Document Type: Progress Reports

As part of the Feed the Future (FTF) initiative, USAID has invested in several agricultural projects in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) and is seeking to develop focused land tenure programming to support USAID’s existing and planned investments in the region.

The Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) activity seeks to clarify and document land rights, support land use planning efforts, and increase local understanding of land use and land rights. It is anticipated that the interventions will reduce land tenure-related risks and lay the groundwork for sustainable agricultural investment for both smallholders and commercial investors throughout the corridor and in the value chains of focus for Tanzania’s FTF program.

Local sustainability is a critical component of the LTA activity. The goal of this activity is to empower district and village land institutions in the districts targeted by the LTA to carry forward the capacity building and land administration process independently (and with little or no outside financial support or assistance) when LTA concludes.

In carrying out its activities, LTA collaborates and coordinates with the Government of Tanzania and other donor programs to produce complementary programming that is timely, cost-effective, and sustainable.

LTA also coordinates closely with, and utilizes lessons learned from, the USAID Mobile Application to Secure Tenure (MAST) pilot project, which tested an approach for the mapping of land parcels, adjudication, and delivery of Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCROs) using an open source mobile application.

The Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) program works in the Districts of Iringa and Mbeya to provide assistance to local level authorities in the delivery of land tenure services under the Village Land Act No.5, 1999 and the Land Use Planning Act No.6, 2007.

LTA provides support to the implementation of land tenure regularization and first issuance and registration of CCROs and Village Land Use Plans (VLUP) in 41 selected villages (36 villages in Iringa District and 5 villages in Mbeya District). In addition to these key activities, support is also being provided to capacity building at both District and Village levels. Years 1 and 2 and 3 are focusing on the main task of building capacity in Iringa District. Capacity building activities will then be extended to Mbeya District Council through the District Land Office commencing in Year 3 and through Year 4. LTA work is undertaken under four activities re-stated here as follows:

Activity 1: Assist villages and District administrations leaders and institutions in completing the land use planning process and delivering CCROs in selected villages within districts of Iringa and Mbeya.

Activity 2: Educate and build capacity of village land governance institutions and individual villagers to complete the land use planning and CCRO process, effectively manage land resources, respect women’s, youth and pastoralist’s land rights and build agriculture-related business skills.

Activity 3: Educate and build capacity of district-level land governance institutions in Mbeya District to complete the land use planning and CCRO process (to be conducted Y3 ’18).

Activity 4: Build capacity to use the MAST application throughout the SAGCOT and nationally.

USAID’s Feed the Future Tanzania Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) has successfully completed project start-up and ten months of project implementation in FY2016. Under the technical leadership of Chief of Party Clive English, LTA is developing a comprehensive system for participatory, low-cost first registration/regularization of land tenure that will be replicable, scalable and sustainable for future implementation by the Tanzanian Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development (MLHHSD). Starting from the basic software development and initial field results of the Mobile Application to Secure Tenure (MAST) Pilot, LTA has engaged DAI’s extensive expertise in international best practice for mass land registration and supporting technology, to develop a customized, community based, low cost, scalable solution that will enable not only first registration, but also long-term management of land transactions.

COP Clive English and GIS Application Developer Alexander Solovov, in close collaboration with the Iringa District Lands Office, provided the vision and roadmap for LTA to create a comprehensive system customized to the Tanzanian context. LTA has made significant progress in implementing that roadmap – including drafting a thorough set of procedures for first registration, creating the public outreach, communication, training and fieldwork materials needed to implement those procedures, conducting in-depth assessments of MAST and scoping the necessary improvements to upgrade this technology into a fully functional mobile mapping application that will be integrated with Tanzanian land law, regulation and procedures.

