Context and Background: Studies show that land tenure security emerges as a critical institutional barrier, with compulsory land acquisition and resettlement frameworks frequently falling short of community expectations, resulting in resistance and undermining project outcomes. Goal and objective This study examines the adverse effects of land acquisition on Project Affected Persons (PAPs) within irrigation projects in Malawi, particularly focusing on how these processes often disregard customary land rights, leading to evictions, loss of access to essential services, and subsequent social challenges. Methodology Using a structured questionnaire administered through the Survey Solution platform, primary data were collected from randomly sampled irrigation schemes through interviews with 602 PAPs and 44 experts. A stratified random sampling technique was employed to ensure a representative sample. Results The analysis reveals a significant statistical difference in landlessness between compensated and non-compensated PAPs at the 95% confidence level (p-value=0.011<0.05), with compensated PAPs experiencing higher rates of landlessness. Additionally, challenges such as food insecurity and marginalization were more prevalent among compensated PAPs, with significant differences observed at a 90% confidence level (p-values<0.1). The findings point to the urgent need for more inclusive and equitable approaches in development projects, advocating for greater community participation, gender mainstreaming, and transparent compensation mechanisms. By addressing these systemic issues, the study aims to contribute to the development of fairer land acquisition practices that better support the livelihoods and well-being of affected communities.
Chilonga et al. (2025) studied this question.