Barriers to responsible land tenure governance in advancing land degradation neutrality: Insights from Alawuha watershed of North Wello zone, Ethiopia

Understanding barriers to responsible land tenure governance (RLTG) is essential for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), particularly in the Alawuha Watershed, where land degradation threatens rural livelihoods. This study examines how institutional, procedural, and socio-demographic factors shape perceptions of RLTG and their implications for LDN using a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected from 373 rural households and complemented by focus group discussions and key informant interviews. An ordinal logistic regression model was applied to identify the influence of key governance-related variables on RLTG perceptions. The results indicate that institutional and governance factors significantly shape perceptions of RLTG. Higher awareness of land policies was strongly associated with positive governance perception (OR = 20.36, p < 0.001). Similarly, transparency (OR = 20.18, p < 0.001), decision-making effectiveness (OR = 19.82, p < 0.001), tenure security (OR = 18.93, p < 0.001), and community participation (OR = 18.20, p < 0.001) increased the likelihood of favorable perceptions. Conversely, perceived corruption (OR = 0.07, p < 0.001) and overlapping land rights (OR = 0.06, p < 0.001) significantly reduced positive perceptions of governance. Qualitative findings corroborate these results, highlighting limited awareness, weak transparency, and low community engagement as key constraints undermining trust and governance effectiveness. The study provides evidence on RLTG within the LDN framework. Strengthening transparency, improving policy awareness, securing tenure rights, and enhancing participatory governance are critical for improving RLTG and advancing LDN outcomes.