Close collaboration among USAID Tanzania and the LTA field and home office teams has achieved:

• An efficient project start-up
• Building strong relationships with the District Land Office and other key District stakeholders
• Creation of land administration procedures and public outreach materials for first registration/regularization of customary rights in compliance with Tanzanian law and regulation
• Completion of demarcation and adjudication in the first target village, with 838 parcels mapped
• Resolution of several unanticipated challenges regarding the transition from the prior USAID pilot project (MAST)
• Program adjustment to USAID’s direction to change target Districts
• Extensive coordination and program implementation adjustments for USAID’s Randomized Control Trial Impact Evaluation
• Working closely with USAID to develop two contract modifications that 1) incorporated new directives from the Government of Tanzania on LTA target Districts and 2) restructured LTA’s staffing pattern and realigned LTA’s budget to adjust to the new requirements following the transition from the MAST pilot project
• Completion of reporting requirements

Below is a snapshot of FY2016 in phases:

Operational and Technical Start-Up:

Start-up activities commenced in December 2015. Under the leadership of Acting Chief of Party Catherine Johnston and Start up Manager Chris Blatnik, DAI mobilized a start-up team in early January with field and home office backstopping to support staff recruitment, establish an office, set up bank accounts, procure vehicles, establish and train staff on DAI and USAID policies, procedures and systems in financial, administrative and project management, and complete all other administrative and management tasks associated with project start-up.

Key Personnel Chief of Party Clive English and Land Administration Specialist Alphonce Tiba finalized their employment agreements and mobilized to Tanzania in late January to participate in the LTA Kick-off Meeting and draft the Inception Report. LAS Alphonce Tiba then completed demobilization from his prior position and fully mobilized as LTTA on March 1.

The LTA contract defined the target Districts as Kilombero, Iringa and Mbeya. The contract directed that technical implementation begin in 26 identified villages in Kilombero District. However, in February, the MLHHSD informed USAID Tanzania that there was an overlap with the DFID LTRSP project in Kilombero District, and USAID Tanzania instructed DAI to eliminate work in Kilombero and to focus initial LTA activities in Iringa Rural District, with later work to be undertaken in Mbeya District as per contract. The contract was formally amended in July 2016 to reflect this change. This unanticipated change in target Districts created significant delays in implementation, as the process of village selection needed to be coordinated with Iringa Rural District government as well as the USAID Impact Evaluation. LTA worked with the Iringa Rural District Land Office to select six initial villages based on District Land Office priorities and LTA program requirements, and began collecting data and imagery necessary for field work implementation.

The elimination of the pre-determined Kilombero District villages enabled USAID to implement a Randomized Control Trial Impact Evaluation (IE). LTA provided extensive inputs into the design of the IE, facilitated field research by the IE team, and continues to collaborate in the RCT village selection process. Work in the six selected villages continues and will not be included in the IE.

MAST Handover and Improvements:

The LTA contract anticipated the handover of a fully functional Mobile Application to Secure Tenure that would require no modifications. The LTA team assumed that this fully functional application would be designed in accordance with and be accompanied by a set of land administration procedures for first registration/regularization of customary rights, including public outreach materials. The LTA contract also anticipated a rapid transition from the MAST Pilot Project within the first quarter of LTA implementation. Unanticipated challenges included the technical weaknesses of the application on mission critical features such as mapping accuracy, creating complete parcel index maps and recording correct unique claimant identification; the lack of integration of the application with Tanzanian land administration procedures; the lack of systematic procedures for implementation of first registration; and the absence of public outreach materials. In addition, the extension of the MAST Pilot period of performance resulted in a 6 month overlap and a long delay in the handover of the complete MAST application software and data produced by the pilot project.

These challenges resulted in significant delays in LTA technical activities, and significant unanticipated expenditures for identifying and proposing solutions to technical weaknesses. LTA has successfully overcome these challenges by developing from the ground up a set of comprehensive land administration procedures and public outreach materials for first registration/regularization of customary rights; by documenting and proposing solutions to software application weaknesses; and developing a budget modification to enable the implementation of these improvements.

Program Implementation and Field Work:

When LTA gained access to the MAST pilot software application, and the data and maps created during the pilot, it was clear that significant preparatory work was required before field work could begin. In addition, the acquisition of baseline data and imagery from the District Land Office and USAID LTRM was required to set up the initial six villages for field work.

