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Beekeeping is helping cashew farmers in diamond mining communities increase yields and diversify their livelihoods away from dependence on diamonds.

Two years ago when the Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD II) project in Côte d’Ivoire began a beekeeping program in cashew plantations, villagers were skeptical.

“You said you want to help us, and now you send us insects that go piquer-piquer (bite-bite)?” said Kone Inza, president of a youth group in the village of Bobi.

Now with over 1,000 kilos of honey produced by two dozen beekeepers who have placed hives under the shade of cashew trees, communities in the diamond mining areas of Séguéla and Tortiya are abuzz with excitement. The honey not only sold out within days of harvest, but the bees are also helping increase cashew yields up to 50% on some farms.

The PRADD II Project supports governments to implement mining best practices in Côte d’Ivoire and the Central African Republic, and promotes good governance of the mining sector at the international level. As a non-renewable resource, when diamonds are mined out, it often leaves a devastated landscape, full of deep and dangerous pits. In Côte d’Ivoire, however, diamond miners are investing their profits to rehabilitate these unusable lands by filling in the pits and planting cashew trees, responding to high international demand and prices for cashews.

PRADD II supports income diversification, such as beekeeping in cashew orchards, in diamond mining communities because cashew production helps mitigate against declining revenues from diamond mining. As a result of participatory action research carried out by the PRADD II team, project staff observed that bees are attracted to the juicy cashew apples and wondered whether bee hives could be placed under the trees. PRADD II learned from the USAID funded African Cashew Alliance that in nearby countries such as Benin, beekeeping can significantly increase the yields of cashew trees, sometimes up to 100%, while also generating highly profitable honey. Thus was born this initiative.

“What’s nice is that the bees do most of the work,” said Fofana Abou, head of the newly created beekeepers association in Forona village. “And it’s helping our cashew trees as well.”

Indeed, after reading how beekeeping was used in Benin, Ghana, and Togo to increase pollination and improve cashew yields, PRADD II contacted the national cashew board and the GIZ-led ComCashew project, who agreed to provide valuable technical assistance for a pilot and co-fund an impact study.

The results after the first year of testing were presented during a conference in September attended by African cashew research scientists. The study found that raw cashew nut yields in the PRADD II intervention plots were on average 15% higher than control plots—not as high as in neighboring countries, but still promising. A follow-on study to explore how to further increase yields has been planned. However in the meantime, PRADD II has trained over 50 new beekeepers and is offering incentives to further scale up the pilot, including providing one hive for every hive made or purchased by a beekeeper.

PRADD II is closely monitoring the cashew supply chain: after diamonds, cashews are the second most important livelihood in the project’s intervention areas. Satellite imagery analysis shows that cashew trees, introduced as an anti-desertification strategy, covered no land in the late 1980’s but today cover nearly 3,500 hectares in the Séguéla area. Though cashew nut prices fluctuate on the international market, cashew trees are hearty and drought resistant, providing a more sustainable livelihood for the people that depend on land that has been historically degraded by diamond production.

This growth in cashews has led Côte d’Ivoire becoming the world’s largest cashew exporter. Unfortunately however, the country’s cashew nut yields are among the lowest in the world. By introducing bee hives into cashew tree orchards, PRADD II hopes to not only contribute to significant increases in the trees’ yields, but also generate supplemental income for the beekeepers.

The boom in cashew tree production is also changing land tenure dynamics as diamond mining areas are converted to cashew tree orchards. Since land uses are rapidly changing, PRADD II is facilitating community land-use planning as well as working with cooperatives to map out farm ownership to secure ownership and prevent conflict. PRADD II has also helped draw attention to the risks associated with the cashew boom through its outreach to national policymakers. The project produced studies showing parallels to the cacao belt, where land tenure conflicts and vulnerabilities stemming from commodity price fluctuations contributed to the country’s 2002-2012 violent political crisis. Productive farms, secure land tenure, and diversified livelihoods are key ways to avoid risks that may lead to conflict.

