Land Reform and Rural Insurgency: Evaluating Post-Conflict Agrarian Restructuring in the Colombian Countryside

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 3, No. 11, November 2012 | pp. 199–207

DOI: 10.46882/2012/GJPCS/000044

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Land Reform and Rural Insurgency: Evaluating Post-Conflict Agrarian Restructuring in the Colombian Countryside

Names of Authors: Juan Carlos Restrepo¹, Gabriela Silva²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Rural Development, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; ²Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States

Abstract: Unresolved grievances regarding land maldistribution and insecure rural property titles remain major structural catalysts for prolonged agrarian conflict and peasant mobilization. This study examines the structural efficacy of land formalization policies in reducing the local influence of illegal armed groups in post-conflict rural zones. Utilizing a mixed-methods design, we analyzed state land registries across 400 rural municipalities alongside qualitative data from 30 agrarian union leader interviews. The quantitative models demonstrate that accelerating property titling significantly reduces community reliance on alternative insurgent dispute resolution frameworks (Beta = -0.52, p < 0.001). However, the spatial tracking reveals that formal land redistribution fails to ensure long-term community security when separated from rural development support. Specifically, smallholders without access to state credit networks experienced a 38% default rate, leading to re-displacement by local paramilitary groups. The study concludes that land formalization must be combined with subsidized agricultural infrastructure and localized security guarantees to effectively neutralize rural insurgencies.

Keywords: Land Reform, Rural Insurgency, Property Formalization, Colombia, Paramilitary Violence, Smallholder Vulnerability, Agrarian Conflict

Manuscript Timeline: Received: July 15, 2012; Revised: September 04, 2012; Accepted: October 02, 2012; Published: November 05, 2012

Citation: Restrepo, J. C., & Silva, G. (2012). Land Reform and Rural Insurgency: Evaluating Post-Conflict Agrarian Restructuring in the Colombian Countryside. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 3(11), 199–207. DOI: 10.46882/2012/GJPCS/000044

Subscribe to read the full article: https://internationalscholarsjournals.org/subscribe-to-read