As discussed above, the establishment of operational procedures that could be readily applied to first registration was completed in collaboration with the DLO between April and July 2016. This included the creation of public outreach materials and training packages for key stakeholders including the Village Council, Village Assembly, and volunteer village parasurveyors and adjudicators that would conduct the demarcation and adjudication in the villages. Special emphasis was put on key messages and training materials specifically targeting women and women’s land rights.

Simultaneously, LTA was assessing MAST and developing a comprehensive understanding of the improvements necessary to create a fully functional mobile application that supported low-cost participatory first registration procedures in compliance with Tanzanian law. This was done in close collaboration with the District Lands Office. Improvements necessary to achieve an acceptable level of functionality (such as accurate and consistent capture of claimant identification) were completed by LTA’s IT/GIS Application Designer. This made it possible for field work to begin in the first village, Kinywang’anga, in July 2016. Field work began with program introductions to village authorities, followed by outreach and awareness raising about the LTA program with the entire village, in-depth trainings for Village Council members, and targeted education/training sessions at the hamlet level and with women’s groups. DLO staff played an important role in assisting with all of the field work. Para-surveyors and adjudicators were trained and supervised carefully in demarcation and adjudication of parcels.

Mapping and adjudication of 838 parcel claims by 359 unique claimants was completed in September 2016. Seven parcels were recorded as in dispute. The average number of parcels per claimant was 2.5, but the range included individuals claiming up to twelve parcels. 55 percent of all claims were from female claimants, and of those claimants 68% claimed single tenancy for their parcels. 21 percent of all claimants were younger than 35 years.

As part of project implementation, LTA also submitted all required reports including the Inception Report, Annual Workplan, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, Gender and Vulnerable Groups Plan, monthly reports, and quarterly reports. LTA also worked closely with USAID Tanzania to develop and submit two contract modifications. The first was for the change in target Districts (described above) and was approved in July 2016. The second was for a budget modification including a realignment and ceiling increase to facilitate the necessary MAST improvements and to establish a staffing profile better aligned with LTA’s current technical needs.

As part of the Feed the Future (FTF) initiative, USAID has invested in several agricultural projects in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) and is seeking to develop focused land tenure programming to support USAID’s existing and planned investments in the region.

The Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) activity seeks to clarify and document land ownership, support land use planning efforts, and increase local understanding of land use and land rights. It is anticipated that the interventions will reduce land tenure-related risks and lay the groundwork for sustainable agricultural investment for both smallholders and commercial investors throughout the corridor and in the value chains of focus for Tanzania’s FTF program.

Local sustainability is a critical component of the LTA activity. The goal of this activity is to empower district and village land institutions in the districts targeted by the LTA to carry forward the capacity building and land administration process independently (and with little or no outside financial support or assistance) when LTA concludes.

In carrying out its activities, LTA collaborates and coordinates with the Government of Tanzania and other donor programs to produce complementary programming that is timely, cost-effective, and sustainable.

LTA also coordinates closely with, and utilizes lessons learned from, the USAID Mobile Application to Secure Tenure (MAST) pilot project, which tested an approach for the mapping of land parcels, adjudication, and delivery of Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCROs) using an open source mobile application.

The Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) program works in the Districts of Iringa and Mbeya to provide assistance to local level authorities in the delivery of land tenure services under the Village Land Act No.5, 1999 and the Land Use Planning Act No.6, 2007.

LTA provides support to the implementation of land tenure regularization and first issuance and registration of CCROs and Village Land Use Plans (VLUP) in 41 selected villages (36 villages in Iringa District and 5 villages in Mbeya District). In addition to these key activities, support is also being provided to capacity building at both District and Village levels. Years 1 and 2 and 3 are focusing on the main task of building capacity in Iringa District. Capacity building activities will then be extended to Mbeya District Council through the District Land Office commencing in Year 3 and through Year 4. LTA work is undertaken under four activities re-stated here as follows:

• Activity 1: Assist villages and District administrations leaders and institutions in completing the land use planning process and delivering CCROs in selected villages within districts of Iringa and Mbeya.
• Activity 2: Educate and build capacity of village land governance institutions and individual villagers to complete the land use planning and CCRO process, effectively manage land resources, respect women’s, youth and pastoralist’s land rights and build agriculture-related business skills.
• Activity 3: Educate and build capacity of district-level land governance institutions in Mbeya District to complete the land use planning and CCRO process.
• Activity 4: Build capacity to use the MAST application throughout the SAGCOT and Nationally.

