The Welfare Impact of Land Redistribution: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Initiative in Malawi

Mariapia Mendola and Franklin Simtowe

No 366, Development Working Papers from Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano

Abstract: Even though land reform may be an effective means of reducing poverty, evidence on its causal effects is scant. This paper uses household panel data combined with a quasi-experimental program to assess the impact of a joint Malawi/World Bank land redistribution project on households productivity and well-being in southern Malawi. Double difference and matching methods are used to address sources of bias in identifying impacts. Results point to average positive effects of the land program on land holdings, agricultural output, income, food security and asset ownership of beneficiary households, while the latter do not see an improvement in access to social services such as schools and health care facilities. There is also evidence of heterogeneous effects by gender and inheritance systems. Overall, our findings suggest that there is scope for reducing poverty and inequality in developing countries by implementing a market- and community-based approach to land reform through the provision of land to land-poor households.

Keywords: Land Reform; Program Evaluation; Community Based Rural Land Development Program; Malawi (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30
Date: 2014-04-07, Revised 2014-04-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-agr, nep-dev and nep-hap
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Welfare Impact of Land Redistribution: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Initiative in Malawi (2015)
Working Paper: The Welfare Impact of Land Redistribution: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Initiative in Malawi (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:csl:devewp:366

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