Africa and the Land Reform Question

In Africa, colonialism led to the distortion of land arrangements, which defines the land-related conflict experienced by post-colonial African states. The modern states that emerged from the 'debris' of foreign domination in Africa soon realized the urgency to initiate land reforms and effect changes in the inherited land tenure system. Land reforms, as implemented by many African states, thus became the instruments to redress the skewed land patterns and effect socio-economic transformation on the continent. Through a focus group study, the chapter draws on historical experiences as well as contemporary realities and explores how state policies on land reform affect African states, economy and society. It found that despite the implementation of land reform programmes in post-colonial Africa and the liberalization of land resource, the contradictions inherent in the prevalent land arrangement led to the resurgence of land hunger and conflict in Africa.