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Natural calamities such as drought, famine, and climate change have collided to create a humanitarian crisis. For the Horn of Africa (HoA), famine is among the factors that have caused the worst historical damages to the individual countries. Man-made calamities such as decentralized agricultural, pastoral activities and forest clearing are also root causes for the damage. Institutional arrangements (IAs) on land tenure systems and agricultural land conversion (ALC) as a part of this problem will be analyzed in this paper. Poor IAs on land are considered the main cause of insecure land tenure which diminishes the productivity of agriculture in this region, and this, specifically in times of drought, exacerbates famine. Accordingly, the paper explores the idea that to what extent poor IAs on land tenure systems can explain the famine in the HoA. IAs on land comprise two main functions: land quality management and regulation and standard-setting for land utilization. The types of IAs for land often differ. The "optimal" arrangement depends on political, economic, social, climatic, geographical, and technical factors that together form a complex system of IAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land tenure insecurity is one of the worldwide problems that often leads to soil degradation. We tested whether owner-operators maintain a higher level of soil quality and biochemical activity than tenant-operators and how this effect is modified by the agricultural system (organic vs. conventional) in arable fields. We selected 45 plots with cambisol soil based on a factorial design of owner-operator vs. tenant-operator and organic vs. conventional management. On all tested plots, the crop was wheat in shortly after harvest. We measured total carbon in soil and a set of 8 soil enzymes: acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, α-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, β-xylosidase, chitinase, glucuronidase and arylsulfatase. These enzymes participate in the main geochemical nutrient cycles in soils. Differences in the activity of 4 out of these 8 enzymes and differences in the weighted means of the total enzyme activity show a joint effect and indicated higher biochemical activity of the soil under conventional farming in plots farmed by owners. However, when organic farming was practiced, no obvious differences in enzymatic activity were found between soils farmed by owners or by tenants. The total carbon showed a similar pattern, although not significant. Generally, we conclude that farmer’s motivation for making investments in soil health is driven by tenure security, especially in cases where the farm economy depends on profit from crop yields. However, the positive features of tenure security can also be ensured by effective agroecological standards, strict rules, higher levels of subsidies and other incentives that are typically provided for organic farming. We propose that changes in agricultural policies may not only stop land degradation in various parts of the world but also support ecosystem restoration process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased demand for fertile lands has resulted from the exponential growth of the world's population in the twenty-first century. This mechanism results in widespread land tenure adjustments in a specific arrangement of rights, partnerships, and structures, which is in direct opposition to the existence of land as a small and necessary asset. While several attempts have been made to clarify land tenure conflicts, and scholars have studied them from different perspectives, there is still a significant gap in our knowledge of land tenure-related conflicts in the agricultural system and their production. As a result, this paper examined 85 pieces of literature (from 2013 to 2021) on the impact of land registration on the link between land tenure and agricultural productivity in Iran and throughout the world. Land tenure arrangements in Iran are evolving as a result of land demand and improvements in agricultural techniques, according to the results. Furthermore, each land tenure scheme can include a variety of land types, each with its own set of rules and patterns for use. The findings showed that further research with a combined locally-set methodology is required to better understand any relationship(s) between land tenure system (LTS) and agricultural production (AP), in addition to highlighting the value of land knowledge updating and the efficiency of local land management institutions. This study concluded that explaining land-related conflicts, mechanisms of power, and legal actions are important steps toward guiding the consequences of the growth of agricultural LTS in Iran, which leads to effective solutions at the area level. • This study identified land registry impact on the relationship between land tenure and agricultural productivity. • The result showed land tenure arrangements are evolving as a result of land demand in agricultural techniques. • The opportunities and limitations posed by tenure rules can form technology acceptance patterns. • The implications of native communities' behavior towards non-indigenous people are important distinctions to consider. • A reform of the communal land tenancy scheme is necessary for long-term farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The aim was to analyze landholders' perceptions of threats and opportunities of conversion of steep land to orchard (CSLO). • Results showed the most landholders in the study area were well-informed of CSLO threats compared to CSLO opportunities. • Reduction of soil erosion and deterioration was the most common perceived opportunities of CSLO. • High perception of CSLO threats makes the landholders less supportive of the CSLO scheme· Policy-makers should establish the landholders' trust in long-term program to achieve successful implementation of CSLO. This survey study aimed to explore landholders' perceptions of possible threats and opportunities of the CSLO scheme in the Chehel-Chay watershed located in Golestan province, Iran. Furthermore, the influence of these perceptions on the intention to adopt the scheme was assessed. For this purpose, 345 landholders were selected through multi-stage sampling, and the data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Results showed that most landholders in the study area were well-informed of CSLO threats rather than CSLO opportunities. For those landholders who cultivate in public land, "the seizure of land ownership by the government" was perceived as the most important threat of CSLO. Furthermore, the contribution of CSLO to the soil erosion mitigation and deterioration was found to be the most frequent perceived opportunity to the CSLO scheme. Based on the findings, the importance of uncertain future costs of implementing CSLO in the rapidly changing Minodasht County should not be ignored by policymakers. This study demonstrated the importance of examining both positive and negative perceptions of landholders about the opportunities and threats of the CSLO scheme. The study concluded that land use policymakers should take into account that the implementation of CSLO has positively contributed to landholders' perception. In other words, the landholders are willing to adopt the scheme. Therefore, policymakers should consider the importance of establishing the landholders' trust in long-term programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]