An evaluation of participation in land reform within Rwanda's Southern Province

Abstract

The success of land reform, like other development projects, depends strongly on the participation or involvement of beneficiaries in the various phases. The government of Rwanda has stipulated that the process of its land reform should be participatory, involving beneficiaries and meeting their needs. This article investigates the participation regarding land reform in Rwanda, specifically in the Southern Province.1 The study showed that people participated more in the process of land registration than consolidation. The lesser participation in land consolidation was due mostly to a reluctance to abandon multi-culture cropping, for various reasons, even though the farmers were well-informed about the strategy of cultivating priority crops. The article confirms the importance of participation to ensure success in land reform and presents a basis for comparative studies with other regions where inhabitants are involved in similar development.