Zambia Customary Land Governance Research Paper

The statutory institutional framework provides a particular challenge to customary tenure institutions. The majority of people in rural areas continue to rely on customary tenure arrangements for land delivery. These institutions maintain their traditional power and social responsibility to allocate the rights to use the land, resolve conflicts and carry out overall management of customary land. This study assesses governance issues within customary land delivery and presents a framework for assessing customary tenure institutions for rural land governance. The assessment is based on four governance dimensions. We conclude that while indicators of other qualities are important, measures of efficiency and effectiveness in land delivery processes, equity in distribution and allocation of land resources, accountability of stewardship, and participation of community members in land management activities and decision-making, transparency and access to information are essential to any complete assessment of good governance in customary land delivery processes.