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Abstract:
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"Supporters of group ranch subdivision in Southern Kenia said it would raise living standards, increase the chances of procuring loans using the freehold title deed as collateral, minimize the exploitation of the poor by rich households, promote Maasai engagement in agricultural and industrial enterprises, and facilitate better maintenance of existing infrastructure. In general, those opposing subdivision claimed that ultimately the result would be the loss of land to non-Maasai, severe erosion in areas where cultivation started, a loss of Maasai culture, and restrictions on the movement of wildlife and livestock to the etriment of the district’s meat production and tourism. These arguments have been researched in a group of 500 Maasai households using repeat surveys since 1989. The survey addressed the pros and cons of the process of individual land titling within the context of De Soto’s claims that formal property rights would increase household and individual incentives to invest and would provide them with better access to credit."
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