Collective Property Leads to Household Investments: Lessons From Land Titling in Afro-Colombian Communities. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peña, Ximena; Vélez, María Alejandra; Cárdenas, Juan Camilo; Perdomo, Natalia; Matajira, Camilo
• Is Part Of: World development. Volume 97(2017)
• Page Start: 27
• Page End: 48
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Afro-descendants -- collective property -- Colombia -- ethnic community -- land titling; Economic history -- 1990- -- Periodicals; Economic assistance -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; 330.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.03.025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-750X

Abstract

Highlights: A law enacted in 1993 in Colombia implemented one of the largest land reforms in modern times. Afro-descendent communities were titled through collective property, more than 5 million hectares. Impacts of such land reform on socio-economic outcomes are measured against non-titled communities. The collective titling increased households income, school attendance, home improvements and decreased overcrowding. These impacts are estimated after controlling for other factors such as mining, political violence and other heterogeneous effects. Summary: In the developing world, collective land titling has become an important tool for recognizing the historical presence of ethnic communities and safeguarding their rights to occupy and manage their territories. However, little is known about the average impact of these titling processes on the well-being of these communities. In this paper we attempt to estimate the impact of collective land titling in territories inhabited by Afro-descendent communities in Colombia. We compare rural districts in titled areas with rural districts in untitled areas that are similar in all the relevant observable characteristics. We find that the collective titling process in the Chocó region has caused an increase in average household per capita income, a decrease in extreme poverty, larger investments in housing, higher attendance rates among children in primary education, and a decrease in housing overcrowding. Our results suggest that collective land titling creates a more secure natural resource base and a longer time horizon for households in collective territories, which leads to investment in their private physical and human capital.