Land in Ethiopia is held by the state, who acts as a custodian for the Ethiopian people. Even though it is the state which controls land ownership, farmers and pastoralists are guaranteed a lifetime ‘holding’ right that provides rights to use the land, rent it out, donate, inherit and sharecrop it. Everything except sell and mortgage it.
customary land rights
Customary land rights refer to the enjoyment of some use of land that arises through customary, unwritten practice rather than through written codified law.