Land Redistribution Impacts on Livelihood Diversification: The case of a market-assisted land redistribution programme in Malawi

This article examines the impact of improved access to land on livelihood diversification among beneficiaries of a ‘market-assisted’ World Bank-funded Community-Based Rural Land Redistribution Project in Malawi. Results show that improved access to land decreases non-farm employment incomes while increasing crop incomes, which underscores the significance of appropriate land redistribution policies in promoting efficient utilization of labour in self-employed agricultural activities as opposed to participating in casual labour where wages are low. Moreover, improved access to land increases diversification in the short-run, while its long-term impact on livelihoods diversification is negative, suggesting that households tend to rely on fewer income sources over time as opposed to spreading their income sources.