With PRADD II’s support to expand beekeeping, local farmers are better prepared to help mitigate those risks.

In the diamond mining regions of Côte d’Ivoire, the introduction of new technology is increasing the volume of stones that enter the legal chain of custody, leading to increased earnings and more sustainable livelihoods for miners.

During a recent test of the first ever diamond washplant for artisanal miners in Côte d’Ivoire, Bobochi, the president of the local miner’s cooperative in Oussougoula village, recounted how the “jiggy-boy” revolution in the 1950s changed his life.

At the time, some foreign-owned semi-industrial companies were closing operations in the diamond mining area of Séguéla, and artisanal miners moved in, hoping to find diamonds that may have been left behind. Few knew the proper technique for swishing around the gravel in a way that removes silt and sand, while concentrating the denser diamonds. After learning this swishing technique from a Sierra Leonian migrant worker, young Bobochi would roam the bush shouting “jiggy-boy!” to advertise his swishing services.

Bobochi has been an artisanal miner ever since, thanks to the technology knowledge transfer from the Sierra Leonian. Since then, the round jig he used gave way to a rectangular one. Another simple but also revolutionary change included water pumps which made it possible to mine year-round.

Now the Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD II) project enters into the picture. The USAID and EU-funded PRADD II project supports governments to implement mining best practices in Côte d’Ivoire and the Central African Republic, and promotes good governance of the mining sector at the international level through the Kimberley Process, the international mechanism that prevents rough diamonds from fueling conflict. After years of consultation with artisanal miners like Bobochi, PRADD II introduced two new game-changing technologies: a hand auger and a semi-mechanized portable washplant.

The hand auger helps identify the location of relatively shallow underground diamond deposits located in and around the meandering rivers of Séguéla. The auger is a game-changer for miners who use it to locate diamond gravel deposits without spending weeks in fruitless digging of deep test pits. By twisting the auger into the ground, core soil samples are drawn. A certain type of gravel indicates the probable presence of diamonds. When this diamondiferous layer is discovered, miners like Bobochi go to work to excavate large pits to the gravel level, draw it out, and then wash it to remove the diamonds. The hand auger was introduced by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2015 as part of research collaboration between PRADD II and SODEMI, a company partially owned by the government of Côte d’Ivoire.

Meanwhile PRADD II also imported a customized washplant built in Ireland. As the picture here shows, this is a portable machine that simultaneously sifts and washes diamondiferous gravel. This saves miners an enormous amount of time normally spent sifting tons of gravel by hand. In addition, the beauty of the unit is that it uses the same motors found in locally available water pumps. The designer also shared the washplant specs with local blacksmiths, allowing the washplant to be fabricated and fixed locally. Local mechanics worked with a pioneering young entrepreneur – the recipient of a PRADD II sponsored business plan competition – to resolve several technical challenges. The foundation for the scaling-up of the washplant technology is now in place.

The washplant is creating both apprehension and excitement. Some old hands like Bobochi are skeptical as they remember when foreign diamond companies used machines decades ago that apparently hid diamonds, or didn’t work well enough, leaving missed diamonds in the gravel for artisanal miners like him to pick through. Diamonds financiers are very enthusiastic, however, as the machine will reduce the chances of theft and loss, both problems in manual washing. For the same reason, Ivorian authorities hope this will increase the volume of diamonds that enter the formal chain of custody, and workers are looking forward to less time standing in dirty water under the hot sun.

For the diamond mining worker cooperatives of Séguéla, the saved time—the machine can do a day’s work in 15 minutes—translates into saved money. For the first time, cooperatives are thinking of operating sites themselves without financing from outside buyers, as a result of this new equipment and all of the potential hours of labor saved. Helping overcome this key obstacle of access to finance is another major benefit of this new equipment.

