Document Type: Progress Reports

On July 16, 2015 in Suakoko, Bong County, USAID FED and the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) distributed 30 power tillers worth US$189,000 to Liberian youth entrepreneurs under a cost share arrangement. Youth entrepreneurs in Lofa received 9 power tillers, while those in Nimba and Bong County each received 10 power tillers, and a youth entrepreneur in Grand Bassa received power tiller. A power tiller is used for plowing the soil before planting. The use of power tillers reduces the cost of producing rice, and allows farmers to cultivate a bigger area during the main cropping season. The youth beneficiaries will provide the power tiller service for a fee to ensure sustainability. USAID FED will provide training on business management and also help these youth enterprises access loans for the expansion of their power tiller businesses.

On July 15, USAID FED presented the benefits of Urea Deep Placement (UDP) versus urea broadcast and zero fertilization to the Agriculture Coordination Committee (ACC). The comparative cost-to-benefit analysis was based on yield data collected from USAID FED supported FY14 trial sites, and considered the cost of inputs, labor and tools required for land preparation, planting, and maintenance and harvesting. The result from the trials showed that the use of UDP in lowland rice is 347% more profitable than the broadcast method of fertilization, and 780% more profitable compared to zero fertilization.

From July 9-10, a workshop was held at the MoA to validate the implementing regulation for Liberia of the ECOWAS Seed Regulation that was gazetted in September 2014. These implementing guidelines were drafted by the USAID FED-supported Seed Policy Expert, Mr. Josiah Wobil. Key stakeholders such as USAID FED, USAID, MoA, CARI, the West Africa Seed Program (WASP), the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) and Africa Rice all participated in the workshop.

During the reporting period, Component 3 organized a workshop with Booker Washington Institute (BWI), Grand Bassa Community College (GBCC), Lofa County Community College (LCCC), and Nimba County Community College (NCCC) to develop the year two syllabi and lesson plans of the National Diploma in Agriculture (NDA). This workshop was held at the Nimba County Community College campus library from July 12-24. A total of 29 participants were drawn from the four CoE’s, University of Liberia, Cuttington University, Ministry of Education (MoE), MoA as well as USAID FED. As a result of this workshop, 16 lesson plans and syllabi have been developed.

The Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Activity is USAID’s flagship Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative in Liberia. The project launched in September 2011. USAID FED uses an all-inclusive strategy incorporating micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), farmers, processors, suppliers, women, and youth, while partnering with the Government of Liberia (GoL) and local civil society to achieve food security.

USAID FED is increasing food availability, utilization, and accessibility by building an indigenous incentive structure to assist agricultural stakeholders in adopting commercial approaches.
This incentive structure is built upon:

• Improved technology for productivity and profitability;
• Expanded and modernized input supply and extension systems;
• Commercial production, marketing, and processing;
• Enterprise services; and
• Workforce development.

USAID FED works with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), civil society, and the private sector to provide communities access to agricultural inputs, extension services, nutrition messages, processing services, market information, transportation, credit, agro-business education, training, and business development services.

Midway through its fifth and final year of operation, FED is expanding market linkages designed to substantially increase incomes and job opportunities. It is also significantly boosting production, processing, marketing and nutritional utilization of rice, cassava and vegetables, as well as enhancing the productivity of goat farming in the counties covered by the program.

These initiatives are implemented in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi counties. USAID FED focuses on these counties because they are situated along regional development corridors crucial to promoting intra- and inter-county commerce. These growth corridors are improving food availability and access for all Liberians.

USAID FED’s methodology is market-led and value-chain driven, and committed to building indigenous capacity building with a specific focus on Liberia’s women and youth.

USAID FED is implemented by a consortium led by Development Alternatives, Inc., along with Winrock International, International Fertilizer Developmental Center (IFDC), Louisiana State University (LSU), and The Cadmus Group.

The Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Activity is USAID’s flagship Feed the Future Initiative in Liberia. The project was launched in September 2011. USAID FED uses an all-inclusive strategy incorporating micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), farmers, processors, suppliers, women, and youth, while partnering with the Government of Liberia (GoL) and local civil society to achieve food security.

FED is increasing food availability, utilization, and accessibility by building an indigenous incentive structure to assist agricultural stakeholders in adopting commercial approaches. This incentive structure is built upon:

• Improved technology for increased productivity and profitability;
• Expanded and modernized input supply and extension systems;
• Commercial production, marketing, and processing;
• Enterprise services; and
• Workforce development.

FED works with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), civil society, and the private sector in providing communities access to agricultural inputs, extension services, nutrition messages, processing services, market information, transportation, credit, agro-business education, training, and business development services.

In the latter stages of its fifth and final year of operation, FED is expanding market linkages designed to substantially increase incomes and job opportunities. FED is also significantly boosting the production, processing, marketing and nutritional utilization of rice, cassava and vegetables, as well as enhancing the productivity of goat farming.

These activities are implemented in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi counties. FED has focused on these counties because they are situated along regional development corridors crucial to promoting intra- and inter-county commerce. These growth corridors are improving food availability and access for all Liberians.

FED’s methodology is market-led and value-chain driven, and committed to building indigenous capacity with a specific focus on Liberia’s women and youth.

FED is implemented by a consortium led by Development Alternatives, Inc., along with Winrock International, International Fertilizer Developmental Center (IFDC), Louisiana State University (LSU), and The Cadmus Group.

The Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program is USAID’s flagship Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative in Liberia, launched in September 2011. USAID FED uses an all-inclusive strategy incorporating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME), farmers, processors, suppliers, women, and youth while partnering with the Government of Liberia (GoL) and local civil society to achieve food security.

USAID FED is increasing food availability, utilization, and accessibility by building an indigenous incentive structure that assists agricultural stakeholders in adopting commercial approaches.

This incentive structure is built upon:

• Improved technology for productivity and profitability;
• Expanded and modernized input supply and extension systems;
• Commercial production, marketing, and processing;
• Enterprise services; and
• Workforce development.

USAID FED works with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), civil society, and the private sector in providing communities access to agricultural inputs, extension services, nutrition messages, processing services, market information, transportation, credit, agro-business education, training, and business development services.

As USAID FED enters its fifth and final year of operation, it is expanding market linkages leading to substantial increases in income and job opportunities. USAID FED is also significantly boosting the production, processing, marketing and nutritional utilization of rice, cassava and vegetables, as well as enhancing the productivity of goat farming in the counties covered by the program.

These initiatives are being carried out in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi counties. USAID FED focuses on these counties because they are situated along regional development corridors that are crucial in promoting intra and inter-county commerce. These growth corridors are expected to improve food availability and access for all Liberians.

USAID FED’s methodology is market-led and value chain-driven, and committed to building indigenous capacity building with a specific focus on Liberia’s women and youth.

USAID FED is implemented by five partners: Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), Winrock International, International Fertilizer Developmental Center (IFDC), Louisiana State University (LSU), and The Cadmus Group.

The Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Activity is USAID’s flagship Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative in Liberia. The project was launched in September 2011. USAID FED uses an all-inclusive strategy incorporating micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), farmers, processors, suppliers, women, and youth, while partnering with the Government of Liberia (GoL) and local civil society to achieve food security.

USAID FED is increasing food availability, utilization, and accessibility by building an indigenous incentive structure to assist agricultural stakeholders in adopting commercial approaches. This incentive structure is built upon:

• Improved technology for productivity and profitability;
• Expanded and modernized input supply and extension systems;
• Commercial production, marketing, and processing;
• Enterprise services; and
• Workforce development.

USAID FED works with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), civil society, and the private sector in providing communities access to agricultural inputs, extension services, nutrition messages, processing services, market information, transportation, credit, agro-business education, training, and business development services.

