LAND POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT (LPIS) PROJECT CUSTOMARY LAND TENURE IN LIBERIA: FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS DRAWN FROM 11 CASE STUDIES Prepared for United States Agency for International Development, USAID Contract Number EPP-I-00-06-00008- 00, Task 6.5, Liberia Land Policy and Institutional Support Project, under the Property Rights and Resource Governance (PRRG) Task Order, under the Prosperity, Livelihoods, and Conserving Ecosystems (PLACE) Indefinite Quantity Contract. Report written under the auspices of the Land Commission of the Republic of Liberia and coordinated by Landesa and Tetra Tech ARD. Implemented by: Tetra Tech ARD P.O. Box 1397 Burlington, VT 05402 Authors: Evelyn L. Namubiru-Mwaura, Anna Knox and Ailey Kaiser Hughes LIBERIA LAND POLICY & INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT (LPIS) PROJECT CUSTOMARY LAND TENURE IN LIBERIA: FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS DRAWN FROM 11 CASE STUDIES February 2012 DISCLAIMER The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, or the Liberia Land Commission. i TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................................ i List of Figures ................................................................................................................................................................... viii List of Boxes ....................................................................................................................................................................... ix List of Images ..................................................................................................................................................................... ix Acronyms and Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................... x Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................ xi Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... xii LAND USES AND LIVELIHOODS .................................................................................................................................................... XII RIGHTS AND RULES GOVERNING LAND USE ........................................................................................................................... XIV Rules for Accessing Land ..................................................................................................................................... xiv Women‟s Rights to Land ....................................................................................................................................... xv Rights to Other Natural Resources ..................................................................................................................... xvi Compliance with Tenure Rules ............................................................................................................................ xvi Statutory Tenure: Tribal Certificates, Deeds, Concessions, and State Land Rights ................................... xvii GOVERNANCE AUTHORITIES FOR LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................... XVII DISPUTE ............................................................................................................................................................................................ XIX DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISMS .......................................................................................................................................... XX SOURCES OF TENURE SECURITY AND INSECURITY ................................................................................................................... XX COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................................. XXI POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................................................................... XXI Legal Reforms ........................................................................................................................................................ xxii Documentation of Community Rights .............................................................................................................. xxii Tribal Certificates and Deeds .............................................................................................................................. xxii Rights Vested in Holders of Communal Rights.............................................................................................. xxiii Supporting Rural Investments ........................................................................................................................... xxiii Governance Authorities ...................................................................................................................................... xxiii Dispute Resolution .............................................................................................................................................. xxiv Concessions and Protected Areas ..................................................................................................................... xxiv Women‟s Land Rights ......................................................................................................................................... xxiv CUSTOMARY LAND TENURE IN LIBERIA ii 1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY.......................................................................................................... 2 1.2 LAND TENURE AND RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN LIBERIA ............................................................................................... 4 1.2.1 Overview of Land Tenure ............................................................................................................................. 4 1.2.2 History of Liberian Livelihoods .................................................................................................................... 5 1.2.3 Effects of the War on Livelihoods ............................................................................................................... 6 1.2.4 Livelihoods Today ........................................................................................................................................... 7 1.3 HISTORY OF LAND TENURE IN LIBERIA ......................................................................................................................... 8 1.3.1 Overview of Customary Tenure ................................................................................................................... 8 1.3.2 Overview of Statutory Law Governing Tenure in Rural Liberia ............................................................. 9 1.4 INTERFACE BETWEEN CUSTOMARY AND STATUTORY LAW...................................................................................... 12 2.0 Research Methodology .................................................................................................................................. 14 2.1 SITE SELECTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 14 2.2 METHODS FOR GATHERING AND REPORTING INFORMATION ................................................................................ 16 2.3 LIMITS TO STUDY............................................................................................................................................................... 18 3.0 Land Use and Livelihoods ............................................................................................................................ 20 3.1 PROFILES OF COMMUNITIES VISITED ........................................................................................................................... 20 3.2 LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCE USES ......................................................................................................................... 20 3.3 LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................................................. 21 3.2.1 Farming ........................................................................................................................................................... 21 Upland Rice ................................................................................................................................................................ 22 Swamp Rice ................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Vegetable Gardens .....................................................................................................................................................