What is PRESFOR and what is its scope in Ivory Coast?
PRESFOR is the National Rural Land Security Program, led by the Rural Land Agency (AFOR / Agence Foncière Rurale). It aims to issue rural Land Certificates (CF rural) in approximately 3,353 villages, progressively converting customary rights into written law.
Definition complete
A National-Scale Program
The PRESFOR — National Program for Rural Land Tenure Security — is one of the largest land initiatives that Ivory Coast has undertaken. It is managed by the AFOR (Agence Foncière Rurale / Rural Land Agency), a public institution created to implement Law No. 98-750 of December 23, 1998 relating to rural land tenure.
Scope and Ambition
According to MCLU (Ministère de la Construction, du Logement et de l'Urbanisme / Ministry of Construction, Housing and Urban Planning) data, PRESFOR covers approximately 3,353 villages distributed across Ivorian territory. It aims to:
- Issue Land Certificates (CF) — a transitional instrument recognizing customary rights
- Support their conversion into Rural Land Titles (via registration with AFOR, Decree 2023-238)
- Map rural territory through a Unique Rural Land Identifier (consistent with the urban IDUFCI)
- Prevent land disputes, particularly in areas under high agricultural pressure (cocoa, palm, cashew)
Key Stakeholders
On the ground, PRESFOR relies on:
- CVGFR (Village Committees for Rural Land Management), established by Decree 2019-266
- Sworn inquiry officers, tasked with documenting the land history of each parcel
- Accredited operators (surveyors, land developers) for cartographic production
- Prefectures and sub-prefectures, which resolve disputes as the final departmental authority
For an Investor
PRESFOR is a key factor in stabilizing land rights in the interior of the country. Before investing in a rural parcel:
- Verify whether the village is covered by PRESFOR
- Request the status of the certification process
- Ensure that customary rights have been cleared in accordance with regulations (Law 98-750 as amended by Law 2019-868, Decree 2019-266)
Exemple concret
Affoué's village of origin, located in the Bouaflé department, has been registered in PRESFOR since 2022. Before investing in a family plot to establish a cashew farming operation, Affoué requests the status of land certification progress from the local CVGFR and AFOR (Agence Foncière Rurale / Rural Land Agency).
Sources juridiques
Loi n° 98-750 du 23/12/1998 (modifiée par Loi 2019-868), Décret n° 2019-266 du 27/03/2019, Décret n° 2023-238
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Autres termes du glossaire
The ADU (Attestation de Droit d'Usage Coutumier / Customary Right of Use Certificate) is the single, secure document that replaces the former Village Certificate as of January 1, 2025. Established by Decree No. 2021-784 and secured by the SIGFU (Decree No. 2021-862), it requires a triple signature (village chief, CVGFR president, developer) and a unique IDUFCI. The ADU is not a property title: it constitutes a provisional recognition opening the path to the ACD (Arrêté de Concession Définitive / Definitive Concession Decree) — the ACD published in the Land Register IS the Land Title. In practice, the time between ACD signature and its publication in the Land Register is often longer than the official 180 calendar days (BÂTIR N°004, 2022). Published ACD = published Land Title — same legal deed, two stages.
The Rural Land Agency (AFOR — Agence Foncière Rurale) is the public institution responsible for implementing rural land policy in Ivory Coast. It oversees land certification, registration of rural properties, and coordination of boundary demarcation and surveying operations.
Legal document drafted by a notary that formalizes the transfer of land ownership between a seller and a buyer. The notarized deed of sale is mandatory and confers authenticity on the transaction.
Legal entity that must be established with a minimum share capital of 2 million FCFA held by Ivorian nationals, holding an approval from the Minister responsible for Housing and a financial guarantee from a bank or insurance company.
The alienation price is the sum that the buyer must pay to the State to obtain the Definitive Concession (ACD — Arrêté de Concession Définitive) of urban land. Calculated by an ad hoc commission, it corresponds to the market value of the parcel according to the official schedule.