As USAID FED enters the final stages of its fifth and final year of operation, it continues to expand market linkages designed to substantially increase incomes and job opportunities. USAID FED is also boosting the production, processing, marketing and nutritional utilization of rice, cassava and vegetables, as well as enhancing the productivity of goat farming in the counties covered by the program.

These initiatives are implemented in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi counties. USAID FED focuses on these counties because they are situated along regional development corridors crucial to promoting intra- and inter-county commerce. These growth corridors are improving food availability and access for all Liberians.

USAID FED’s methodology is market-led and value-chain driven, and committed to building indigenous capacity building with a specific focus on Liberia’s women and youth.

USAID FED is implemented by a consortium led by Development Alternatives, Inc., along with Winrock International, International Fertilizer Developmental Center (IFDC), Louisiana State University (LSU), and The Cadmus Group.

The Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Activity is USAID’s flagship Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative in Liberia. The project launched in September 2011. USAID FED uses an all-inclusive strategy incorporating micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), farmers, processors, suppliers, women, and youth, while partnering with the Government of Liberia (GoL) and local civil society to achieve food security.

USAID FED is increasing food availability, access and utilization by building an indigenous incentive structure to assist agricultural stakeholders in adopting commercial approaches. This incentive structure is built upon:

• Improved technology for productivity and profitability;
• Expanded and modernized input supply and extension systems;
• Commercial production, marketing, and processing;
• Enterprise services; and
• Workforce development.

USAID FED works with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), civil society, and the private sector to provide communities with access to agricultural inputs, extension services, nutrition messages, processing services, market information, transportation, credit, agro-business education, training, and business development services.

As USAID FED enters its fifth and final year of operation, it is expanding market linkages designed to substantially increase incomes and job opportunities. USAID FED is also significantly boosting the production, processing, marketing and nutritional utilization of rice, cassava and vegetables, as well as enhancing the productivity of goat farming in the counties covered by the program.

These initiatives are implemented in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi counties. USAID FED focuses on these counties because they are situated along regional development corridors crucial to promoting intra- and inter-county commerce. These growth corridors are improving food availability and access for all Liberians.

USAID FED’s methodology is market-led and value-chain driven, and committed to building indigenous capacity building with a specific focus on Liberia’s women and youth.

USAID FED is implemented by a consortium led by Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), along with Winrock International, International Fertilizer Developmental Center (IFDC), Louisiana State University (LSU), and The Cadmus Group.

The USAID Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program is a flagship Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative, USAID-funded development program in Liberia launched in September 2011. USAID FED uses an all-inclusive strategy incorporating micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME), farmers, processors, suppliers, women, and youth while partnering with the Government of Liberia (GoL) and local civil society to achieve food security.

USAID FED is increasing food availability, utilization, and accessibility in Liberia by building an indigenous incentive structure that assists agricultural stakeholders in adopting commercial approaches. This incentive structure is built upon:

• Improved technology for productivity and profitability;
• Expanded and modernized input supply and extension systems;
• Commercial production, marketing, and processing;
• Enterprise services; and
• Workforce development.

USAID FED works with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), civil society, and the private sector to provide communities with access to agricultural inputs, extension services, nutrition messages, processing services, market information, transportation, credit, agro-business education, training, and business development services.

USAID FED’s thrust to expand market linkages contributes to increases in income and job opportunities. The project is significantly boosting the production, processing, marketing, and nutritional utilization of rice, cassava, and vegetables, and is enhancing the productivity of goat farming in the counties covered by the program.

These initiatives are carried out in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi counties. USAID FED focuses on these counties because they are situated along regional development corridors that are crucial to promoting intra- and inter-county commerce. The focus on these growth corridors is improving food availability and access for all Liberians.

Project methodology is market-led, value chain-driven and committed to capacity building, with a specific focus on Liberia’s women and youth demographics.

USAID FED is implemented by five partners: Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), Winrock International, International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), Louisiana State University (LSU), and The Cadmus Group.

