Resumen de Population pressure, rural-to-rural migration and evolution of land tenure institutions: The case of Uganda

Francis Mwesigye, Tomoya Matsumoto, Keijiro Otsuka

• This study examines the evolutionary process of land tenure systems in Uganda from communal to private ownership with a special attention to the role of rural-to-rural migration as a key driving force. By tracing migration patterns using unique longitudinal household survey data containing detailed information on land tenure and migration history, we found that immigrant-dominated communities have a higher incidence of private land ownership even after controlling for population density and market access. We also found that land markets are more active in immigrant-dominated communities and that private land ownership results in higher agricultural productivity.