Enhancing Land Access and Land Rights for the Marginalized: Regional Overview in International Context Presenter: Keijiro Otsuka Introduction

Massive degradation of natural resources, including forests, pastureland, and cropland, has been taking place in agriculturally unfavorable or marginal land areas of Asia and other parts of the Third World (Bhattari and Hamming 2001; Cropper and Griffiths 1994; Koop and Tole 1999; Rudel and Roper 1997). The growing rural population has increased demand for land, trees, and other natural resources, which, coupled with tenure insecurity or the absence of clear property rights, is likely to have resulted in the over-exploitation of these natural resources (e.g., Deacon 1994; Bohn and Deacon 2000). This in turn has threatened the sustainable development of agriculture, forestry, and livestock sectors. As far as deforestation is concerned, it is generally understood that the expansion of cultivation area in hilly or mountainous areas by poor peasants is identified to be its most important immediate cause (Angeslsen and Kaimowitz 1999; Rudel and Roper 1997).