Malawi Youth Organization Urges Land Registration in Mzimba District
By encouraging land registration, MYO hopes to empower residents, particularly women and youth, with improved land access and economic prospects in Mzimba district.
MZIMBA, Malawi— The Mzimba Youth Organisation (MYO) is calling on local communities to register their customary land under new government provisions, highlighting potential benefits for economic security and climate-resilient agriculture, writes Victoria Yande.
Moses Nkhana, MYO's executive director, said the organisation is conducting sensitisation meetings to educate communities about new land laws that would allow women and youth improved access to land rights.
"In other districts like Balaka and Rumphi, communities have already started registering their customary land, which has helped to reduce land cases," Nkhana said.
"When they start registering land in Mzimba, let us take part and be the first."
The initiative aims to help landowners secure tenure rights and potentially use registered land as collateral for financial loans.
Nkhana specifically urged communities against selling their land, emphasising its long-term value.
Kasitomu Mbeye, youth coordinator for Katoloji Youth Resource Centre, supported the awareness campaign, noting its potential to improve knowledge of customary land acts and enhance national food security.
The Land Acquisition Act and Customary Land regulations represent a significant shift in how traditional land ownership can be formalised, potentially providing more economic opportunities for rural communities.
By encouraging land registration, MYO hopes to empower residents, particularly women and youth, with improved land access and economic prospects in Mzimba district.