By: Elijah D S Pyne
Speaking during the National Land Conference in Liberia, Mission Director of USAID Land Management Activity, James Wright, saidthe Land Management activity was designed to support a community-led approach to formalizing and managing customary land in order to foster local ownership and long-term impact.
He mentioned that new Land Management activity at the National Land Conference, is appropriately devoted to reflection on three years of implementation of the Land Rights Act.
James said USAID actors will continue to work to strengthen land tenure security across the country by ensuring adherence to the principles of equitable land rights and inclusive governance as enshrined in the customary land provisions of the Land Rights Act.
The Mission Director uncovered that Under the Land Governance Support Activity, Liberia Land Authority in 2020, through USAID support ,undertook regulatory reforms necessary for land tenure security to flourish.
James at the same time saw the need for these reforms to assist in communities whose primary source of livelihood is dependent on land.
He disclosed that the new USAID Land Management Activity (LMA), valued at about $10M over four years, will continue to buttress the efforts of the Government of Liberia and its people to effectively implement the Land Rights Act, which takes center stage at the National Land Conference.
James Wright said the primary goal of the Land Management Activity is to strengthen the capacity of communities to participate in the effective management of their land. As I mentioned in my remarks at yesterday morning’s opening session, securing customary land rights is critical to strengthening Liberia’s democracy, sustaining peace, promoting economic growth and the sustainable management of land and environmental resources, and empowering women, youth and marginalized populations.
He stressed the need that the Land Management Activity will enable about 100 communities to formalize their customary land rights. This is an ambitious goal,
James further called on all stakeholders in the land space to remain engaged and assist communities to harvest the benefits that come with secure land tenure rights and encourage communities to not only become deed holders, but to also utilize those deeds to transform their lives and those of their children and grandchildren
Also giving the Overview of the Program the Chief Officer for Planning, Mrs. Kadidia Dienta, said the LMA new action plan is a result of a long terms bilateral cooperation between the United States government and the government of Liberia.
She added that the process is meant to contribute to the efforts of the Liberian government to improve the livelihood and well-being of Liberian Communities.
Madam Dienta disclosed that the overall goal of the LMA new strategy launch is to Foster effective land Governance of Community land and natural resources as to obtain deeds to their customary land, as per the 2018 Land Right Act and at the same time achieve the improved use of customary land for sustainable and equitable economic benefit.
She at the same time called on multi players in land sector to join efforts to support the new initiative of the government of Liberia to ensure achievement of the vision and objective of the new land policy.
“We have no choice but to work together, support, and complement all intervention.”
