In this Data Story we review the literature and experiences on land reforms in Africa, and particularly on land formalization, to enquire: have they delivered on the promise for more land tenure security, agricultural productivity and women's land access?

The story first provides some background on the objectives and evolution of land reforms. Then, it zooms in on land formalization and analyzes the case in Ethiopia, a country that has a long record of land formalization efforts by the government and whose model is regarded as highly successful by the international community.