Executive Summary

Highlights for this reporting period include the following activities:

• Internal project data quality review in process: DAI initiated an intensive, comprehensive analysis to address the completeness, accuracy and quality of USAID FED’s results data reported to USAID over the life of the project. Data management systems and the extent to which they yield reliable, valid, precise and timely data are being scrutinized. Following the analysis, DAI will produce a report outlining the findings and recommendations for adjusting the previously reported results data for 18 FtF indicators. This review is in follow-up to previous data quality assessments conducted by USAID’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) contractor. Any quantitative information reported previously by the project, as well as that which appears in this monthly report, are estimates and should be considered tentative pending the results of this review.
• USAID FED, BRAC-Liberia and MoA launch Peste de Petite de Ruminant (PPR) Vaccination Campaign: Approximately 108,000 small ruminants (sheep and goats) will be vaccinated across Bong, Lofa, Nimba and Grand Bassa counties during the course of this campaign. A launch ceremony at the MoA was held during this reporting period with Deputy Minister Hon. Sizi Subah presiding. USAID FED subcontracted BRAC to train and mobilize 300 community animal health workers to administer the vaccinations.
• Increased adoption of good agricultural practices: A recent internal USAID FED survey suggests that approximately 60 percent of USAID FED-supported farmers are applying improved growing methods including proper nursery care, use of improved seed, proper application of fertilizers, spacing, planting in rows and ridges, water management, pest control, staking of climber vegetables (e.g., tomatoes), plant maintenance and post-harvest practices.
• New cassava micro-processors identified: Four new cassava micro-processors were identified to receive assistance in Grand Bassa County this reporting period. These micro-processors are currently operating manually but will be provided with mechanized graders and presses to increase processing capacity from one MT per week to up to eight MT per week. These efforts will provide increased market opportunities for approximately 8,000 cassava growers.
• Sustainable market linkages: USAID FED facilitated a buyer-seller linkage between 40 project-supported vegetable farmers supplying Monrovia’s Royal Grand Hotel. Approximately 11,000 kgs of lettuce, cabbage, cucumber and tomatoes will be supplied to the hotel on an annual basis; resulting in a projected $45,000 annual sales volume should current prices hold. The volume represents 80 percent of the hotel’s total requirements for these vegetables. USAID FED continues to explore ways to replicate this buyer-seller relationship with several other Monrovia hotels and supermarkets.
• Transforming Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) into microenterprises: Twelve USAID FED supported VSLA groups received loans from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) this month. NAPEX, a clearinghouse for microfinance institutions (MFI) in Liberia, reported that USAID FED coordinated with the CBL to convert the 12 previously “unbankable” VSLA businesses into successful microenterprises. Each of the 12 loans totaled approximately US$2,250, reflecting a total value of just under US$30,000. Each VSLA averages 30 members, meaning the loans benefit 360 direct and indirect beneficiaries across the four value chains. Loan terms are three years at one percent interest per annum.
• VSLA training provided: USAID FED’s EDUCARE subcontractor hosted a comprehensive training on VSLA methodology for 250 new groups. The training focused on establishing group governance structures, constitutions, by-laws and member leadership for the 250 new groups. Supervisory attention was also given to the 373 existing VSLA groups via periodic monitoring.
• USAID FED realigns program implementation timeline: The approved USAID FED FY2016 workplan assumed a no-cost contract extension through mid-December 2016, with activity implementation ending in August in order provide sufficient time for close-out of such a large and complex project. However, as this no-cost extension request remains uncertain, the current contract end date of September 11, 2016 remains in force. In the absence of no-cost extension approval, USAID FED plans to cease all activity implementation by the end of May 2015 in order to ensure sufficient time for close-out activity.

The Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Activity is USAID’s flagship Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative in Liberia. The project was launched in September 2011 and will end in December 2016. USAID FED uses an all-inclusive strategy incorporating micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), farmers, processors, suppliers, women, and youth, while partnering with the Government of Liberia (GoL) and local civil society to achieve food security.

