Expanding Rural Land Tenures to Alleviate Poverty

300 Pages·2005·1.94 MB·English

by  Kate Dalrymple

E R L T
XPANDING URAL AND ENURES
A P
TO LLEVIATE OVERTY

by

Kate Dalrymple

August 2005

A thesis submitted to The University of
Melbourne in fulfilment of the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Centre for Spatial Data Infrastructure and Land Administration
Department of Geomatics, Faculty of Engineering
The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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D
ECLARATION

This is to certify that the thesis has not been
submitted for a higher degree to any other
university or institution. The text does not exceed
100,000 words.

Parts of this work were published in refereed
conference proceedings and journals as listed in
Appendix 1.

________________
Kate Dalrymple
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A
BSTRACT

This thesis investigates the land administration framework guiding
development of the rural poor to assess whether it meets sustainable development
and poverty alleviation objectives set by current land policies.
This research was conducted in two main phases. The first phase explored the
role of evolving land policy, land administration and tenure theories in the context
of delivering sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Investigations were
focused towards the design of land administration systems as a means of assisting
national development in developing countries. Essential linkages between each of
the components were reviewed to determine how they relate to poverty alleviation
among the rural poor. This required a multidisciplinary literature search and
analysis of materials from Geomatics, development and environmental studies,
sociology and public policy.
However analysis of land policy and land administration at a theoretical level
is not definitive. Empirical research was necessary to understand people to land
relationships of the rural poor. Case studies in rural Cambodian villages were
conducted as the second phase of research. The objective of these case studies was
to dispel the popular land administration principle that assumes project designs
can continue to rely predominantly on technical tools to provide tenure security
for individuals. Field studies illustrated complexities surrounding socially-derived
tenure arrangements of the rural poor within various social and environmental
contexts. Informal, communal and customary people to land relationships
underpin traditional natural resource management, use and access patterns. These
localised relationships deliver vital security and organisational functions among
rural poor societies.
A redefined land administration framework for addressing poverty alleviation
within a sustainable approach was derived from these case study findings. The
framework theory was then discussed and refined among world expert land
administration researchers and consultants from economic, legal and agricultural
fields.
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The research shows that private titling alone will not deliver poverty
alleviation and sustainable development to rural poor societies. These societies
depend on socially-derived practices and have limited resources. They are usually
unable to take advantage of formal administration services. However land policy
goals can be achieved if a flexible land administration framework is created. This
framework must be characterised by secure land and resource access and tools
that appropriately incorporate local conditions, capacity and practices.

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A
CKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost I wish to acknowledge and thank my supervisors Professor
Ian Williamson and Jude Wallace for their enduring support. Ian and Jude, your
expert advice, enthusiasm, encouragement and sustained commitment to the ideas
of my PhD are greatly appreciated. Along with your moral and financial support, I
particularly wish to thank Ian for giving me the opportunity to get my “feet wet”
by gaining valuable research experience overseas. Jude, your timing to join our
research group was impeccable and I am so fortunate you were a part of my PhD
journey.
Staff and students from the Department of Geomatics, and particularly the
Centre for Spatial Data Infrastructure and Land Administration, provided a
helpful and friendly environment during my candidature. Special mention for their
individual support goes to Lillian Cheung and Nghiem Tran for their ever efficient
administrative support, Abbas Rajabifard and Gary Hunter for their willingness to
help and offer valuable research advice, Andrew Binns and Rohan Bennett for
their support, critiques and comments on drafts, as well as notable contributions
made by past and present researchers of the Centre and ‘rooftop’: Matthew
Warnest, Daniel Steudler, Richelle Pearson, Lisa Ting, Daniel Paez, Lisa Strain,
Kevin McDougal, Saeid Moshen Kalantari Soltanieh, and Michael Black.
Special thanks to Mr Bruce Thompson and the Spatial Information
Infrastructure Group at the Department of Sustainability and Environment,
Victoria, for funding and support of my PhD.
This study was conducted primarily with the co-operation of “everyday”
people of Cambodia, especially those in rural settlements. Without their
acceptance, hospitality and eagerness to share their time, data collection would
not have been possible. I thank them whole heartedly for freely providing
information and truthfully answering my questions. My gratitude extends to those
village and commune chiefs who were most helpful and obliging. I hope that
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interpretations of my experience with these people serve to help and not hinder
progress and improvement for the lives of the rural poor.
Contacts at both National and Provincial levels provided the missing middle
level information critical to the study these included staff from: the Ministry Land
Management, Urban Planning and Construction Offices and the Provincial
General Department of Cadastre and Geography in Kampong Thom and Pursat,
the National Council of Land Policy, Participatory Land Use Planning team, the
Integrated Rural Development Project and technical advisors and experts
facilitating a range of project areas.
I am most appreciative of the Ministry of Land Management and Urban
Planning and Construction, Central Project Office and GTZ for their in-kind and
financial support while researching in Cambodia. The facilities provided during
my time in Phnom Penh were invaluable in helping collate, exchange information
and hold meetings. Mr Willi Zimmerman, (project Technical-Advisor until 2004)
was an inspirational leader and source of wisdom and knowledge. His directional
advice and sense of confidence in me gave me the strength to pursue studies on
my own. I admire whole heartedly Willi’s untiring positivism and rational
perspective on his work and attitude to all staff.
I would like to thank Professor Don Grant, Professor Stig Enemark and Mr
Tony Burns for their words of wisdom and encouragement throughout my
candidature and Professor Halger Magel for comments early in my PhD
confirmation.
Thank you also to my family and friends. Family first, your offers to help
were always greatly appreciated. One day I’ll be able take you to these special
places, to meet these special people and you’ll discover why it is so easy to
become passionate about the issues my research attempts to address. I want to
thank my dear friends, Meg Fricke, Kate Evans, Kirsten Fairfax, Adrian Sim and
Lachlan Beveridge whose support, encouragement, and enjoyable distractions
kept me sane and provided a balanced life while writing. Friends who don’t lose
faith are the best ones to have. Family and friends - thanks for having faith.
To everyone mentioned here, my sincere thanks.
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T C
ABLE OF ONTENTS
DECLARATION............................................................................................................................iii
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..........................................................................................................vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................................................ix
LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................................xi
LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................................xii
LIST OF ACRONYMS...................................................................................................................xiii
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................- 1 -
1.1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................- 1 -
1.2 BACKGROUND.....................................................................................................................- 2 -
1.3 RESEARCH OUTLINE............................................................................................................- 7 -
1.4 OUTLINE OF THESIS...........................................................................................................- 12 -
CHAPTER 2 – LAND POLICY FOR DEVELOPMENT....................................................- 15 -
2.1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................- 15 -
2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THEORY.....................................................................- 15 -
2.3 ENVIRONMENT, RURAL POVERTY AND DEVELOPMENT NEXUS.........................................- 22 -
2.4 THE LAND DEVELOPMENT SCENE.....................................................................................- 25 -
2.5 LAND POLICY DEVELOPMENT...........................................................................................- 30 -
2.6 POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.................................................- 40 -
2.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY.........................................................................................................- 42 -
CHAPTER 3 – LAND ADMINISTRATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT..- 45 -
3.1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................- 45 -
3.2 LAND ADMINISTRATION PROGRESS...................................................................................- 45 -
3.3 LAND ADMINISTRATION PRINCIPLES.................................................................................- 57 -
3.4 LAND ADMINISTRATION PROJECTS...................................................................................- 77 -
3.5 CHAPTER SUMMARY.........................................................................................................- 84 -
CHAPTER 4 – LAND TENURE............................................................................................- 87 -
4.1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................- 87 -
4.2 LAND TENURE OVERVIEW.................................................................................................- 88 -
4.3 IMPORTANCE OF TENURE SECURITY................................................................................- 102 -
4.4 TENURE ISSUES OF THE POOR..........................................................................................- 105 -
4.5 TENURE FORMALISATION STRATEGIES............................................................................- 116 -
4.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY.......................................................................................................- 122 -

