@article{fdi:010079289,
  title = {{F}ormalizing land rights can reduce forest loss : experimental evidence from {B}enin},
  author = {{W}ren-{L}ewis, {L}. and {B}ecerra-{V}albuena, {L}. and {H}oungbedji, {K}enneth},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{M}any countries are formalizing customary land rights systems with the aim of improving agricultural productivity and facilitating community forest management. {T}his paper evaluates the impact on tree cover loss of the first randomized control trial of such a program. {A}round 70,000 landholdings were demarcated and registered in randomly chosen villages in {B}enin, a country with a high rate of deforestation driven by demand for agricultural land. {W}e estimate that the program reduced the area of forest loss in treated villages, with no evidence of anticipatory deforestation or negative spillovers to other areas. {S}urveys indicate that possible mechanisms include an increase in tenure security and an improvement in the effectiveness of community forest management. {O}verall, our results suggest that formalizing customary land rights in rural areas can be an effective way to reduce forest loss while improving agricultural investments.},
  keywords = {{BENIN}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{S}cience {A}dvances},
  volume = {6},
  numero = {26},
  pages = {eabb6914 [8 ]},
  ISSN = {2375-2548},
  year = {2020},
  DOI = {10.1126/sciadv.abb6914 },
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010079289},
}