Why Tenure Responsive Land-Use Planning Matters: Insights for Land Use Consolidation for Food Security in Rwanda

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Economics
• Food Security Studies
• Land Use Planning

Background:

• Land use consolidation is a policy tool in Rwanda aimed at enhancing food security.
• Evidence regarding the effectiveness of land use consolidation in achieving food security objectives is contradictory.
• Local-level impacts of land use consolidation on food security require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of land use consolidation on local food security in Rwanda.
• To explore a renewed approach to land use consolidation incorporating tenure-responsive land use planning.
• To provide theoretical and policy-relevant insights for improving food security in Rwanda.

Main Methods:

• Mixed research methods were employed.
• The study was conducted in Nyange Sector, Musanze District, Rwanda.
• Investigated the relationship between land use consolidation, tenure responsiveness, and food security.

Main Results:

• Land use consolidation has had varied effects on food security at the local level.
• Tenure-responsive land use planning is theoretically linked to improved food security.
• An operational framework for tenure-responsive land use consolidation in Rwanda was developed.

Conclusions:

• Land use consolidation's effectiveness in improving food security is context-dependent.
• Integrating tenure-responsive land use planning offers a promising strategy for enhancing food security.
• Policy recommendations are provided for optimizing land use consolidation in Rwanda.