The profits of power: land rights and agricultural investment in Ghana
Abstract
We examine the impact of ambiguous and contested land rights on investment and productivity in agriculture in Akwapim, Ghana. We show that individuals who hold powerful positions in a local political hierarchy have more secure tenure rights and that as a consequence they invest more in land fertility and have substantially higher output. The intensity of investments on different plots cultivated by a given individual corresponds to that individual’s security of tenure over those specific plots and, in turn, to the individual’s position in the political hierarchy relevant to those specific plots.
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In Africa, weak rights, often held by disadvantaged groups such as women or outsiders, can undermine investment and reduce productivity.
“In Africa, following a seminal study in Ghana (Besley 1995), weak rights, often held by disadvantaged groups such as women or outsiders, can undermine investment and reduce productivity (Deininger and Jin 2006; Fenske 2011; Goldstein and Udry 2008).”
From Environmental and gender impacts of land tenure regularization in Africa: Pilot evidence from Rwanda (2014) · cites this paper as Goldstein and Udry 2008
The study uses spatial fixed effects to control for local-level unobservables.
“We follow the literature (Conley and Udry 2010; Goldstein and Udry 2008; Magruder 2011) and use spatial fixed effects to control for local level unobservables.”
From Environmental and gender impacts of land tenure regularization in Africa: Pilot evidence from Rwanda (2014) · cites this paper as Goldstein and Udry 2008
Cites
Learning about a New Technology: Pineapple in Ghana
Conley, T. G., & Udry, C. R. (2010) · American Economic Review · doi:10.1257/aer.100.1.35 · Cited by 2,180 · see citing works
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Learning about a New Technology: Pineapple in Ghana
Conley, T. G., & Udry, C. R. (2010) · American Economic Review · doi:10.1257/aer.100.1.35 · Cited by 2,180 · see citing works
Self-citationEnvironmental and gender impacts of land tenure regularization in Africa: Pilot evidence from Rwanda
Ali, D. A., Deininger, K., & Goldstein, M. (2014) · Journal of Development Economics · doi:10.1016/j.jdeveco.2013.12.009 · Cited by 421 · see citing works
Self-citationLand tenure and investment incentives: evidence from West Africa
Fenske, J. (2011) · Journal of Development Economics · doi:10.1016/j.jdeveco.2010.05.001 · Cited by 369 · see citing works
Social Learning and Incentives for Experimentation and Communication
BenYishay, A., & Mobarak, A. M. (2019) · The Review of Economic Studies · doi:10.1093/restud/rdy039 · Cited by 328 · see citing works
The Economics and Politics of Women's Rights
Doepke, M., Tertilt, M., & Voena, A. (2012) · Annual Review of Economics · doi:10.1146/annurev-economics-061109-080201 · Cited by 203 · see citing works
Asaaga, F. A., Hirons, M. A., & Malhi, Y. (2020) · World Development · doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.104913 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Ascani, A., Crescenzi, R., & Iammarino, S. (2016) · Economic Geography · doi:10.1080/00130095.2016.1179570 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Going digital: Credit effects of land registry computerization in India
Deininger, K., & Goyal, A. (2012) · Journal of Development Economics · doi:10.1016/j.jdeveco.2012.02.007 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
- Authors
- Goldstein, M., & Udry, C.
- Affiliations
- World Bank (US)
- Yale University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Political Economy
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 2008-12
- Volume
- 116
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 981-1022
- ISSN
- 0022-3808 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-534X
- OpenAlex
- W2111726427
- Cited by
- 1,142
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 70 · 2025: 74 · 2024: 75 · 2023: 63 · 2022: 74 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 63 · 2019: 78 · 2018: 77 · 2017: 63 · 2016: 48 · 2015: 78 · 2014: 69 · 2013: 70 · 2012: 48
- FWCI
- 63.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Political Economy (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Econstor (Econstor) (submittedVersion)
- VTechWorks (Virginia Tech) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Land Rights and Reforms
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agricultural Innovations and Practices
- Keywords
- land rights, land tenure security, agricultural investment, soil fertility, agricultural productivity, political hierarchy, local politics
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