As part of the Feed the Future (FTF) initiative, USAID has invested in several agricultural projects in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) and is seeking to develop focused land tenure programming to support USAID’s existing and planned investments in the region.

The Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) activity seeks to clarify and document land ownership, support land use planning efforts and increase local understanding of land use and land rights. It is envisioned that the interventions will reduce land tenure-related risks and lay the groundwork for sustainable agricultural investment for both small holders and commercial investors throughout the corridor and in the value chains of focus for Tanzania’s FTF program.

Local sustainability is a critical component of the LTA activity. The goal of this activity is to empower district and village land institutions in the districts targeted by LTA to carry forward the capacity-building and land administration process independently (and with little or no outside financial support) once LTA concludes.

In carrying out the LTA activity, Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) will collaborate and coordinate with the GOT and other donor programs in order to produce complementary programming that is timely, cost effective and sustainable. DAI will coordinate closely with the land tenure programming of other bilateral donors, most notably the Land Tenure Support Programme for Tanzania (ODI) program funded by the UK Department of International Development (DFID), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).

DAI will also coordinate closely with, and utilize lessons learned from the USAID Mobile Application to Support Tenure pilot project, which aims to test an innovative approach of mapping land and delivering Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy using an open source mobile application.

As part of the Feed the Future (FTF) initiative, USAID has invested in several agricultural projects in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) and is seeking to develop focused land tenure programming to support USAID’s existing and planned investments in the region.

The Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) activity seeks to clarify and document land ownership, support land use planning efforts and increase local understanding of land use and land rights. It is envisioned that the interventions will reduce land tenure-related risks and lay the groundwork for sustainable agricultural investment for both small holders and commercial investors throughout the corridor and in the value chains of focus for Tanzania’s FTF program.

Local sustainability is a critical component of the LTA activity. The goal of this activity is to empower district and village land institutions in the districts targeted by the LTA to carry forward the capacity-building and land administration process independently (and with little or no outside financial support or assistance) when LTA concludes.

In carrying out the LTA activity, Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) will collaborate and coordinate with the Government of Tanzania and other donor programs in order to produce complementary programming that is timely, cost effective and sustainable. DAI will coordinate closely with the land tenure programming of other bilateral donors, most notably the and Tenure Support Program for Tanzania (ODI) program funded by the UK Department of International Development (DFID), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).

DAI will also coordinate closely with, and utilize lessons learned from the USAID Mobile Application to Secure Tenure pilot project, which aims to test an approach for the mapping of land parcels, adjudication and delivery of Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy using an open source mobile application.

As part of the Feed the Future (FTF) initiative, USAID has invested in several agricultural projects in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) and is seeking to develop focused land tenure programming to support USAID’s existing and planned investments in the region.

The Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) activity seeks to clarify and document land ownership, support land use planning efforts, and increase local understanding of land use and land rights. It is anticipated that the interventions will reduce land tenure-related risks and lay the groundwork for sustainable agricultural investment for both smallholders and commercial investors throughout the corridor and in the value chains of focus for Tanzania’s FTF program.

Local sustainability is a critical component of the LTA activity. The goal of this activity is to empower district and village land institutions in the districts targeted by the LTA to carry forward the capacitybuilding and land administration process independently (and with little or no outside financial support or assistance) when LTA concludes.

In carrying out the LTA activity, DAI collaborates and coordinates with the Government of Tanzania and other donor programs in order to produce complementary programming that is timely, cost-effective, and sustainable. DAI coordinates closely with the land tenure programming of other bilateral donors, most notably the Tenure Support Program for Tanzania (ODI) program funded by the UK Department of International Development (DFID), Swedish International Development Agency, and Danish International Development Agency.

