Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Explain what land tenure systems are and their types.
• Describe the effects of these systems on agricultural production.
• Analyze how land tenure affects different groups of people in farming.
• Propose solutions to land tenure challenges.

Lesson summary

This lesson explores one of the most critical factors influencing farming in Ghana: the way we own and manage land. Land is not just soil; it is our heritage, our primary source of wealth, and the foundation of our agricultural sector. Understanding the "rules" of land ownership—our land tenure systems—is essential to understanding why some farmers succeed and why our nation faces certain challenges in food production. We will investigate how these systems can either empower a farmer to invest and prosper or hold them back, impacting their families, communities, and the entire nation's food security.

Lesson notes

A. What is a Land Tenure System?

A Land Tenure System refers to the set of rules, laws, and customs that govern how land is owned, used, managed, and transferred within a society. It essentially answers the questions: Who can use the land? (An individual, a family, a community) For how long can they use it? (One season, a lifetime, forever) What can they do with it? (Farm, build, sell, pass to children) What are their rights and responsibilities? (Right to crops, responsibility to preserve soil)

Think of it as the "terms and conditions" for using a piece of land. B. Major Land Tenure Systems in Ghana

Ghana has a complex mix of customary and statutory land tenure systems. The main ones affecting agriculture are: Communal/Customary Land Tenure: Explanation: Land is owned collectively by a village, clan, or community. An individual or family is granted the right to use a portion of this land for farming or housing. The land itself cannot be sold by the individual, as it belongs to the entire community (including the dead, the living, and the yet unborn). Ghanaian Context: This is very common in many parts of the Northern Regions of Ghana, where the "Tindana" (land priest) oversees the land on behalf of the community. Stool/Skin Land Tenure: Explanation: This is a variation of communal ownership where the land is held in trust for the people by a traditional ruler (a Chief on a stool in the south, or a Skin head in the north). The Chief and his elders allocate land to members of the community (subjects) and sometimes to "strangers" (non-members) for specific uses and periods. Ghanaian Context: This system is predominant in the Ashanti, Bono, Ahafo, and other Akan-speaking regions. A farmer wanting to farm on stool land must approach the chief's council. Family Land Tenure: Explanation: Land is owned collectively by an extended family. The family head, in consultation with other principal family members, manages the land and allocates portions to family members for their use. Individuals typically have user rights but not the right to sell the land without the entire family's consent. Ghanaian Context: This is extremely common across all regions of Ghana. It is often a major source of litigation when procedures for allocation or sale are not followed correctly. Leasehold System: Explanation: An individual or company (the lessee) is granted the right to use a piece of land for a fixed period (e.g., 25, 50, or 99 years) from the landowner (the lessor), who could be a stool, a family, or the state. The lessee pays rent and must adhere to the conditions of the lease agreement. Ghanaian Context: This is common for large-scale commercial farms and real estate development. For example, a pineapple export company might lease 500 acres from a local stool for 50 years. Sharecropping (Abunu/Abusa System): Explanation: This is an arrangement where a landowner gives their land to a farmer to cultivate. In return, the farmer shares the produce with the landowner according to a pre-agreed ratio. Abunu: The produce is shared into two equal parts (1/2 for the farmer, 1/2 for the landowner). Abusa: The produce is shared into three parts (usually 2/3 for the farmer who bears all costs, and 1/3 for the landowner, or sometimes 1/3 for the farmer, 1/3 for the landowner, and 1/3 for the person who provided capital/inputs). Ghanaian Context: Very common in the cocoa-growing regions for farmers who do not own land themselves. Freehold System: Explanation: An individual or corporation has absolute ownership of the land. They can use, sell, lease, or bequeath it as they wish, subject only to national laws. This is less common in Ghana for agricultural land due to the prevalence of customary ownership. C. Effects of Land Tenure Systems on Agricultural Production

Evaluation guide

• Explain the effects of land tenure systems on Agricultural production.
• Experie ntial learning (where applicable):
• Learners in gender -based groups develop questionnaires with a maximum of 5
• questions to gather information on the effects of land tenure system on