Land property rights and investment incentives in movable farm assets: Evidence from post-Soviet Central Asia

We examined whether perceived land rights—use, management, transfer, and tenure security—are associated with investment in movable farm assets. Using micro-level data from crop-specialized farmers in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, we distinguish investment incentives linked to tenure security, transferability, and decision-making autonomy (use and management rights). Comparing market-oriented versus government-controlled contexts provides insights into differential role of land rights on investment behavior. Our findings underscore significant investment incentives linked to use and management rights rather than tenure security or transferability. Moreover, we reveal how country-specific institutional contexts influence the effectiveness of these land rights in stimulating agricultural investments.