Land Reform Project in Tajikistan

General

The Land Reform Project in Tajikistan (LRPT) works with government stakeholders to reform policy and land legislation, provides legal assistance to farmers to improve legal aid, and builds capacity through training and outreach for lawyers, judges, and local government officials on land issues. The project aims to improve long-term land use rights and develop an effective land use market as well as to draft amendments either repealing or harmonizing land related policies. It also supports public-private dialogue and partnerships related to useful legislation and strengthening the technical capacity of governmental agencies to address land-related issues. The project has strengthened and protected land rights by (1) assisting the Government of Tajikistan in developing land-related policy and legislation, (2) empowering farmers with information to assert their rights over land, and (3) supporting regional legal aid centers and tashabbuskors (rural land activists) in educating farmers on their rights, providing mediation, and advocating on behalf of farmers’ interests in court; and supporting public-private dialogue and partnerships related to useful legislation and strengthening the technical capacity of governmental agencies to address land-related issues. Objectives Improve land policy and legislation Increase farmers’ access to land and justice Outcomes The Project supported the Government of Tajikistan in drafting amendments to Land Code and Mortgage law, drafting new Law on Commercial Farms, drafting Land Policy paper and developing regulations to the land code. Land Code amendments allowing the purchase, sale, and mortgage of land use rights, strengthening tenure rights, reforming aspects of public withdrawal provisions were passed in August 2012. The Commercial Farm Law, that is strengthening farmers’ land use and farming rights, was drafted and is being reviewed by the government. Amendments to the Mortgage Law are passed in 2013, allowing pledge of land use rights and further protecting Mortgagee rights. 23,500 dehkan farmers were trained on land tenure issues. 17000 farmers participated in 1363 focus groups; 30,000 farmers participated in 2,000 roundtables. 10,712 field and 15920 field consultations provided through legal aid offices. 5,847 farmers benefited from 49 court cases. 92 disputes mediated.