In the project area, smallholder land ownership is largely established through land use practices rather than formal documentation. Under current customary norms, natural forest is generally not recognized as a legitimate form of land use for claiming ownership.

As a result, many smallholders clear forested land as a means of demonstrating use and securing informal ownership rights. This creates a strong incentive for deforestation as a pathway to establish land claims.

At the same time, large areas of forest remain open access and are not formally gazetted or reserved, making them vulnerable to encroachment and uncoordinated land expansion.

The absence of formal land tenure documentation contributes to weak accountability for land stewardship and forest conservation, as ownership and responsibility are not clearly defined or enforced.

Furthermore, limited tenure security reduces incentives for long-term investment in land, discouraging sustainable land management and reinforcing short-term, extractive land use practices.