Agricultural tenure

Agricultural tenure refers to the legal or customary rights and arrangements through which farmers or landholders use and manage land for farming. It defines who has the right to occupy, utilize, or transfer the land, and under what conditions. These arrangements can include ownership, leases, sharecropping, or customary claims. The nature of tenure influences land security, investment in land improvements, and agricultural productivity. Secure tenure encourages farmers to invest in sustainable practices, while insecure rights may lead to underinvestment or disputes. In essence, agricultural tenure shapes the relationship between landowners, farmers, and the land itself within agricultural systems.