As with all game-changing innovations, some will benefit more than others, and PRADD II is monitoring the test phase of the washplant. The communities are as well, since just as the round jig created new opportunities for “jiggy-boys”, the diamond sorting machine could do the same for a new generation. For miners like Bobochi, this latest technological revolution will save both time and money, meaning local miners can invest profits from diamond mining in other potentially viable opportunities, including profitable cashew tree production, improved housing, and education for their families.

Originally appeared on Exposure.

MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH THE MANDATE OF THE VICTIMS’ LAW, THE LAND RESTITUTION UNIT CONTINUES TO PRODUCE THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS OF RESTITUTION. RICARDO SABOGAL, DIRECTOR OF THE LAND RESTITUTION UNIT, SPEAKS ABOUT USAID’S SUPPORT IN STRENGTHENING RULING COMPLIANCE AND THE CREATION OF AN AMBITIOUS INFORMATION SYSTEM LAUNCHED IN 2017 WITH USAID SUPPORT.

Q: Where is the Land Restitution Unit currently in terms of its mission to execute its land restitution policy, and how are achievements being measures?

A: After six years, our balance sheet is quite positive. We are present across the country and have received more than 100,000 claims. Of these, the LRU is working on 60%. Every day, judges issue rulings. To date, judges have ruled on more than 200,000 hectares, and there are another 600,000 hectares in the cases, on which they are deciding every day. And most importantly, families are returning to their land and are not leaving due to violence. They’re working the land and many of the families are exporting what they are harvesting, all thanks to the land restitution policy.

Q: What have been the biggest problems and challenges in the implementation of the land restitution policy in its different stages (administrative, judicial and post-ruling)?

A: At first, the big challenge was the fact that we were entering the world of transitional justice—we did not know how to operate a public policy with these types of characteristics, and there was no technical bureaucratic mechanism in place. Additionally, the country has a huge problem with land administration, an outdated cadaster and property registry, or at least the one it has does not correspond to the cadaster. Another issue was security in many areas of the country. When we started off it was not possible to intervene due to violence. With the Peace Accords, new difficulties arise in many areas, such as the issue of landmines. Another challenge is ensuring that all institutions reach rural areas. The LRU might be there, but sometimes others are not. The agencies in charge of rural housing, the Agency for Rural Development, those responsible for roads, or health, and education. They all need to be present.

Q: How has USAID supported the LRU in the implementation of the restitution policy at the different stages of the process?

A: USAID supported the creation of the strategic plan, helping define where to go. When we began with the land restitution policy, there was no reliable estimate of the number of cases. Thanks to USAID’s support, we studied the data and made an estimate that was closer to reality. We sent the estimate to our honorable Constitutional Court, to say: this is the breadth of the issue that we are going to solve in the years that are left for the validity of the law. USAID has been fundamental in the post-ruling phase. There is no sense in do such a delicate and complex job, to only lose it all in the end. We are deeply hurt every time a farmer gets his or her land and sells it. Nowadays, thanks to this program, nearly 90% of the restituted farmers are staying on their land and farming it. To achieve this, USAID has been crucial, supporting the post-ruling models to ensure that entities comply with the rulings.

 

Tell us about yourself.

I am a Geospatial Analyst and have been applying geospatial data and technology to a wide range of issues in the international development field for over 12 years. Currently, with the Land and Urban Office within USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment (E3), I focus on integrating geospatial data, analysis, and technology to support evidence-based decision-making across land governance and urban programming. I also lead the Land and Urban Office’s gender equality and women’s empowerment work related to land governance and property rights.

Why is land important to USAID?

Land is a critical economic asset, allowing people to live a more secure and productive life. Secure land and property rights lead to economic growth and provide incentives for investment and sustainable resource management. Less secure tenure, on the other hand, can lead to conflicts, instability, and the exclusion of vulnerable populations, especially women. USAID’s mission is to end extreme poverty, promote resilient societies, and end the need for foreign assistance; therefore, addressing the issue of weak land tenure and property rights is essential for achieving Agency’s development objectives.

