.
• Enables the farmers to maximize the use of land.

Disadvantages of Leasehold System:

• Land cannot be used as collateral by the user to obtain a loan.
• Development of land is not encouraged.
• Tenancy may be revoked at any time before the expiration of the fixed period.
• Perennial crops like cocoa, rubber, and oil palm cannot be cultivated.

4. Land Tenure by Rent (Tenancy):

Features:

The farmer rents the land for use over a short period of time during which a certain amount of money is paid as rent.

Advantages of Land Tenure by Rent:

• Land is effectively monitored and controlled by the owner.
• The chances of land disputes are low.
• Makes use of available land for agricultural purposes.
• The farmer maximizes the use of the land.

Disadvantages of Land Tenure by Rent:

• Permanent crops cannot be planted.
• Long-term planning is not encouraged.
• Restricts development of land.
• Land cannot be used for securing loans.

5. Land Tenure by Purchase or Freehold:

Features:

In this system, a farmer purchases a piece of land for agricultural purposes. He pays a certain amount of money to the landlord and the land becomes his personal property.

Advantages of Land Tenure by Purchase:

• Encourages investment.
• Land can be used as collateral for securing bank loans.
• Encourages long-term and proper planning.

Disadvantages of Land Tenure by Purchase:

• The land may be too expensive to purchase.
• The actual owner may be difficult to establish.
• The farmer may not have enough money to purchase the exact size of the land he needs.

6. Land Tenure by Free Gift or Pledge:

Features:

In this system, the land is donated or given out of goodwill or free of charge in appreciation or as an incentive. The new owner does not need to pay any money.

Advantages of Land Tenure by Free Gift or Pledge:

• Perennial crops can be grown.
• Encourages long-term planning.
• Does not limit the development of land.
• Can be used as collateral for obtaining bank loans.
• Ensures the maximum use of land for increased production.

Disadvantages of Land Tenure by Free Gift or Pledge:

• Ownership can be changed at any time.
• There may be disagreement over such gifts by the family members.

7. Tenants at the Will of Government:

Features:

A piece of land is given or allocated to a farmer by the government. The land belongs to the government and the farmer has to pay a certain amount of money to the government for using such land, usually for a stipulated period of time.

Advantages:

• Not expensive to acquire.
• Proper planning is possible.
• Available land can be used for agricultural and developmental purposes.
• The land can easily be improved by applying organic manure and fertilizer.

Disadvantages, or Problems:

• The land cannot be used as collateral to obtain loans.
• The land can be retrieved from the farmer with short notice.
• A lot of bottlenecks or bureaucracyThe term bureaucracy refers to a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives. In simple terms, you can... More are involved in the allocation of the land.
• Perennial crops cannot be planted.