DAI also coordinates closely with, and utilizes lessons learned from, the USAID Mobile Application to Secure Tenure (MAST) pilot project, which aims to test an approach for the mapping of land parcels, adjudication, and delivery of Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCROs) using an open source mobile application.

The Tenure and Global Climate Change (TGCC) program provides USAID with the opportunity to explore the relationship between the governance and tenure of agriculture, forests, and fisheries and the achievement of global climate change programming objectives through technical analysis, field work, and policy support. During this quarter, TGCC continued engagement with donors and civil society on land issues in Zambia, while carrying out training of 32 new staff associated with customary land documentation processes in Chipata; continued support for public consultations associated with the Draft National Land Use Policy in Burma; carried out preparations for field pilot work in Burma; and, developed terms of reference for future mangrove and commodity supply chain work.

Zambia: Grants and subcontracts for the coming year’s agroforestry and tenure implementation were awarded during this quarter including agroforestry work with Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO), land tenure work with the Chipata District Land Alliance (CDLA), and communication, outreach and methodological support with Mwananga Theatre Group and Terra Firma. CDLA held the third round of village meetings across Maguya, Mnukwa and Mshawa Chiefdoms to validate the outcomes of the village governance meetings and mapping activities. CDLA hired more than 30 new field staff, and a three- week training/practical was held to build the team capacity in mobile data collection, map reading and facilitation skills. Household land demarcation and claims began in 16 villages of Maguya Chiefdom. On policy engagement, the quarter culminated in three consultation events: between national government, civil society and cooperating partners; among national civil society organizations; and between traditional authorities and government in Eastern Province. USAID and TGCC agreed on annual work plan directions toward the end of the quarter, including planned expansion activities.

Burma: During this quarter, TGCC opened its Yangon office and began hiring administrative staff. TGCC continued to support the consultation process around the public release of the draft National Land Use Policy, supporting consultations associated with a review of the sixth draft of the Policy. The Technical Steering Committee that will vet TGCC activities and ensure communication and collaboration among project stakeholders at the national level was established. USAID and TGCC agreed on an annual task work plan during a visit to Burma from the USAID Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and Alternate COR (ACOR).

Other Activities: TGCC completed an annual work plan and submitted a revised annual budget. Following the annual work plan completion, TGCC developed draft concepts with USAID on the Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA) 2020 and on mangroves and tenure. TGCC and USAID held discussions on engagement at the 21st Conference of the Parties for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Challenges: Challenges were encountered in Zambia in Mshawa Chiefdom where the chief has not been formally installed and some communities are resisting the authority of the new Chief Mshawa, and thus rejecting the TGCC work. The new Chief is expected to be installed in early August, and TGCC will hold off on further work until that time. With staff on three different continents, maintaining open communication is a constant challenge. TGCC continued to improve communication and coordination with USAID missions, and a communication protocol was reviewed over the quarter and biweekly phone calls on Burma and Zambia were instituted.

Priorities: Key priorities for the next quarter in Zambia are to further refine field and data processes; launch the second phase of Chipata agroforestry work; and, continue to support dialogue between CSOs, government, and traditional authorities. In Burma, priorities are to develop future legal and policy engagement direction, and agree on pilot site selection and complete initial tenure assessments. Other priorities are to share REDD+ and Resource Tenure Assessments, launch a TFA 2020 and mangrove analyses, and decide on next steps for the Marine Resource Tenure Primer.

The Tenure and Global Climate Change (TGCC) program provides USAID with the opportunity to explore the relationship between the governance of agriculture, forests, and fisheries landscapes and achieving sustainable land use and resilient communities through technical analysis, field work, and policy engagement. During this quarter, activities included:

Zambia: The Petauke District Land Alliance (PDLA) focused on household land demarcation and claims processes across Sandwe Chiefdom. The Chipata District Land Alliance (CDLA) supported communities through the process of requesting changes to certificates, including division of parcels and documenting new parcels. TGCC held a customary land research symposium. TGCC coordinated closely with the Ministry of Lands and the land component of the World Bank (WB) Integrated Sustainable Forest Landscape (IFSL) program, which has led to partnership and movement on resettlement areas. TGCC also continued coordination with government on national land governance priorities. TGCC prepared methodologies for land conflict resolution and for land-use planning.