How can spatial data help USAID understand and strengthen land tenure and property rights?

USAID uses spatial data to demarcate parcels and to map and clarify different land and resource uses for collectively managed land. This can help resolve land conflicts between neighbors as well as clarify overlapping interests. Simply knowing the boundary of one’s own parcel increases landholders’ perception of secure property rights, especially if the process of mapping the parcel’s boundary leads to some form of documented land rights – a certificate of occupancy or land use rights, for example.

The power of geospatial data is that relevant information can be collected and linked to geographic features. For example, along with actual boundaries, we can collect additional information on the type of ownership or occupancy, gender, use rights, crop type, and yield productivity and fertilizer use. This information, linked to the boundary data, can be displayed and analyzed in a spatial way to help local people, communities, traditional leaders, and governments understand and better manage their resources.

At USAID, we have developed and successfully piloted a flexible and participatory Mobile Applications to Secure Tenure (MAST) approach, which links an easy-to-use mobile phone application and a data management platform to help communities map, record, and document their land and resources. Geospatial data is a key component of this approach.

We recently launched a new program, Land Technology Solutions (LTS), focusing on the application of technology and geospatial data to address challenges in the land and resource governance sector.

Leveraging the power of geospatial data and analysis also allows USAID to evaluate impacts of land tenure interventions, identify gaps, and inform decisions regarding future investments in the land sector. For example, our office is using data collected through a series of rigorous impact evaluations to incorporate spatial data and visualization as a tool for making high evidence-based investment programming.

What is the role of USAID’s E3/Land and Urban Office?

The main role of USAID’s Land and Urban Office is providing high quality technical assistance to USAID missions to address land and resource rights in an effort to build resilient societies. We also invest in innovative technology solutions and partnerships to mobilize local resources and identify practices that provide long-term sustainability on our investment to reduce donor dependency across developing world. Given the cross-cutting nature of land tenure and property rights, the Land and Urban Office is consistently building the Agency’s technical awareness and capacity by creating and sharing knowledge and evidence.

What are some of your biggest accomplishments in the land sector?

Working together with local communities to find and implement solutions that improve their lives is what attracted me to the international field 12 years ago.

USAID’s Land and Urban Office has emphasized using participatory approaches to map, document and manage land resources, which has proven to be cost-effective, efficient, and flexible across different contexts. For example, I manage the coastal spatial planning and mangrove management activity under the Tenure and Global Climate Change (TGCC) program, which has piloted an innovative, highly participatory approach to develop a sustainable coastal and mangrove management approach in three communities in Vietnam. The process was driven by the communes, who jointly collected spatial data and conducted surveys, discussed overlapping resource uses, and decided on a plan for future management of coastal resources. The spatial data and maps help them better understand the current conditions of their resource and to make informed decision on their future management.

It is exciting to see the dedication to this activity from the local government and the interest by the provincial and central governments generated by the pilot. But the most exciting and satisfying aspect for me is to see the enthusiasm of the communes’ members, who took the idea of using tablets to map and understand conditions of their coastal resources and ran with it, with the hope of a better and brighter future.

Final thoughts?

My final thoughts are focused on women’s land rights. Many people think that land tenure is a complicated issue and it can be addressed only through large and expensive land registration efforts. USAID’s land tenure work has demonstrated evidence that working at small scales with local communities and addressing different elements of complex land tenure and property rights issues has greater impact on local communities’ livelihoods. For example, providing women with secure rights to land by building awareness about women’s legal rights to inheritance and property, or simply adding a line on land certificate forms to include the name of the wife (not just the husband) during the land documentation process can have a powerful impact on women’s lives, food security, and economic opportunities. Women with secure land tenure and property rights are more likely to invest in agricultural inputs, apply sustainable agriculture practices, and undertake economic opportunities, leading to improved food security and economic benefits to the entire household. Strengthening women’s land rights is central to USAID’s Land and Urban office objectives and contributes to USAID’s women’s empowerment programming strategy.

