Empowerment and Efficiency: Tenancy Reform in West Bengal

The paper analyzes the effect of agricultural tenancy laws offeringsecurity of tenure to tenants and regulating the share of output thatis paid as rent on farm productivity. Theoretically, the net impact oftenancy reform is shown to be a combination of two effects: a bargainingpower effect and a security of tenure effect. Analysis of evidenceon how contracts and productivity changed after a tenancyreform program was implemented in the Indian state of West Bengalin the late 1970s suggests that tenancy reform had a positive effecton agricultural productivity there.[...]