Burma: From the policy side, the TGCC Land Tenure Project (LTP) has continued to engage in donor coordination and, in particular, support to the Agriculture Policy Unit (APU). LTP developed an education and outreach plan as well as a social media kit that have been put into practice, alongside the finalization of a land governance stakeholder analysis and educational gap analysis. LTP finalized site selection and partnering with the last two civil society partners from Sagaing Region, and led trainings on tenure and gender assessments, spatial data collection and analysis. Field activities in the second pilot site were completed this quarter.

Vietnam, Mangroves, and Marine Tenure: In Vietnam, the field team completed Participatory Coastal Resource Assessments across the three participating communes in Tien Lang District. The resulting coastal profiles have been particularly well received, and present a solid stepping stone for upcoming spatial planning work. The Tanzania and Indonesia mangrove reports (full report and briefs) produced with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) were submitted to USAID for review. TGCC finalized country assessments associated with marine tenure lessons and is consolidating lessons learned into a public summary.

TFA 2020: Activities in Ghana were launched with Winrock International (Winrock) through a series of baseline data surveys, preparation of training manuals on tenure and agroforestry training, and development of a financing model for cocoa rehabilitation. TGCC partner World Resources Institute (WRI) completed its preparations with local partners for documentation of community land claims in Paraguay as part of an engagement with the beef sector.

Challenges: TGCC established deliverable tracking tools to keep on schedule with over 90 products that are expected to be delivered to USAID during the last year of implementation. TGCC was largely able to both scale up activities (particularly in Ghana and Vietnam), while also keeping an eye on project close-out, with in-country activities ending in December 2017. TGCC re-evaluated participation in global outreach events following the news that project obligations will be ~$129,000 less than previously expected.

Priorities: In the coming quarter, TGCC will see a continued sustained activity implementation across all five countries. Field implementation will be prioritized to ensure that local partners are able to complete activities prior to December 2017. Templates for lessons learned and toolkit deliverables will be developed and validated with USAID and stakeholders.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The close of fiscal year 2015 brings with it renewed hope and optimism for the peace process in Colombia. On September 23, President Juan Manuel Santos shocked the nation with an historic announcement from Havana. After close to four years of negotiations, the government of Colombia (GOC) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) reached an agreement on perhaps the most complex negotiation point: measures of justice for those actively involved in the civil conflict. Furthermore, for the first time, President Santos provided a timeline for the conclusion of the negotiation process and for the signature of the final peace agreement—March 23, 2016—and the subsequent handover of arms by the FARC. Although many details remain unaddressed, Colombia is now closer than ever to lasting peace. Land was the driver of, and is the solution to, the half-century conflict in Colombia.

Throughout FY2015, the Land and Rural Development Program (LRDP) continued its work with both national and regional GOC entities to better prepare them to address the many complex issues related to land tenure security, which are essential to the post-conflict phase. The very essence of LRDP is to prepare the GOC at the regional and national levels to implement land reform and to provide rural Colombia with the services it needs to improve the quality of life for rural citizens and other vulnerable populations.

The recent National Agricultural Census paints a bleak picture of rural Colombia. Rural poverty stands at 44.7%—nearly three times higher than urban poverty. As the rural population grows older, younger generations migrate to urban centers in pursuit of employment opportunities and a better quality of life. Rural producers lack access to roads, markets, technical assistance, extension services, and basic infrastructure. Large tracts of land are concentrated in the hands of a few, and land rights in rural areas are informal and insecure. Institutional fragmentation and a lack of coordination between national and regional GOC actors prevents the government from effectively addressing the challenges that have plagued rural citizens for decades.

