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We envision a world in which land governance systems, both formal and informal, are effective, accessible, and responsive for all. This is possible when land tenure and property rights are recognized as critical development issues and when the United States Government and its development partners demonstrate consistent attention and a firm commitment to supporting coordinated policies and programs that clarify and strengthen the land tenure and property rights of all members of society, enabling broad-based economic growth, gender equality, reduced incidence of conflicts, enhanced food security, improved resilience to climate change, and effective natural resource management.
Mission Statement
The USAID Land Tenure and Resource Management (LTRM) Office will lead the United States Government to realize international efforts—in accordance with the U.S. Government’s Land Governance Policy—to clarify and strengthen the land tenure and property rights of all members of society—individuals, groups and legal entities, including those individuals and groups that are often marginalized, and the LTRM Office will help ensure that land governance systems are effective, accessible, and responsive. We will achieve this by testing innovative models for securing land tenure and property rights and disseminating best practice as it relates to securing land rights and improving resource governance within the USG and our development partners.
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Displaying 401 - 405 of 440Integrated Development and Conservation in the Bolivian Amazon Project
General
The main purpose of the Integrated Bolivian Amazon Project is to provide direct support to promote protection, conservation and sustainable use of the region’s biodiversity and environmental goods and services; increase incomes and promote economic growth through sustainable use of biodiversity; strengthen participatory local governance to improve environmental management; and strengthen the capacity of national and sub-national government institutions to develop policies and technical tools that promote biodiversity conservation, mitigate the impacts of climate change and support sustainable economic development. The project focuses on 6 municipalities in Northern La Paz-Beni, and Santa Cruz selected for the importance of their biodiversity, their relatively high population densities and their interest and willingness to promote sustainable economic development. Objectives Strengthen local and municipal governance to improve biodiversity conservation efforts, environmental management, and increase resilience to climate change. Promote economic growth and increase incomes of local and indigenous communities and producer groups through sustainable use of natural resources, land-based production systems and improved commercialization and marketing links for related goods and services. Seek opportunities to scale-up the project’s results to regional and national levels. Outcomes More than 630,526 hectares of biological significance under improved natural resource management. Support provided by the project includes biodiversity conservation of 29 forestry species and 17 fauna species in a total area of 1.4 million hectares. More than 450,000 hectares under forestry management plans through 12 community forestry organizations. More than 6,700 people benefited directly from natural resources and biodiversity management activities. More than 1,700 direct and indirect jobs generated and more than $720.000 in sales.
Land Conflict Resolution Project: Liberia
General
The Land Conflict Resolution Project project will pilot dispute resolution methodologies, establish property rights inventories, develop clan-level Land Dispute Resolution (LDR) entities, promote the legal recognition of LDR, and raise awareness of land rights and LDR.
Biodiversity Conservation of Public Lands in the Brazilian Amazon
General
The Biodiversity Conservation of Public Lands in the Brazilian Amazon project will support the development and implementation of capacity building and technical assistance activities to strengthen conservation and management of biologically significant target areas, representing diverse terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems within public lands and their buffer zones in the western Brazilian Amazon biome, Strengthening the conservation of these target areas, particularly those within geographic regions which are actively exposed to the expansion of economic activities, represents a unique opportunity for USAID to support conservation initiatives that are closely linked to securing sustainable livelihoods and the broader macro-economic, political and social changes that can determine the impact of sustainable development in the Amazon for the years to come. Objectives Ensure the survival of fauna and flora species in the Amazon biome, Safeguard of traditional and indigenous livelihoods, and Foster the sustainable provision and management of environmental goods and services. Outcomes The design and implementation of biodiversity monitoring and land management plans for indigenous lands in the Western Amazon region. Training of indigenous bio monitoring agents, responsible for collection and registration of systematized information related to the flora and fauna census, hunting, fishing, and use of natural resources. Provided technical assistance to the Surui indigenous people to implement a carbon credit trading plan based on the land management plan for their lands.
