Prior to 2005, Madagascar's land governance system consisted of a dual system of norms: written civil law and local customary systems. However, this setup resulted in widespread land insecurity, particularly for peasants, despite the country's abundant natural resources and land reserves.

In 2005, the government initiated significant land reforms aimed at addressing these issues. However, the impact of these reforms was limited, and land registration remained inaccessible to many communities due to complex procedures, lengthy processes, and high costs. The average cost for obtaining a land title was estimated at US$400, with delays sometimes exceeding 15 years. This registration process also discouraged private investment, as rural producers and development projects hesitated to invest in land that was not secure. At that time, only 15% of the country had achieved secure land rights.

It was not until 2011 that substantial improvements were made with the adoption of a new consolidated land policy letter, which included access to land and land-use planning among its decisions. Building on this progress, in 2015, following demands from civil society, the government adopted a new land policy focused on promoting land tenure security for the masses.