USAID is strengthening the capacity of Central African Republic (CAR) government institutions to reduce long-standing tensions and conflicts in diamond mining areas such as Berberati.

Violent conflict in the southwestern Berberati region of the Central African Republic from 2013 to 2015 undermined the integrity of the diamond economy and sparked divisions leading to the erosion of trust between religious and ethnic groups, as well as between miners, farmers, and pastoralists. Rather than fueling local economic development, diamonds became a source of revenue for armed groups, who seized diamond mines and smuggled diamonds across borders in exchange for arms and ammunition.

In May 2015, the Bangui Forum, a national consultation, produced a peace accord calling for disarmament and reconciliation. In November 2017, the President of the Central African Republic, the honorable Faustin Archange Touadera, formally launched Peace and Reconciliation Committees in Berberati, an important milestone in translating this peace accord into concrete action in this diamond producing area.

A joint initiative by the Ministry of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation and the Ministry of Mines and Geology, these Peace and Reconciliation Committees will mediate disputes and forge agreements, or local pacts, to govern the use of coveted natural resources, like diamonds. USAID’s Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development Project (PRADD II) is assisting the government of CAR to develop a framework to guide this village-level peace and reconciliation process and is equipping these Peace Committees with the necessary skills to effectively mediate disputes between individuals and groups across ethnic and religious divides.

As a signatory to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, CAR is committed to reducing the flow of conflict diamonds. The peace and stability created through these pacts is critical to the country’s continued compliance with the Kimberley Process. By adhering to this international certification scheme, CAR can enjoy the economic benefits stemming from legally exported, conflict-free diamonds. Berberati is designated as a conflict-free mining zone, allowing the young men and women who depend on the mining to continue to mine and export diamonds legally. With USAID’s assistance, a region formerly known as a source for conflict is becoming a model for peace and the return of harmonious co-existence of peoples of different ethnicities, livelihoods, and religions.

November 12, 2017, the 6^th meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) reached a major decision to reclassify tenure security Indicator 1.4.2 from Tier III to II in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. This decision marks the beginning of a global journey to monitor tenure security for all, using comparable land indicators for globally comparable data. This decision followed a review by the IAEG-SDGs of progress made by the custodian agencies, UN-Habitat and World Bank, in the development of a robust, global methodology for monitoring the tenure security indicator 1.4.2, within the framework of SDGs. News of this decision was communicated by the IAEG-SDGs during its plenary session on 13^th November, 2017 attended by representatives from countries, international and regional agencies and entities, and other stakeholders.

The IAEG-SDGs was established by the Statistical Commission at its 46th session to develop an indicator framework for the monitoring of the Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development at the global level, and to support its implementation.

Indicator 1.4.2: “Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, with legally recognized documentation and who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and by type of tenure”.

The proposed methodology for monitoring this indicator was developed through a rigorous and intensive consultation process involving the National Statistical Organisations (NSOs), National Land Agencies, data agencies (DHS, MICS, LSMS), regional statistics and land organisations, Civil Society Organisations and International Non-Governmental Organisations, private sector, the Global Donor Working Group on Land, UN agencies, and other stakeholders.

The now approved methodology gives equal value for legally documented tenure rights and perception of tenure security. This will advance the paradigm shift that aims to ensure over 2 billion people living in urban informality and indigenous communities’ territories will have their rights documented, accounted, and monitored for evidence-based policy decisions on the governance of their land.

The Formula: Monitoring Indicator 1.4.2

Towards Tier 1 Reclassification by 2019 Through Enhanced Local Action for Aata Collection: Country Capacity Challenge for Land Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting

The next milestone now is to have at least 50% of all countries in all regions collect data and report regularly on Indicator. 1.4.2, which is a requirement by IAEG-SDGs for Tier I classification. With the Tier II reclassification, Custodian agencies can now move with speed to support country data generation initiatives towards this milestone. This will sustainably enhance countries’ capacity to collect and track progress on tenure security and measure progress on SDG 1 on Poverty Eradication under Target 1.4.

