This paper explores the question of how the land tenure system in the North West Region of Cameroon affects rural farmers‟ access to the National Support Program to the Maize Sub-Sector (NSPMS) in Cameroon. It does this by confronting NSPMS‟s assumptions about farmers‟ access to land with, the land tenure question existing in the Region. The paper uses an analytical framework which links land tenure institutions, processes of groupformation and social exclusion to challenge these assumptions.
The paper argues that, following the nature of the African land question, traditional chiefs do not mainly administer land for the benefit of their subjects in an era of increased land commoditization. Traditional land administration in this era is highly knitted into economic and social relations of power and status which thus suggest high risks of discrimination and exclusion. As such, the paper seeks to add to the knowledge of how mechanisms of social exclusion could be rooted in land tenure institutions but go unnoticed and, continue to further nurture other forms of disadvantage, inequality, exclusion and great vulnerability to acute poverty.
The findings of this research suggest disparities between; expectations of NSPMS in their grant making assumptions and, field realities experienced by small scale maize farmers. Instead, there was group polarization. FG‟s which had land were all made of people of similar social status in terms of their privileged position to access land while,landless groups were mostly made of socio-culturally discriminated categories of farmers. In this regard, there was no mixed group (both landless farmers and landlords) which had received grants.Ensuing from this divide therefore, this paper concludes by questioning the adoption of FG as a strategy to include majority of landless maize farmers by NSPMS. Rather, this paper is of the stance that, with the current land tenure question and, NSPMS grants conditions, there seem to be the gradual emergence of a classed rural society made up of landlords and the landless. This is because, the blurred mix of customary and statutory tenures provides for lobbying and land grabbing by the elite and, NSPMS through its grant making scheme is rather reinforcing the class situation by adding other forms of capital to the landlords while the landless are progressively being excluded from such capital accumulating programs.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- List of Tables
- List of Figures
- List of Acronyms
- Abstract
- Relevance to Development Studies
- Keywords
- Chapter 1 Research Context and Setting
- 1.1 General Introduction
- 1.2 Problem Statement
- 1.3 Conceptual/Analytical Framework
- 1.3.1 Social Exclusion
- 1.3.2 Land Tenure Institutions, Asset Ownership and Processes of Group Formation
- 1.4 Methodology of the Research
- 1.4.1. Choice and location of the research site
- 1.4.2 Procedure for selecting groups (cases) and informants
- 1.4.3 Techniques of data collection
- 1.4.4 Secondary Sources
- 1.5 Field Difficulties and Limitations of the Study
- Chapter 2 NSPMS: Rationale, Assumptions and Grant Conditions
- 2.1 Rationale of NSPMS
- 2.2 Conditions for access to maize grants
- 2.2.1 Show proof of land or permanent access to land.
- 2.2.2 Be a Farming Group
- 2.3 Situation of Grants disbursed to farmers in 2008
- Chapter 3 The African Land Tenure Question and Access to Land in Tubah
- 3.1 A brief review of the land question in Africa
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This research paper explores the relationship between land ownership and access to the National Maize Support Program (NSPMS) in Cameroon, specifically focusing on the North West Region. The paper examines how land tenure institutions and access to land influence social exclusion and the ability of farmers to benefit from government support programs. The study seeks to understand the challenges and inequalities faced by farmers in accessing the NSPMS, particularly focusing on the impact of land tenure dynamics on social exclusion.
- Land tenure systems and their impact on access to resources and social exclusion
- The role of the National Maize Support Program (NSPMS) in promoting agricultural development and its impact on rural livelihoods
- The experiences of farmers, especially women, in accessing and benefiting from government support programs
- The challenges and inequalities faced by farmers in the North West Region of Cameroon in accessing and benefiting from agricultural support programs
- The interplay between land tenure, social exclusion, and access to agricultural support programs
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 1 provides the research context and setting, introducing the problem statement, conceptual framework, and methodology. It explains the concept of social exclusion in the context of land tenure and asset ownership, setting the stage for the study's focus on the North West Region of Cameroon. The chapter outlines the research methodology, including the choice of the research site, selection of participants, data collection techniques, and potential limitations.
Chapter 2 delves into the NSPMS, examining its rationale, assumptions, and grant conditions. It specifically analyzes the requirements for accessing maize grants, highlighting the emphasis on proof of land ownership or access as a major criterion. The chapter also explores the situation of grant disbursement to farmers in 2008, providing a concrete context for understanding the program's implementation and its potential impact.
Chapter 3 focuses on the African land tenure question and access to land in Tubah, the specific research site. It offers a brief review of the broader land question in Africa, laying the groundwork for understanding the complexities and challenges of land ownership and access in the region. The chapter sets the stage for examining the interplay between land tenure, social exclusion, and access to the NSPMS within the context of Tubah.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This research paper focuses on the themes of land tenure, social exclusion, access to agricultural support programs, and rural livelihoods. The study utilizes the case of the National Maize Support Program (NSPMS) in Cameroon to explore how land tenure systems and access to land influence farmers' ability to participate in and benefit from government development initiatives. The paper examines the challenges and inequalities faced by farmers, particularly women, in accessing resources and opportunities, highlighting the complex interplay between land ownership, social exclusion, and agricultural development.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Glory Manambowoh Lueong (Autor:in), 2009, Land as a Pre-Condition to Access the National Maize Support Program in Cameroon, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/154063
