Dynamics of Social Tenure to Land—Perspectives of Equal Benefits and Moral Responsibility from Rural India

Abstract

This article has captured some important aspects of the dynamism of social tenure to land. It examines the critical role of equal benefits and a knowledge-sharing approach as basic tenets of extending social tenure for the marginal sections of the society. While acknowledging land as an important resource for human civilisations’ development, it briefly introduces the theoretical approaches, such as the Social Tenure Domain Model (STDM) and Elinor Ostrom’s works, defining the human’s relationship to land. Using case studies from India—the Sukhomajri Watershed Development Schemes, Aranya Farms and Sambhav—the study explores and models the extended social tenure rising from the principles of equal benefits and moral responsibilities within rural communities. Qualitative analysis is performed based on stakeholder interviews and existing literature. The research reveals that while landless and marginal farmers had limited rights during pre-initiative situation, the interventions made under the studied initiatives improved access to resources and knowledge sharing, thereby enhancing social tenure without necessitating formal ownership. Additionally, this literature review integrates the interconnected concepts of watershed management, social tenure and sustainable farming. It highlights how effectively watershed management, using local participation, combines biophysical and socio-economic factors to improve food security and resource sustainability. The review also underscores the importance of private land owners’ self-initiatives contributing towards the social and economic status enhancement of marginalised sections of the community, in their surroundings. Ultimately, the article advocates for more research studies to be conducted with similar examples around the world, to highlight the nature of social tenures, their influence zone, how they can be modelled and assess their true impacts on the society.