USAID FED is increasing food availability, utilization, and accessibility by building an indigenous incentive structure to assist agricultural stakeholders in adopting commercial approaches. This incentive structure is built upon:

• Improved technology for productivity and profitability;
• Expanded and modernized input supply and extension systems;
• Commercial production, marketing, and processing;
• Enterprise services; and
• Workforce development.

The project works with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), civil society, and the private sector in providing communities access to agricultural inputs, extension services, nutrition messages, processing services, market information, transportation, credit, agro-business education, training, and business development services.

In its fifth and final year of operation, USAID FED is expanding market linkages designed to substantially increase incomes and job opportunities. USAID FED is also significantly boosting the production, processing, marketing, and nutritional utilization of rice, cassava, and vegetables, as well as enhancing the productivity of goat farming in the counties covered by the program.

These initiatives are implemented in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi counties. USAID FED focuses on these counties because they are situated along regional development corridors crucial to promoting intra- and inter-county commerce. These growth corridors are improving food availability and access for all Liberians.

Project methodology is market-led and value-chain driven, and committed to building indigenous capacity building with a specific focus on Liberia’s women and youth.

USAID FED is implemented by a consortium led by Development Alternatives, Inc., along with Winrock International, International Fertilizer Developmental Center (IFDC), Louisiana State University (LSU), and The Cadmus Group.

The purpose of the Land Administration to Nurture Development (LAND) project is to expand and extend two previously successful projects—Ethiopia Strengthening Land Tenure and Land Administration Program (ELTAP) implemented in 2005-2008 and Ethiopia Strengthening Land Administration Program (ELAP) implemented in 2008-2013—financed by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Ethiopia Mission and implemented by the federal Ministry of Agriculture and six regional states with technical assistance provided by Tetra Tech. These projects helped strengthen rural land tenure security and women’s land use rights, encouraged efficient land transactions, built capacity of federal and regional land administration agencies to improve service delivery, and piloted cadastral surveying and certification methodologies to recognize and document rural land use rights.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

MOA/LAUD had requested LAND for technical and financial assistance in drafting an amendment to the federal Land Administration and Use Proclamation No. 456/2005. The drafting committee composed of four MOA experts and LAND’s Property Rights Lawyer had a retreat at Zeway town for eight days to conduct a desk review. They also visited Harari regional state, Dire Dawa City Administration, and Afar regional state to conduct interviews and identify issues that need to be considered in the upcoming revision of the federal land administration law.

All regional states including Harari and Dire Dawa will present their experiences on rural land expropriation, valuation and compensation at a national workshop to be held in the second quarter of FY 2015. A TOR for the selection of international expert has also been prepared and LAND has been looking for an appropriate consultant.

LAND will hire a consultant to assist the Afar regional state in developing a Communal Land Property Valuation and Compensation guideline. The Terms of Reference (TOR) has been prepared and published to solicit technical and financial proposals from qualified bidders.

A consultant was hired in this quarter to draft the Somali regional state pastoral land administration and use regulation. He has started a desk review of all the relevant policy and legislative documents. Ato Tigistu Gebremeskel Director, and Ato Solomon Abebe Land Administration expert of MOA/LAUD together with the LAND Property Rights Lawyer, met with land administration officials in Jigjiga to discuss activities that LAND supports in the region and to introduce the consultant to the regional Rural Development Bureau officials. They also prepared a work plan for drafting the regulation.

Five papers were drafted and revised to be presented at a national workshop LAND will conduct to pave the way for crafting Ethiopia’s national land use policy. External peer reviewers with extensive experience in the field have been identified to review the papers. Once internal comments have been addressed, the papers will be forwarded for external peer reviewers. The date for the workshop will be set by the committee after the papers have been finalized.