Land Reform in Afghanistan
General
The Land Reform in Afghanistan (LARA) project seeks to develop a robust, enduring, and Afghan-owned and managed land market framework that encourages investment and productivity growth, resolves/mitigates land-based conflict, and builds confidence in the legitimacy of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). LARA provides technical assistance and support to GIRoA institutions that address land issues, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of Urban Development Affairs (MUDA), and will create Afghan capacity to successfully design, manage, and implement needed land tenure reform for land market development. Objectives More secure property rights for Afghan citizens through improved institutional, policy, and legal systems Improved public awareness of and ability to exercise property rights, especially in vulnerable populations (women and minorities) Improved economic growth and increased private-sector investment Increased revenue to GIRoA from leases of government land Increased sanitation tax revenues at the municipal level Properties registered with municipal and Supreme Court registration offices Outcomes Established and piloted a model process for land rights formalization of informal settlement in Afghanistan. Mapped 100% of land parcels in Jalalabad; Completed a land parcel/household inventory of 2,780 land parcels covering 2 informal settlements in Jalalabad applying the model formalization process. Completed infrastructure upgrading activities in 2 informal settlements in Jalalabad. Established a Women’s Land Rights Task Force with leading Afghan men and women representing national and local government and civil society to advise LARA on land rights and inheritance issues affecting women in Afghanistan Supported women’s land rights conferences, training sessions and public information awareness campaigns that lead directly to the exercise inheritance rights by women which were successful Conducted gender-mainstreaming training within land administration institutions Installed Cadastral Data Management and Land Records Management systems within the Land Authority (ARAZI) and trained 805 government staff in key land management skills. Installed a Deeds Registry Archive Conversion System for Land Titles (to convert paper deeds into electronic format within a dedicated database) within the Supreme Court. Developed community-based dispute resolution guidelines and conducted associated training to communities and government institutions. Completed a BizCLIR analysis of Afghan laws and advised on the amendments to the Land Management Law and Cadastral Law. In consultation with GIRoA counterparts and key stakeholders, completed a series of maps of Jalalabad identifying donor and government investments in the city, and a Land Ownership Status Map identifying informal settlements that could be the target of project activities. Conducted Three Urban Planning Clinics in Jalalabad with government counterparts for the purposes of drafting a series of thematic maps representing land use, project use, Community Development Council (CDC) boundaries, environmental hazards, and gozar boundaries. Hosted a three-day Informal Settlements Upgrading and Formalization workshop with 140 leading stakeholders in land issues. The workshop was coordinated jointly with MUDA and the Kabul Urban Reconstruction Program. Using local and international partners, conducted and completed a Gender and Dispute Resolution Assessment in two informal settlements in Jalalabad. The data from the assessment has identified key strategies for approaching gender issues in the context of project activities in the selected informal settlements in Jalalabad. Identified and mapped key water networks and road infrastructure in Jalalabad city, in parallel to the assessment of infrastructure servicing targeted informal settlements. With a local subcontractor, conducted and completed a Socio-Economic and Housing Baseline Survey (SES) in Jalalabad involving over 400 household surveys. Completed institutional assessments for relevant Afghan institutions: MAIL/Arazi and AGCHO, MUDA, IDLG/GDMA, and the Supreme Court insofar as their respective activities touch land administration. Completed a Business Climate Legal and Institutional Reform (BizCLIR) Assessment of Real Estate. Supported and contributed to MAIL/Arazi’s national training seminar on land leasing and other land policy-related issues that was attended by over 160 staff.
Economic Growth Hubs, Infrastructure and Competitiveness: Philippines
General
The Economic Growth Hubs Project is a Cooperative Agreement with the Asia Foundation. The project has three objectives: Better Provision of Infrastructure, Better Performing Economic Growth Hubs, and Promoting a political economy approach to economic policy reform process. One of the activities under Better Performing Economic Growth Hubs was the provision of technical support for the passage and effective implementation of the Residential Free Patent law in the Philippines. The Residential Free Patent Act (RA 10023), passed in March 2010, creates a low-cost, administrative procedure to more efficiently title the estimated 8,000,000 untitled residential parcels in the country and unlock “dead capital” to drive economic development. Objectives Better Provision of Infrastructure: a) Through improved public-private partnerships (PPP) – This activity will seek to establish an enduring policy and institutional environment that promotes competitively bid and properly implemented PPP infrastructure projects; b) Through increasing transparency and accountability in budget and spending – The goal is to broaden participation in the allocation and implementation of infrastructure investments. The project will provide technical assistance to civil society, business associations and/or government institutions to increase understanding and participation in the decision-making and implementation processes of infrastructure projects in the Philippines; c) To expand Philippine Roll On, Roll Off (RoRo) network both domestically and regionally Better improving growth hubs: a) Improve the institutional capacity of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA); b) Develop the Subic-Clark as a major tourism and logistics hub; c) Assist in the effective implementation of the Residential Free Patent law Promoting a political economy approach to economic policy reform process – to develop material to increase understanding of the political economy of reform, to develop policy entrepreneurs, inform the design of donor project activities, and support new reform initiatives (with AusAID and World Bank) Outcomes To improve the security of property rights in the Philippines, USAID supported the implementation of the Residential Free Patent Act (RA 10023), passed in March 2010, that creates a low-cost, administrative procedure to more efficiently title the estimated eight million untitled residential parcels in the country and unlock “dead capital” to drive economic development. To further institutionalize reform, the project help established robust partnerships between national Department of Environment and Resources (DENR) and local governments. These partnerships leverage the authority of DENR to issue titles and the resources and interests of LGUs in land titling. Since the pilot was launched in Cebu in January 2011, over 100 local governments have established “land offices”. Based on lessons from the field and working with the DENR’s Land Management Bureau, the project also developed a manual to guide DENR and LGU personnel on establishing and operating land offices.