THE IMPACTS OF LAND CERTIFICATION ON ADOPTION OF LONG-TERM SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES: The Case of Dadaba Watershed, West Arsi Zone, Oromiya Regional State, Ethiopia

Land is the fundamental socio-economic asset for livelihood and economic performance in Ethiopia. The1995 Constitution, the Federal and Regional land proclamations, and the subsequent land registration and certification program provided land holders with improved security. This study aimed to examine the process applied in implementing land certification program and analyzes its impacts on adoption of long-term soil and water conservation measures in the Dadaba watershed, West Arsi Zone, Oromiya Regional State, Ethiopia. Both quantitative and qualitative information generated from about 234 households. The study used both primary and secondary sources, namely transect walks, questionnaire survey, group discussions, field observation, key informant interviews, and referring to extensive written official document and research papers. Data is analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Software (SPSS v16.0). This study understood that land holding certificate has been issued for the purpose of enhancing tenure security, gender equality and to increase land investments. In the beginning of land certification process, there were a few limitations and uncertain responses. Extensive communal land grabbing by squatters followed because priority given to private holdings; in case of polygamous families, land certificate was given in favors with one of the wives and alienated the other wives and there was dalliance of land registration and certification process due to lack of incentives to local (traditional) surveyors. The farmers expected land certification program as land lease to investors and land redistribution to landless, limiting holding size and tax increment. But, as this study result shown, currently, the majority of the respondents (71%) seemed to understand that land registration and certification objectives were lead to more tenure security. Moreover, about seventy percent of the respondents believe that landownership was belongs to both of themselves and the state as they have secured their property use rights through land certification. This study result indicated that land certification is strongly positive correlated with long-term SWC investments, renting, transferring, reducing land dispute and gender equality (r=0.998, 0.997, 0.994, 0.984 and 0.969 significant at the 0.01level). But, it has slightly significant impacts on gender equality (p=0.007), reducing land dispute (birthrights) (p=0.002) and transferring rights (p=0.001). This study also investigated that since the beginning of land certification process, adoption of long-term soil and water conservation investments (tree planting, bund construction, composting and grass planting) were enhanced. Land certified respondents have a significant and sustainable role in these practices i.e. they have covered about 55% of the total practices, whereas, uncertified respondents were even a good participants during early process of land certification, they show a very high falling action to the end. This doesn’t mean that having land certificate by itself is not only the way which leads to the best adoption to long-term soil and water conservation investments but also the uncertified ones were able to enhance these practices which might be for the sought of holding certificate with respect to tenure security.