Tag: africa
NELGA’s Role in Advancing Community Land Rights at the Fourth Regional Conference
The Fourth Regional Conference on Securing Community Land Rights in Africa, held in Arusha, Tanzania from September 12-14, 2023, brought together delegates from across the continent to address the critical issue of community land rights.
Delegates at the conference emphasized the importance of implementing community titling processes as a means of protecting rural lands from encroachment and conflict. They recognized that the roles of National Land Institutions vary from country to country. For instance, Ethiopia’s ministry primarily focuses on resolving rural land tenure insecurity through land registration to mitigate conflicts, while Liberia’s Land Authority serves as a central hub for land administration and law enforcement to prevent overlapping functions among ministries.
The conference also candidly discussed common obstacles to effective implementation of the AU agenda on land, including institutional capacity limitations, challenges in educating communities about land policies, and inadequate funding for infrastructure and documentation. Key recommendations included improving land information systems, educating rural communities about land registration, monitoring data trends, and conducting research on land rights.
Dr. Dominico Kilemo, a NELGA advisor for Eastern Africa, highlighted two crucial aspects in line with NELGA’s mission. He advocated for closer collaboration between National Land Institutions and universities to inform decisions and policies regarding community land rights. Additionally, he proposed the organization of national stakeholder forums by National Land Institutions to facilitate robust policy dialogues on this issue.
The conference saw participation from influential development partners like the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), GIZ, and the Tenure Facility. These organizations engaged directly with land institution representatives, addressing concerns, and providing support for community land rights implementation.
In summary, the Fourth Regional Conference served as a dynamic platform for insightful discussions, knowledge sharing, and recommendations. These efforts collectively contribute to the pursuit of secure community land rights in Africa, underscoring the importance of collaboration and data-driven decision-making in regional land governance.
Registration open! The State of Land Data: Transforming Africa into a Powerhouse of the Future
Date & Time: Jun 22, 2023, 03:00 PM EAT
Discover how effective land data governance can transform Africa into a powerhouse of the future! We invite you to join our engaging webinar, co-organized by GIZ, BMZ, and NELGA.
This webinar aims to empower researchers and practitioners across Africa by enhancing their understanding of sustainable approaches to land data governance. By showcasing the significance of robust land data governance, we will explore its potential to improve property rights and streamline government services.
Attendees will gain valuable insights into how enhanced data governance can foster ethical and transparent land-related activities for individuals, communities, businesses, and government agencies. The webinar will also present real-world examples of SOLI research conducted in Southern African countries through a collaborative effort between the Land Portal Foundation and NELGA researchers.
Language: English (Simultaneous interpretation available in French, Portuguese, and Spanish)
Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of the journey towards unlocking Africa’s potential through effective land data management. Register Here.
Unleashing the Power of Knowledge: NELGA North Africa Network to Host International Forum in Rabat
The NELGA North Africa Node is set to host its first International Forum of Knowledge (IKF2023), titled “Sharing knowledge and expertise in the domain of land policy and geospatial sciences,” from June 20–22, 2023. The forum will take place at the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute in Rabat, Morocco.
The objectives of the forum are to reflect on the development and implementation of responsible land policies, build the skills and capacities of participants, promote the exchange and sharing of experiences, brainstorm on new approaches concerning the land domain, disseminate knowledge and results pertaining to research in this field, establish and strengthen new links, and encourage the formation of new partnerships.
The forum will feature scientific papers that will be peer-reviewed and published in the forum proceedings. Articles with scientific, professional, and institutional value will then be published in the September and November 2023 issues of the African Journal on Land Policy and Geospatial Sciences (ISSN 2657-2664).
The IKF2023 is a must-attend event for policymakers, researchers, academics, professionals, and stakeholders in the land governance and geospatial sciences sectors.
Registration for the virtual event will open in mid-June 2023. Stay tuned for more information.
Registration Open: NELGA Knowledge Exchange Forum on Responsible Land Investments in Africa
The NELGA Knowledge Exchange Forum is an essential platform that brings together experts, policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders in Africa’s land governance field. Its primary objective is to facilitate sharing of information, ideas, and best practices pertinent to African land administration. With land as a limited resource that significantly affects sustainable development, it is imperative to conduct a webinar on the topic of responsible governance of land investments in Africa.
