This book explores the relationship between land tenure and human behaviour to explain how people’s actions, choices, and everyday experiences shape land access, ownership, use and the exercise of land rights. It shows why “appropriate human behaviour” matters for secure access to land, people’s lives, and societal development. Drawing on research and real-life voices, the book highlights common land-related challenges and the human behaviour behind them. It also offers practical ideas for governments and land professionals to improve land tenure systems to support fair, secure, and lasting access to land.

Dr Uchendu Eugene Chigbu is a Professor of Land Administration at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. Over the years, he has built an impressive international reputation through influential research, major publications, and keynote lectures at leading land-related conferences. His ideas have informed the work of global organisations such as UN-Habitat, GIZ, and UNCCD, reflecting both the depth and real-world impact of his scholarship.

Among his notable contributions are the Tenure-Responsive Land-Use Planning (TR-LUP) and Tenure-Restoration Nexus concepts, both of which have advanced land sector policies and practices globally. The implementation of his TR-LUP concept has supported secure land rights for thousands of smallholder farmers in Uganda and contributed to the upgrading of informal settlements in Namibia. He served as the international advisor to the Government of Gambia in formulating the country’s first national land policy, which is currently being implemented from 2026 to 2035.

In addition to his research, Dr Chigbu is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Land Use Policy. He also serves on several editorial boards. His career reflects excellence, mentorship, leadership, and a deep commitment to creating fairer and more sustainable land tenure systems worldwide, especially in Africa.