LRDP is bridging the gap between national GOC entities and their regional branches, building government capacity to mobilize resources into rural areas and to streamline land restitution and formalization procedures—and ultimately, to position these entities to address new challenges in a post-conflict Colombia. We covered much ground in FY2015, which was the program’s second year of implementation, and have positioned ourselves to provide targeted support to the GOC at this critical time in Colombia’s history.

KEY ADVANCES

Key advances during year 2 include the following:

Reducing processing times for the GOC’s land-related entities. Electronic information systems are essential for accelerating the provision of land tenure-related services to campesinos and ethnic groups. The demand for these systems will become even more critical in a post-conflict environment. To this end, LRDP is helping the GOC migrate from antiquated systems (i.e., hard copy, analogue files) to electronic systems. During year 2, we completed five such systems, achieving a substantial reduction in processing times for GOC efforts related to land restitution and formalization. These systems are now being used by GOC entities throughout the country:

1. Landowner search system (Superintendence of Notary and Registry): 93% reduction in processing time for gathering landowner information from among the country’s 194 public registry offices.
2. Ethnic module (Land Restitution Unit): 55% reduction in processing time for the registration and analysis of ethnic restitution cases.
3. Restitution claim monitoring system (Land Restitution Unit): 40% reduction in processing time for checking the status of restitution claims.
4. Restitution ruling monitoring system (Land Restitution Unit): 40% reduction in processing time for following up with relevant GOC entities on their compliance with court orders on restitution.
5. Property title study system (Superintendence of Notary and Registry): 50% reduction in processing time for performing legal analyses of land parcels.

In February 2016, we will organize a joint meeting with the relevant GOC entities and USAID at which each entity will present the solutions delivered by their new system(s), as well as how other entities stand to benefit from them.

Influencing national-level policy. LRDP provided technical inputs for Colombia’s 2014–2018 National Development Plan (NDP), a four-year government plan and budget that establishes guidelines for growth and improvement in the country, and outlines the steps to achieve these goals. In particular, we advocated for the inclusion of transformative land formalization and rural development initiatives that will be key in the post-conflict era. Most of our key recommendations were adopted in the NDP—namely (1) the creation of a national Rural Development Fund (or other similar mechanism) that will autonomously and transparently operate as a link between the national and regional governments to ensure that funding reaches the country’s rural populations; (2) the creation of a national Land Authority, a new entity, empowered to streamline the currently fragmented land formalization process, thus guaranteeing greater secure land tenure for Colombia’s rural citizens; and (3) a multipurpose cadaster system that will facilitate the GOC’s ability to provide much-needed basic services to communities, providing added value above and beyond the traditional use of the cadaster primarily for tax-collection purposes.

Supporting Colombia’s Rural Mission initiative. We supported the National Planning Department’s Rural Mission initiative, a 20-year endeavor comprising some of Colombia’s greatest minds on land and rural development issues. Rural Mission seeks to modernize rural Colombia through an improved institutional, legal, and policy framework. In an important vote of confidence, Rural Mission asked LRDP to write a report evaluating the government’s current land policy. Our report, which was featured in a full-page article in a Sunday El Tiempo (see Annex E) after being presented to the government, showed that the government’s approach to land administration was out of date and out of touch. We called for a new legal framework that decentralizes land formalization, simplifies the process of accessing land, and streamlines the recuperation of public lands (baldíos).

Identifying baldíos for the Land Fund. At the end of year 2, we met one of our life-of-project goals (key indicator 2.3.1) regarding the identification of baldíos that could potentially feed into the Land Fund, an inventory of public land parcels that can be distributed to poor people. Together with the Superintendence of Notary and Registry (SNR), we analyzed 48,605 registration files, surpassing the requirement of the Constitutional Court—as called for in Sentence T-488—to review 47,429 files. LRDP was directly responsible for reviewing 34,461 files, or 71%, of the total files reviewed. This strategic project serves as a basis for the development and implementation of the country’s new formalization and land-use policy for rural lands, particularly in a post-conflict Colombia, as it is one of the key elements within the agreement on rural issues in Havana. At the conclusion of the activity, the SNR formally thanked USAID for “the valuable support provided for the compliance with Sentence T-488” and expressed its desire to “continue counting on [USAID’s] assistance in current and future projects.”

