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Can rainfall shocks enhance access to rented land? Evidence from Malawi

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  • Tione, Sarah E.

    (Centre for Land Tenure Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences)

  • Holden, Stein T.

    (Centre for Land Tenure Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences)

Abstract

This study investigates whether and to what extent rainfall shocks recurring in Sub-Saharan Africa, that have been associated with distress land rentals, enhance short-term and medium-term access to rented land by tenant households. Tenant households’ rental decisions are modeled in the state-contingent framework with renting-in of land as a risky input choice. Our data is from three rounds of LSMS data from Malawi used to construct a balanced household panel, combined with corresponding district rainfall data that are used to generate seasonal district-wise rainfall shock variables. Panel probit and Tobit models controlling for unobserved heterogeneity were used. Regional heterogeneities were revealed. The results from the Central Region of Malawi, where land rental markets are most active, indicates that the one-year and two-year lagged downside rainfall shocks help tenant households accessing land not only the first year after a rainfall shock but also in the following years. For the more land constrained Southern Region of Malawi, with less prevalence of land rental markets, we observed that the two-year lagged downside rainfall shock is associated with less access to rented land. These results reveal surprising intertemporal and regional variations that are important for policy discussions and lessons on land rental markets amidst recurring rainfall shocks in SSA.

Suggested Citation

  • Tione, Sarah E. & Holden, Stein T., 2020. "Can rainfall shocks enhance access to rented land? Evidence from Malawi," CLTS Working Papers 5/20, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Centre for Land Tenure Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:nlsclt:2020_005
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    Cited by:

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    3. Amolegbe, Khadijat Busola & Fontep, Eugenie Rose & Ahodode, Bernadin Géraud Comlan & Pagal, Emmanuelle Dorcas Mbanga & Ardelkrim, Araar, 2023. "Gendered Effects of Crop Diversification and Climate Shocks on Household Food Security Status in Nigeria," 97th Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2023, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 334551, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Rainfall shocks; Land rental markets; State-contingent framework; Malawi.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects

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