Disorganized approach to land ownership in tropical villages

Land rights which have been handed down through families seldom have written deeds and are often not honoured. Land can be claimed, but procedures are complex and difficult for any one person. In many rural communities, land holdings are still very small and procedures for ownership unclear. This results in a disorganized approach to obtaining the land necessary for major income farming. Information on land ownership is sparse, and efforts are rarely organized to locate accurate information on ownership procedures. Large sections of jungle land are unused, land ownership being the major factor preparatory to any significant clearing of the land for agriculture - outside ownership often restricts jungle crop harvesting.