22 July 2013: The World Bank has released a publication, titled ‘Securing Africa’s Land for Shared Prosperity,’ which suggests that the modernization of governance procedures ruling land ownership is key to fostering prosperity, boosting food production and ending “land grabs” in Africa.

Building on successful pilot programs in Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda, the report outlines steps on how to eradicate poverty, boost agricultural productivity and improve land governance in Africa. The publication urges that Africa could make full use of its land resources by: championing reforms and investments to document all communal lands and prime lands that are individually owned; regularizing tenure rights of squatters on public land in urban slums that are home to 60 per cent of urban dwellers in Africa; tackling weak governance and corruption; and generating the political will of African governments to mobilize behind these land reforms and attract the commitment of the international development community.

The report also argues that recent positive changes have been fostering good opportunities for investing in effective land administration. The rise of food commodity prices; foreign direct investment; and the implementation of basic land law are noticeable examples. Moreover, satellites and new information technologies have been important tools in the reduction of the costs of monitoring and mapping land. [Publication: Securing Africa’s Land for Shared Prosperity: a Program to Scale Up Reforms and Investments] [World Bank News] [World Bank Press Release]