LAND organized practical skills based training on setting up and operating continuously operating reference station (CORS) for 17 Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) and 3 Information Network Security Agency (INSA) staff. The CORS training was conducted from 1st December, 2014 to 6th of January, 2015 at the Institute of Geophysics, Space Sciences and Astronomy (IGSSA) of Addis Ababa University. Six of the trainees were women. The practical training on CORS built skills required to establish ground and roof monuments, as well as successfully installing a reference station on the roof of the IGSSA building. Moreover, the consultant commissioned by LAND has been providing backstopping technical assistance to rehabilitate four existing CORS stations. All except the reference station located at Gondar airport, which is awaiting internet connection, have been made operational and begun streaming raw data continuously into the server located at the EMA.

SNNP and Tigray regional state organized training of trainers on land use planning. Tigray regional state organized the local level participatory land use planning training from 11-17 October, 2014 at Wukro town for 20 zonal and woreda level land administration experts and surveyors. Seven of the trainees were women. SNNPR trained 10 regional and zonal staff on conventional methods of land use planning from 27 October to 2 November, 2014 at Yirgalem Town. Only one woman participated in this training. The training was also meant to support the region in preparation of regional and woreda master land use plans.

The regional states have plans to cascade the GIS and Land use planning trainings to another 240 regional and woreda staff through regional government regular programs and particularly under the Sustainable Land Management Project (SLMP) Phase II project in FY2015. Accordingly, Tigray trained 14 woreda and kebele staff on local level participatory land use plan with financial support from SLMP. Four of the trainees were women. Amhara trained 366 zonal and woreda level land administration and land use planning officials and experts on land use planning and 20 surveyors on GIS and remote sensing. A five-day training on GIS was given for 20 zonal and woreda surveyors and nine of them were women. In addition, the region organized a 3-day training on land use planning for 53 (1 woman) zonal land administration and use officials.

The law schools at Bahir Dar, Haramaya, Mekelle, and Debub universities were selected to develop training manuals on rural land laws for their respective regional states. The content of the manual and the budget has been agreed upon with each university. A subcontract agreement is being drafted to finance preparation of the manual and will be executed in the next quarter.

MSU and the local consultant are working on synthesizing the report of the second round survey, which was carried out to get realistic estimation of demand for land administration professionals in the next 5 to 20 years. LAND plans to organize a participatory workshop to present the findings to key stakeholders once the final revised report is finalized in the next quarter.

The first group of forty-two LALU professionals completed their first summer course work at BDU/ILA. Currently, they are back in their respective organizations doing their take-home assignment. Five of the first group of trainees were women. The trainees are from two federal ministries (MOA and Ministry of Urban Development and Construction), the 9 regional states and two city administrations (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa).

ETHIOLANDNET was formally established with the approval of the Memorandum of Association at the General Assembly meeting held in Bahir Dar 24-25 November 2014. ILA/BDU has been designated as the secretariat for the network. A memorandum of agreement will be signed with Bahir Dar University to administer activities of ETHIOLANDNET with funding from LAND’s Grant Scheme.

The Review and Evaluation Committee (REC) assessed and recommended five competitive applications for grant award. Accordingly, the required documents were prepared and sent to Tetra Tech ARD home office for review.

LAND organized a field visit to Borana and Guji zones for the Oromia and zonal pastoral advisory committee members from 27 October to 5 November, 2014. Senior government officials from the federal and Oromia Regional State as well as Borana and Guji zone administrators and traditional leaders attended the field visits, presentations, and meetings. The trip served to: (i) create awareness among the participants on the objectives and activities of the LAND and PRIME projects; (ii) explain the purpose and function of the ROPAC and ZOPACs; (iii) share domestic and international experiences among the participants on securing pastoral and communal land rights; (iv) enable pastoralists to express their demands for securing their land use rights; and (v) reach consensus on the need to implement the program of pastoral land use rights certification.

A joint team of IPAS/HU and LAND experts were subcontracted by LAND to conduct an assessment of customary administration and management of rangelands to inform development of Oromia pastoralist land use rights legislation. Field work began in August 2014 and was completed in September 2014. Assessment data was analyzed in this quarter. The findings and conclusions will be validated in a regional consultative workshop in which representatives of the major stakeholders will participate.

