The Unresolved Land Reform Debate: Beyond State-Led or Market-Led Models

Abstract

Sharp inequalities in the distribution of land have remained a major cause of extreme poverty in many developing countries. Much of the rural workforce in these countries is landless or near-landless while many small farmers cultivate meagre, marginal plots. How can this persistent problem be addressed? The historical record shows that neither state-led nor market-led land reform models have been successful in removing these inequities. In response to this problem, this Policy Research Brief draws primarily on a UNDP-ISS supported set of country studies and analytical papers in order to point toward an alternative model of land reform that could both satisfy legitimate and urgent demands for social justice and develop an agrarian system that is economically viable. (...)Desigualdades agudas na distribuição de terras têm