Land Governance Support Activity Technical Report Fy20 Q1 October 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
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LAND GOVERNANCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY TECHNICAL REPORT FY20 Q1 OCTOBER 1, 2019 – DECEMBER 31, 2019 TETRA TECH TETRA PHOTO CREDIT: PHOTO January 2020 This publicationLAND was GOVERNANC produced forE SUPPORT review ACTIVITYby the United FY20 QUARTERStates Agency 1 REPORT for (OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019) International Development. It was prepared by Tetra Tech. This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development by Tetra Tech, through the Liberia Land Governance Support Activity, Contract No: AID-OAA-I-12-00032, Task Order No: AID-669-TO-15-00003. This report was prepared by: Tetra Tech 159 Bank Street, Suite 300 Burlington, Vermont 05401 USA Telephone: (802) 495-0282 Fax: (802) 658-4247 Email: [email protected] Tetra Tech Contacts: Yohannes Gebremedhin, Chief of Party [email protected] Megan Huth, Project Manager [email protected] David Felson, Deputy Project Manager [email protected] ii LAND GOVERNANCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY FY20 QUARTER 1 REPORT (OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019) LAND GOVERNANCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY TECHNICAL REPORT FY20 Q1 OCTOBER 1, 2019 – DECEMBER 31, 2019 DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. LAND GOVERNANCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY FY20 QUARTER 1 REPORT (OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019) TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................... IV ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 4 2.0 FY20 QUARTER 1 ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................... 4 2.1 SUPPORTING THE LIBERIA LAND AUTHORITY ........................................................ 5 2.1.1 OPERATIONALIZATION OF THE LIBERIA LAND AUTHORITY ........................................ 5 2.1.2 DECENTRALIZATION OF THE LIBERIA LAND AUTHORITY ............................................. 8 2.2 FINALIZE A METHODOLGY FOR RECOGNITION OF CUSTOMARY LAND RIGHTS AND IMPLEMENT THE METHODOLOGY IN PILOT COMMUNITIES ........................... 9 2.2.1 DEVELOP, FIELD TEST, AND REVISE PROCESSES FOR CUSTOMARY LAND RIGHTS IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.2 CONDUCT CAPACITY BUILDING OF COMMUNITIES, LOCAL INSTITUTIONS, AND STAKEHOLDERS ........................................................................................................................................ 10 2.2.3 DEVELOP PHASED AND COSTED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN .......................................... 10 2.3 STRENGTHEN CIVIL SOCIETY, PRIVATE SECTOR, AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN LAND GOVERNANCE ..................................................................................................... 10 2.3.1 DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS ................................. 10 2.3.2 DEVELOP AND MANAGE GUC SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY AND PRIVATE SECTOR .................................................................................................................................................................. 13 2.3.3 SUPPORT TO CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGMENT IN LAND GOVERNACE .......................... 13 2.3.4 STRENGTHEN PRIVATE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OF LAND PROFESSIONALS .................................................................................................................................................................. 14 2.4 GENDER ACTIVITIES ...................................................................................................... 15 2.5 SUPPORT TO FOREST COMMUNITITIES ................................................................... 19 2.6 MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING ........................................................ 21 ANNEX A: LGSA INDICATORS AND TARGETS .......................................................................... 22 ANNEX B: SUCCESS STORY ........................................................................................................... 25 iv LAND GOVERNANCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY FY20 QUARTER 1 REPORT (OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019) ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS APLSUL Association of Public Land Surveyors of Liberia CA Community Assembly CFMB Community Forest Management Body CLDMC Community Land Development and Management Committee COP Chief of Party CSO Civil Society Organization EC Executive Committee FCI Foundation for Community Initiatives FTI Forestry Training Institute GEP Geomatics Education Program GOL Government of Liberia GUC Grants under Contract LAA Liberia Land Authority Act LARNET-L Land Reporters Network – Liberia LGSA Land Governance Support Activity LLA Liberia Land Authority LRA Land Rights Act NGO Nongovernmental Organization P3CL Tenure Facility’s Protecting Community Collective Customary Land SA Social Agreement SDI Sustainable Development Institute SOP Standard Operating Procedure STARR Strengthening Tenure and Resource Rights TOT Training of Trainers USAID United States Agency for International Development WLRTF Women’s Land Rights Task Force LAND GOVERNANCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY FY20 QUARTER 1 REPORT (OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019) v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY USAID/Liberia contracted Tetra Tech as the Prime Contractor to implement the Land Governance Support Activity (LGSA) Task Order under the Strengthening Tenure and Resource Rights (STARR) Indefinite Duration Indefinite Quantity Contract. LGSA supports the establishment of more effective land governance systems, ready to implement comprehensive reforms to improve equitable access to land and security of tenure, to facilitate inclusive sustained growth and development, ensure peace and security, and provide sustainable management of the environment. Tetra Tech and partners Landesa, CDR Associates, Sustainable Development Institute (SDI), and Parley form a collaborative team providing technical and organizational assistance to the Government of Liberia (GOL), civil society, and communities in their land rights reform process. During the reporting quarter, in spite of funding challenges, LGSA accomplished important works that aimed to solidify the progress made over the last four years, especially those activities that aimed to improve the service delivery of the land administration system, landowners’ security of tenure and building the capacity of the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) and other partner stakeholders in the land sector. LGSA also carried out significant activities in relation to recognition of community land rights and brought its outstanding pilot efforts closer to their final conclusion. Furthermore, LGSA, in partnership with partner Foundation for Community Initiatives (FCI), continued providing support to 16 Authorized Forest Communities, in Kparblee District, Nimba County. In quarter 1 of year 5, LGSA’s support to the LLA focused on activities that aimed to solidify and ensure the continuity and sustainability of the progresses made in the land sector with the support of LGSA, especially those activities that aimed to improve the service delivery of the land administration system, strengthen LLA’s institutional capacity and landowners’ security of tenure. Furthermore, LGSA’s support also focused on providing technical assistance in relation to the LLA’s strategic direction and prioritization of competing objectives. A notable activity that pertained to LLA’s service delivery capacity was LGSA’s support to the LLA in implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in four county land offices. The support involved providing one-on-one orientation regarding the SOPs to county land administrators, land registry staff and surveyors in Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount and Grand Bassa Counties. Throughout the reporting quarter, LGSA continued providing day-to-day advisory support with respect to the LLA’s mandates and activities, especially in regard to the implementation of the LRA, strengthening the land governance regulatory framework, institutional development, enhancing the capacity of the Gender Unit, establishing basic infrastructure (including consolidating physical presence in the counties) to implement the LRA and perform other land governance functions. LGSA’s Chief of Party (COP), the Land Administration Specialist, Communication and Outreach Specialist and the Gender and Land Specialist continued to be embedded with the LLA, and provided advisory and technical support to the Acting Chairperson, Commissioners, the Executive Director, and other management and technical staff. LGSA continued providing support to the LLA in strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for the land sector. In quarter 1 of year 5, LGSA’s support in strengthening the legal/regulatory framework for land governance aimed to build upon the progress made in year 4 with respect to the proper implementation of the Land Rights Act (LRA). Accordingly, LGSA provided technical assistance that complements the provisions of the draft Customary Land Governance Regulation with respect to determining the validity of Tribal Certificates. In accordance