LAND developed procedures to demarcate, register and certify pastoral land rights in a participatory manner. The procedures will be enriched and further developed through a series of consultative processes which have already been initiated. The consultative processes will continue after consensus is reached on the unit of certification.

The Land Policy Initiative organized the 2014 Land Policy Conference in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on 11-14 November 2014. Dr. Solomon Bekure, LAND COP, Ato Abebe Mulatu, LAND Property Rights Lawyer and Dr. Dejene Negassa, LAND Pastoral Tenure Specialist attended the conference at which Dr. Solomon presented a paper entitled “Safeguarding Pastoral Land Use Rights In Ethiopia” that he co-authored with Ato Abebe, who also made a brief presentation on the objectives and activities of the LAND project.

LAND published its second LAND Update and brochure. The update provides information on the progress of LAND activities. It is also published on the USAID’s Land Tenure and Property Right Portal. The brochure gives general information about LAND in English and Amharic and copies have been handed out at various meetings and workshops and to various visitors of LAND.

The regional media including, Amhara TV, Radio, and Bekur Newspaper invited to the ETHIOLANDNET inaugural workshop gave coverage to the event. In addition, Sheger FM 102.1 and Ethiopian News Agency featured the event. LAND drafted Press Release in English and Amharic and circulated to media representatives, who were covered the event and communicated to all national media outlets via Fax and Email. The press Release was also posted on the US Embassy website. In addition, LAND prepared communication materials including posters, banners, roll up stand brochure bookmark to promote the event as per USAID branding and marking guidelines.

The purpose of the Land Administration to Nurture Development (LAND) project is to expand and extend two previously successful projects—Ethiopia Strengthening Land Tenure and Land Administration Program (ELTAP) implemented in 2005-2008 and Ethiopia Strengthening Land Administration Program (ELAP) implemented in 2008-2013—financed by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Ethiopia Mission and implemented by the federal Ministry of Agriculture and six regional states with technical assistance provided by Tetra Tech. These projects helped strengthen rural land tenure security and women’s land use rights, encouraged efficient land transactions, built capacity of federal and regional land administration agencies to improve service delivery, and piloted cadastral surveying and certification methodologies to recognize and document rural land use rights.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During the reporting period, LAND continued to make significant progress across all project components.

Under Component 1 (Improved legal and policy frameworks at national and local levels)

LAND provided technical and financial assistance to amend Federal Proclamation No. 456/2005. The draft was presented to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MoANR) senior management, which gave its comments. The draft will be enriched by incorporating these comments and submitted to MoANR for presenting it to the Council of Ministers.

LAND hired a consultant to prepare a training manual on land and property expropriation, valuation and compensation. The manual was finalized and used to train 36 federal and regional experts of rural and urban Land Administration and Land Use (LALU) agencies on July 4-8, 2016.

LAND hired a consultant to draft the Afar Pastoral Communal Lands Registration and Management Regulation. The first draft will be reviewed at a consultative workshop in October 2016.

LAND subcontractor, the Amhara Design and Supervision Works Enterprise, delivered the final draft of the Afar National Regional State Pastoral Communal Land Expropriation, Valuation and Compensation guidelines after incorporating the comments given to it by LAND. But the draft still lacks satisfactory methods of valuing pastoral communal lands when they are expropriated for public purpose. LAND suggested the draft be presented to Afar National Regional State (NRS) bureau officials and experts who have stakes in land expropriation, valuation and compensation to get better feedback and comments before holding consultations with community members. The consultation with the officials and experts will commence in October 2016.

Progress has been made since the June 2016 official announcement by the Ethiopian Prime Minister to formulate a comprehensive national land use policy and an integrated national land use plan. LAND closely worked with MoANR and the Prime Minister’s Office and other stakeholders to implement this decision. LAND is supporting both activities. Three consultants with expertise in rural land use planning, urban planning and natural resources management were recruited to flesh out the important issues that need to be dealt with in drafting the comprehensive national land use policy. They are expected to complete their work at the end of October 2016, following which drafting of the policy would commence.

