State-Customary Interactions and Agrarian Change in Ghana. The Case of Nkoranza Traditional Area

Abstract

While agrarian change has been a recurrent theme in Ghana’s endeavor for economic development, questions on how land resources should be managed to ensure prompt attainment of economic growth remain unanswered. In Ghana, land is controlled by customary actors, while the state is the custodian of agricultural policies. The need for interaction between the two actors to ensure that the envisioned economic gains from agriculture are attained is paramount. This paper asks questions on how land tenure issues are conceptualized in relation to agricultural policies and the interactions between state and customary actors on land management for agricultural development. The paper uses qualitative research methods comprising 17 key informant interviews and document analysis. Concepts of modernized property rights, ideal and new customary tenure served as the theoretical lens for analysis. The findings indicated that state actors vilify customary tenure by considering it inimical to economic development and requiring it to be replaced. Furthermore, new characteristics of commodification, privatization and professionalization within the new customary system are different from the ideal type customary tenure. The paper argues that a new customary tenure taking shape in the Nkoranza traditional area can be harnessed to bring together two seemingly opposing views on tenure management.

Transformative Pathways of Agrarian Reform: Comparative Bibliometric Insights of Southeast Asia and Indonesia Cases

“…Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the economic development of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in regions like Southern Africa (Ndlovu et al, 2021). Countries like Rwanda (Mizero et al, 2018) and Ghana have prioritized agriculture to achieve food self-sufficiency and drive economic growth since gaining independence (Kugbega, 2020). However, in South Africa, the current approach to agrarian reform treats all beneficiaries as a uniform group of 'new' farmers, even though they may be at varying stages of transitioning toward commercial production (Gwiriri et al, 2019).…”