Based on the findings of a capacity assessment of 17 countries conducted by GLII / GLTN and UN-Habitat on NSOs preparedness to report on Indicator 1.4.2, data collection and reporting at scale is feasible and needs to integrate essential questions in existing national survey conducted by NSOs, standardization of data collection and reporting protocols for administrative data is also required. Since survey and administrative data are complementary, every country will collect the two data sets to monitor progress on this indicator.

As co-custodian agencies, UN-Habitat and the World Bank have developed several capacity development and awareness raising materials to support NSOs and National Land Agencies to realize this objective. Capacity strengthening for national and regional agencies in data collection, especially for developing countries, is expected to ‘leap-frog’ their ability to generate data and regularly report progress on this indicator to the UN Statistical Commission and to the UN High Level Political Forum.

The Funding Challenge

The reclassification of Indicator 1.4.2 confirms the global acceptability of the proposed methodology for data collection, analysis, and tracking of progress on tenure security at country level. This data will be generated and reported by the NSOs to the custodian agencies and UN Statistical Commission in collaboration with National Land Agencies and other stakeholders. The investment made by UN-Habitat and World Bank, the Global Donor Working Group on Land and GLTN through GLII with funding support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, has not been in vain.

Technical and financial resources will be required to enable effective and efficient capacity building efforts at country level. While the reclassification decision is welcome, the lack of earmarked funding from to custodians and supporting entities like GLII is expected to challenge responsive planning for addressing capacity need from NSOs, National Land Agencies, CSOs, and other stakeholders. Joint strategy for capacity strengthening for Indicators 1.4.2 and 5.a.1 are being explored by the custodians, in collaboration with UNFAO, as a way to promote harmonization of these indicators, foster synergy, and apply a joint data collection questionnaire to generate survey data for these indicators.

The joint approach to capacity building and data collection for these two indicators is yet to be explored, and will certainly be a costly venture. Political goodwill and increased financial commitment from national governments to prioritize and support national efforts in land data generation and reporting will unlock great potential to achieve and surpass the 50% target of all countries by regions to achieve Tier I classification by end of 2019.

The role of private sector and donor community in supporting capacity development initiatives, data collection, new data technology transfer, awareness raising, and the convening of national and regional consultative meetings for sharing best practices in monitoring tenure security will enhance the level of success. Promotion of sustainable and country-led data initiatives will be key in fostering learning and building a knowledge based to support such efforts.

The Civil Society Organizations are also expected to play their key role in advocacy, awareness, and supporting local and national process for data generation by NSOs and National Land Agencies, while playing the watchdog’ role to ensure inclusivity; robustness of processes for data collection, including gender mainstreaming; and that no one is left behind.

Role of GLII in Supporting and Coordinating Land Governance Monitoring, Including the SDGs

For GLII platform members and partners, reclassification of Indicator 1.4.2 from Tier III to II is a well won outcome from months of lobbying, advocacy, collaboration, and intensive consultation. GLII platform members have fully supported and accompanied the custodian agencies in the development of the methodology for measuring tenure security, and view this reclassification as a great step in advancing GLII’s mission to achieve global monitoring of land governance at scale.

GLII’s work goes beyond the monitoring of land indicators in the SDGs to facilitate the integration of comprehensive and comparable land indicators for monitoring land governance at national, regional, and global monitoring efforts and programmes by various players. GLII will continue to support country, regional, and global capacity development initiatives on overall land governance monitoring, developing land indicators, methodology, and data protocols needed to support land governance monitoring. Read more about GLII on https://gltn.net/global-land-indicators-initiative-glii/

Blog submitted by: Everlyne Nairesiae, Coordinator, Global Land Indicators Initiative (GLII) Land and GLTN Unit at UN-Habitat.