A roadmap document (RMD) which will guide the land use planning process is being prepared by a consultant. The RMD is expected to outline the scope, key steps and resources (financial and human) required to prepare the plan. The consultant presented his first draft at a stakeholders’ meeting held on September 22, 2016. The consultant is expected to submit the final RMD in October 2016 after addressing concerns and comments shared by the participants.

Under Component 2 (Strengthened capacity in national, regional, and local land administration and use planning)

The consultant engaged by LAND assisted Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) to resolve telecommunication and power supply issues that hampered proper functioning of the Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) and trained 16 EMA and four Information Network Security Agency (INSA) staff in installing, operating and maintaining CORS. He also submitted the final proposal on the expansion of geodetic network of the country based on CORS Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). LAND will organize a one-day stakeholder workshop in the first quarter of FY 2017 to discuss the proposal and the way forward.

Upon the request of LAUD/MoANR, LAND engaged a consultant to support Land Administration and Use Directorate (LAUD) in revising the existing local level participatory land use planning manual. As the former consultant did not deliver as per the agreement, LAND hired another consultant who reviewed different versions of the manual and previous comments made. The consultant produced and submitted the draft revised document based on previous comments at a consultative workshop held on August 6-7, 2016 in Adama, Oromia NRS. The consultant is expected to finalize the manual in the next quarter.

Under Component 3 (Strengthened capacity of Ethiopian universities to engage in policy analysis and research related to land tenure and train land administration and land use professionals)

The first batch of 41 students enrolled in the Institute of Land Administration of Bahir Dar University (ILA/BDU) summer M.Sc. program have completed their course work and submitted their theses to their respective advisors for review. The defense of the theses had to be delayed because of the stressful situation caused by the political unrest in Bahir Dar and other parts of the country. The students are expected to complete the process as soon as the situation is normalized. The second group of 41 candidates have completed course work and are developing thesis proposals in consultation with their respective LALU agencies and advisors through correspondence. They are expected to defend their theses by the end of quarter 4 of 2017.

Closure letters were issued on August 11, 2016 to all institutions that were awarded grants under the LAND Research grant scheme. The grantees, with the exception of BDU, have completed their research activities and conducted validation workshops.

The 2016 Ethiopian Annual Land Conference to be organized by ETHIOLANDNET is facing uncertainties, again, on account of the civil unrest prevailing in the Bahir Dar area. It is postponed indefinitely until the situation is regularized.

Regarding promotion of Agricultural Technical Vocational Education and Training (ATVET), LAND continues to collaborate with Responsive and Innovative Land Administration Project (REILA) in updating the curriculum with the aim of offering certificate courses in land administration in one well established ATVET in each region.

Under Component 4 (Strengthened community land rights in pastoral and agro-pastoral areas to facilitate market linkages and economic growth)

LAND held separate discussions with professionals in the area of pastoralism and leader of a civic organization (pastoral association) to explore opportunities to deal with the impasse with the in certifying communal pastoral landholdings in Borana. It was agreed that a compromise suggestion would be to register as one pastoral landholding the area under 3-4 kebeles, depending on their size. LAND held a joint meeting with the pastoral association leader and Oromia Bureau of Rural Land and Environmental Protection (OBRLEP)’s Deputy Head. It was agreed that this proposal be discussed during October 2016 with all the stakeholders, including zonal and woreda government representatives as well as community leaders and try it in one woreda in Borana.

In Afar, the process of pastoral land registration and certification had been going well until the Afar EPLAUA indicated that the agency will allocate, only 34% of the total Chifra woreda to be registered as pastoral landholdings as per the region’s land use plan. LAND technical staff explained that while the land use plan is for the future, what should be registered and certified is current communal pastoral landholdings. If government wishes to alter the use of land, it can do so in consultation with the landholders and upon paying the appropriate compensation in accordance with the law.