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CHAPTER 5 – RESEARCH DESIGN.................................................................................- 125 -
5.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................- 125 -
5.2 RESEARCH MODEL DEVELOPMENT.................................................................................- 125 -
5.3 SELECTION OF RESEARCH APPROACH............................................................................- 129 -
5.4 RESEARCH DESIGN.........................................................................................................- 136 -
5.5 CHAPTER SUMMARY.......................................................................................................- 140 -
CHAPTER 6 – CAMBODIAN CASE STUDY....................................................................- 143 -
6.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................- 143 -
6.2 CAMBODIAN HISTORICAL CONTEXT...............................................................................- 144 -
6.3 NATIONAL LAND MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION PROJECT.................................- 160 -
6.4 VILLAGE CASE STUDIES OUTLINE..................................................................................- 168 -
6.5 CASE STUDY SITE 1 – CHE MEAKH................................................................................- 171 -
6.6 CASE STUDY SITE 2 – SRAE SRAMA...............................................................................- 185 -
6.7 CASE STUDY SITE 3 – OU TA PROK................................................................................- 201 -
6.8 SUMMARY OF CAMBODIAN RURAL TENURES.................................................................- 217 -
6.9 CHAPTER SUMMARY.......................................................................................................- 222 -
CHAPTER 7 – RURAL TENURE DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS...................................- 223 -
7.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................- 223 -
7.2 LESSONS LEARNT...........................................................................................................- 224 -
7.3 RURAL TENURE EXTERNALITIES....................................................................................- 235 -
7.4 TRANSFERRING KNOWLEDGE.........................................................................................- 242 -
7.5 FORMALISATION.............................................................................................................- 245 -
7.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY.......................................................................................................- 253 -
CHAPTER 8 – CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................- 255 -
8.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................- 255 -
8.2 RESEARCH SCOPE...........................................................................................................- 256 -
8.3 OBJECTIVE 1: INVESTIGATING LAND POLICY FOR SUSTAINABILITY...............................- 257 -
8.4 OBJECTIVE 2: INVESTIGATING LAND ADMINISTRATION PROJECTS FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT..............................................................................................- 258 -
8.5 OBJECTIVES 3 AND 4: EXPLORING THE TENURE COMPONENT OF
LAND ADMINISTRATION.......................................................................................................- 259 -
8.6 OBJECTIVE 5: IDENTIFYING LIMITATIONS OF SOCIALLY DERIVED
TENURE ARRANGEMENTS.....................................................................................................- 260 -
8.7 OBJECTIVE 6: INTEGRATING RURAL LAND TENURE FOR THE POOR................................- 262 -
8.8 RESEARCH CONCLUSION................................................................................................- 265 -
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................- 267 -
APPENDIX 1 – LIST OF CORRESPONDENCES ……………….….……………………….……… - I -
APPENDIX 2 – CAMBODIAN PLAIN LANGUAGE STATEMENT OF RESEARCH …………………. - IV-
APPENDIX 3 – CAMBODIAN VILLAGE QUESTIONNAIRE …………………….……………..... - VI -
APPENDIX 4 – QUALITATIVE INTERVIEW RESULTS ……………….………………….…….. - IX -
APPENDIX 5 – PUBLICATIONS RELATED TO RESEARCH ……………………........................ - XIII -

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