Effects of Land Tenure Systems on Agricultural Investment Decisions of Smallholder Farmers in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria

Land tenure security is widely recognised as a foundational precondition for sustainable agricultural investment at the farm level. In Adamawa State, diverse customary land tenure arrangements coexist with statutory land provisions, creating complex tenure environments for smallholder farmers. This study examined the effects of land tenure systems on agricultural investment decisions among smallholder farmers in Adamawa State. Data were collected from 102 farming households in four local government areas using structured questionnaires. Farmers were classified into three tenure categories: owned land, leased land, and borrowed land. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between tenure type and investment indicators including soil conservation, irrigation adoption, and crop diversification. Results showed that farmers with documented ownership titles made significantly higher investments in soil fertility management and permanent farm structures compared to those on borrowed or short-term lease arrangements. Tenure insecurity was the most frequently cited reason for avoiding long-term capital investments. The study recommends accelerating the formalisation of customary land rights through low-cost land documentation schemes. Government and civil society partnerships to strengthen community-based land governance mechanisms are also advocated. These findings are relevant to the ongoing national land reform discourse and have specific implications for agricultural development planning in Adamawa State. Keywords: land tenure, agricultural investment, smallholder farmers, Adamawa State, tenure security.