TGCC Analysis: The Parliament and Land Governance In Burma – Educational Needs Gap Analysis

This analysis first describes the capacity-building context for Members of Parliament (MPs) in Burma serving in the land and agriculture sector, and the setting in which they find themselves as the second year of the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government gets underway. The analysis explores the capacity development needs these MPs face, considering their extremely limited resources and the great deal of legislative work ahead, especially in the land sector. With these gaps in mind, the analysis suggests several purposes or goals in addressing those needs through a training program on the policy grounding for an improved legal framework for land governance. The report identifies the five areas of greatest need for MP capacity training, and suggests a basis for these trainings in research and policy grounding. Suggested trainings would address:

  • The new Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MoALI) agriculture policy and strategy, based on the National Land Use Policy;
  • The need to amend two key land laws, the Farmland Law and the Vacant, Fallow and Virgin (VFV) Land Management Law;
  • Customary tenure dynamics, and recognition and protection measures for customary tenure;
  • Responsible land-based investment; and,
  • The establishment of a National Land Policy Council or Land Commission.