The Responsible Governance of Investment in Land (RGIL) project in Ethiopia, Laos, and Uganda, funded by GIZ, will be the focus of this edition of the NEX. The seminar aims to promote the responsible use of land resources, which can potentially result in Africa’s economic and social transformation. The webinar will identify best practices regarding “what works,” emphasising techniques for minimising negative and maximising positive outcomes and measures to ensure that land investments are transparent, inclusive, and participatory.
The importance of secure land rights has been increasingly recognised by the international community. Several international initiatives and guidelines have been implemented to improve land policy. However, responsible land governance has been challenging to implement, leading to the need for worldwide discussions. The NELGA Knowledge Exchange Forum contributes significantly to promoting sustainable land management, equitable access to land, and inclusive management of the continent’s land resources.
The webinar will address critical questions on existing principles and guidelines on responsible investments in land, how these principles/guidelines can be incorporated into relevant academic curricula development/review, and how different communities can be engaged in practising these principles.
Kindly contact us to be part of the webinar.
Find more information, click here.
NELGA Publishes Three New Good Practises to Empower Young Land Governance Researchers
The Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa (NELGA) is committed to furthering transparent, efficient, and equitable land governance practices across the continent. One of the ways in which we can achieve this is by supporting young academics and researchers through a variety of programmes and initiatives. Today, we are pleased to share three additional best practices that we have developed to increase the efficacy of our work in this area.
The NELGA Summer School Programme
Through our Summer School Programme, which is designed to provide them with this opportunity, young researchers will have the chance to extend their knowledge and skills in land governance and related subjects. Participants will have access to a variety of classes and seminars designed to equip them with the knowledge and skills required to conduct high-level research and analysis. This programme has already supported the education of hundreds of young researchers, and we look forward to continuing to assist the next generation of experts in land governance. (Link)
The Utilisation of Digital Tools in Educational Settings
Prospective young researchers must have access to the most advanced tools and technology to aid them in their academic studies in this day and age. As a result, we have established a collection of digital tools and services that can aid researchers in conducting research, analysing data, and disseminating their findings. (Link)
Assistance options for Upcoming Researchers.
At NELGA, we understand that each young researcher confronts a unique set of requirements and challenges. As a result, we offer researchers a vast array of support services to assist them in overcoming obstacles and attaining their goals. These programmes provide access to research facilities and resources, mentoring and guidance opportunities, funding opportunities, and networking events. (Link)
We are ecstatic to share these innovative best practices with our network. We sincerely hope that they will inspire many younger scholars to pursue academic and professional careers in land governance and related fields in Africa.
University of Yaoundé I Launches Massive Open Online Course on Land Conflicts in Africa
Under the auspices of the Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa (NELGA), the University of Yaoundé I (UoYI) coordinates a network of academic institutions, civil society organisations, and researchers focused on land governance issues in Central Africa. One of the network’s mandates is to promote knowledge creation and dissemination, as well as capacity building initiatives in the field of land governance.
UoYI has created a “Massive Open Online Course” (MOOC) on the topic of land conflicts, with the goal of spreading tools to help Africans understand, prevent, and resolve land conflicts. The MOOC addresses generic concepts related to the aforementioned themes and contextualises them to Central African realities. The project was carried out with the financial assistance of GIZ and the technical assistance of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF).
AUF oversaw the project’s overall technical implementation, drawing on the expertise of NELGA land experts from several Cameroonian universities: the University of Yaoundé I, the University of Dshang, the University of Maroua, and the University of Yaoundé II.
With the MOOC now complete, AUF, UoYI, and GIZ are planning a joint launch to encourage NELGA students and stakeholders to use the MOOC.
The goal of the launch event is to situate the MOOC within the broader context of African land conflicts, with a focus on Central Africa. It will also provide the general public with an overview of the MOOC’s content, address some technical aspects of the e-learning initiative, and announce the opening of the DAAD/NELGA call for research proposals on land and conflict for the next graduate course.
The MOOC can be found at https://conflits-fonciers.auf.org/. On March 30th, 2023, the online event will take place on MS Team.
To attend the launch, send a request through the contact us feature on the website, a DM on Twitter or a comment on Linkedin.
