Effects of Agricultural Land Tenure Policies on Women Economic Empowerment

Abstract

Land as a factor of production in agricultural based economy plays a pivotal role in enhancing women equal rights in participation in development. Therefore, land tenure systems should be gender inclusive in order to facilitate rapid economic empowerment of women who contribute the largest share of labour input on agricultural farmlands in rural parts of Uganda such as Arua District. Nonetheless, it is important to note that literature on the relationship between agricultural land tenure policies and women economic empowerment in Uganda is scanty. The purpose of the study therefore was to investigate the effects of agricultural land tenure policies on women economic empowerment in Arua District. The study adopted human development perspective theory becauseit is a more recent theory that emphasizes the conversion of economic development into a cultural process of human development that gives rise to an emancipative worldview, reflected in self-expression values that emphasize human choice and autonomy especially for women. This study used descriptive and correlation research designs because the designs allowed for systematic collection and analysis of data in order to test hypothesis. The study targeted district agricultural officers, community development officers, district environmental officers, farmers, opinion leaders from the community, members of the civil society organizations and extension officers with a total sample size of 120 participants. Reliability analysis was achieved by the use of tests retest technique and the results were subjected to factor analysis with all the items registering above 0.80. Expert assessment was used to realise content validity with the minimum principle component analysis factor loading value of all the items in the research tools were above 0.80 indicating that the tools were valid. Data collected were cleaned by weeding out inconsistent and irrelevant responses. Information collected from the respondents wascoded and keyed in for analysis using statistical package for social scientists (SPSS). Quantitative data was presented through tables and analysed via descriptive and inferential statistical analysis technique whereas qualitative data was analysed thematically. The study found customary land tenure system to be the most widely practiced land tenure system in Arua. The study also found women control what to plant on the farms but not how to spend money generated from the farms. The study found land tenure policies positive and significant ((β=1.060, p=0.000, F Change value of 44.244, R adjusted value of .409) to women economic empowerment. The study recommends that the government of Uganda, specifically ministries of agriculture and finance, spearhead an awareness campaign on the women land rights; initiate policy review targeting agricultural land tenure system and women economic empowerment. The study also recommends further research on this subject matter using other research paradigms such as case study.