(African Economic Research Consortium, 2021-10) Ajefu, Joseph B.; Abiona, Olukorede
This paper investigates the interaction between land tenure security and food security
in agriculture-dependent households. We explore household variation in land tenure
security and drought shocks across villages to investigate the extent to which land
tenure systems affect the capacity of agricultural households in Malawi to cope with
adverse impacts of weather shocks. Our findings reveal that land tenure security
cushions the effect of drought regimes on food security. Further, we establish irrigation
practice as the underlying channel that mediates the impact of drought shocks on
food insecurity. The results of this study reinforce the growing consensus that property
rights through land tenure security are associated with agricultural productivity and,
consequently, household food security.