NELGA Presents: International Women’s Month Q&A Series
Welcome to the International Women’s Month Q&A series on the NELGA website. This March, we are shining a spotlight on the critical contributions that women are making in the field of land governance and land rights. As part of this series, we’re interviewing well-known women in the field affiliated with the network. They’ll talk about their experiences, insights, and points of view on various issues related to land governance, policy, and rights.
The goal of these Q&As is to honour the accomplishments of women in this field while also bringing attention to the problems they’ve had to deal with and the chances for progress and change. We hope this series will encourage more people to get involved in land governance and work for more social justice and gender equity.
We are excited to share the stories and insights of these women, whose actions influence NELGA’s impact in Africa. We hope you will join us in celebrating International Women’s Month and women’s contributions to the land governance field.
#EMBRACEEQUITY
Find the stories here:
Johannes’s Sucess Story – NELGA Intern
It was such an exciting opportunity to be part of a culturally diverse organization while gaining experience in land governance in Africa – Lineekelomwene Johannes, Former Intern with NELGA Southern Africa Node at NUST
In February 2023, I completed all requirements towards my achieving a Bachelor of Business Management degree from the prestigious Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). NUST is the leading hub for the Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa, an African Union network managed by the African Land Policy Centre through the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).
Part of the requirements for graduation was to embark on an internship through Work-integrated Learning (WIL). This is an integral aspect of our curriculum and must be completed by all students for graduation. Lucky for me, I met Mr. Theodor Muduva, the advisor for NELGA at NUST and I was given the opportunity to gain experience as an administrative assistant intern for the network in southern Africa.
Simply put, it altered the playing field and was a game-changing experience. I was putting theory into practice and exchanging real-world experience. It was a thrill to work with people from various walks of life and learn from their experiences and perspectives. Before I joined NELGA, I had never thought of being interested in land issues, but through NELGA, I became knowledgeable about them. Mentors at the NELGA hub at NUST, especially Mr. Muduva, were extremely rewarding; and cumulatively inspired me to do my best in all my endeavours as I contributed my bit to my country’s development, region and the continent and, of course, come out with a better-than-average grade in my WIL course.
During my internship, a highlight of my time was participating in a planning and review meeting for NELGA with delegates from across Africa speaking as one voice. It was a tremendous pleasure for me to interact with NUST faculty, NELGA partner universities, African Land Policy Centre, GIZ as the implementing partner and many others. I was learning about land governance outside of my original academic interest; however, I could see the business management intersections and alignment with land and how this impacts the continent. It was a thrilling experience.
I am incredibly grateful for the invaluable insight into the workings of the business world that I gained due to my time spent in NELGA in these early professional years. Being a part of the NELGA team was an incredible opportunity to gain significant experience and intellectual resources to guide my future career goals.
Uncovering Land Governance Challenges in 9 African Countries: NELGA’s Overview of Pastoralism and Small-Scale Farming
NELGA has put out nine country profiles about South Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Egypt, and Mauritania. These profiles give information about pastoralism and small-scale agriculture in these countries. Through research on the current state of land governance in each of these nations, the individual reports have identified policy gaps that could be amended to better support pastoralism and small-scale agriculture.
The profiles also emphasised the significance of regional and international cooperation throughout Africa to enhance land governance structures tailored to local communities’ needs. The profiles included an assessment of existing research on the topics; the effects of climate change; public policy in place to support pastoralism and small-scale farming; the role of women and young people in this space; and regional and international cooperation available to support respective countries. The individual country profiles make recommendations for improving land governance in each country.
NELGA hopes that these reports will help the government improve the way it manages resources while making sure that rights over resources are kept, and international standards are always followed. NELGA keeps working with its African partners to improve how land is managed in all countries involved.
NELGA Holds Bi-Annual Planning Meeting with Stakeholders
The Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa (NELGA) and its regional and technical nodes are meeting virtually on Tuesday, 30th of March 2021, under the African Land Policy Center (ALPC). The planning meeting is a bi-annual event where land governance stakeholders review the next steps towards meeting the AU agenda on land in research, policy reform, and capacity building. The technical planning meeting is part of the continental program comprised by ALPC, NELGA, and GIZ, including land governance technical experts, academics, and key stakeholders, tasked with providing program oversight and recommendations that influence land governance reforms in Africa. The upcoming meeting is expected to bring together diverse stakeholder representatives from PLAAS, DAAD, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Namibia University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Université Gaston Berger (UGB), Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences (IAV), ARDHI University and the University of Yaoundé I.