Digitalizing cadastral information. We supported IGAC in the recovery and digitalization of 2,317 magnetic tapes containing 624,039 property files from 22 departments. The conversion of these magnetic tapes is critical for the country’s land policy, as it is an input for reconstructing the context of displacement and providing key information for the processes managed by the Land Restitution Unit (LRU). It also provides cadastral information in an accessible, reliable, digital format that facilitates the tracking of the history of land parcels, an important source of evidentiary material for restitution rulings in Colombia.

Mobilizing resources for rural populations. During year 2, we secured the commitment of the GOC to allocate approximately US$4.3 million for rural development projects that will benefit communities in our focus regions.

Improving LRDP’s internal operations. Colombia’s land and rural development challenges are incredibly complex, with multi-layered challenges, shifting political priorities, and many stakeholders. In this environment, it is critical for LRDP to clearly articulate how we operate, what we hope to achieve, and how we “tell our story.” Coordinating closely with USAID in year 2, we better positioned the program to measure development impact, improve overall project operations, and overhaul our communications and messaging strategy. To this end, we revised our program indicators, developed new communications products, added high-level staff, and relied on strategic and targeted short-term international expertise.

LOOKING AHEAD

The key advances and internal management actions taken in year 2 have positioned LRDP to help GOC entities at the national and regional levels prepare to implement activities in a post-conflict scenario. In year 2, we adapted our approach to promote development impact and to engage new entities that are critical partners in the peace process. Some of these actors include the Ministry of Post-Conflict and the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace—both of which will play an important role in the transition to peace. Furthermore, the recognition and trust established by LRDP with national and regional GOC entities will streamline implementation in year 3. With highly qualified staff in our Bogota office and five regional offices (Cauca, Cesar, Meta, Montes de María, and Tolima), LRDP is set to achieve significant impact in year 3.

PREPARING FOR PEACE

A signed peace accord between the government of Colombia (GOC) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) did not happen on March 23, 2016, as had been anticipated. This reality evidences the fact that both parties are still far from seeing eye to eye on critical issues for establishing lasting peace in Colombia. The negotiations continue with no established timeframe for their conclusion.

While disappointing, the GOC and USAID remain committed to preparing Colombia for peace. Up-to-date information systems remain a critical priority to promote land reform. For example, this quarter, the Land and Rural Development Program (LRDP) helped the Agustin Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC) launch an internal electronic information platform that allows the entity to quickly assign and follow up on all land restitution-related information requests and court orders. This system enables IGAC to comply with legally mandated restitution requests 50% faster than before, promoting a higher quality and more effective land restitution process. In addition, resolving the secondary occupant issue remains a priority for regional peace and the reduction of conflict over land. In this regard, we provided valuable information to 536 secondary occupants in Cesar, Montes de María, and Meta regarding their legal rights.

Sixty-six of these received legal representation to help move their cases forward, which will result in greater land security for families in need and a more sustainable restitution policy. Finally, preparing the newly established land and rural development agencies for peace (e.g., the National Land Agency and Rural Development Agency) remains a priority for LRDP. For example, we are providing technical assistance in the creation GOC to identify parcels that are currently registered under the now-defunct Colombian National Institute of Agrarian Reform (INCORA). This methodology will allow the GOC to successfully register these parcels in the name of the new National Land Agency.This quarter, we analyzed 60 parcels and determined that 56 are viable for transfer. We will continue this activity next quarter by reviewing more than 400 parcels in total, thereby helping increase land available for the Land Fund.

The assistance we provide to promote land reform and rural development demonstrates our relevance to the GOC. With or without a peace agreement in place, we are providing needed support to national and regional government entities to help modernize and streamline processes needed for true reform to occur. Critical work for promoting peace is underway and will continue during the next reporting period. Priority activities include the following:

• Direct support for formalization campaigns. We are planning for the implementation of a formalization pilot activity in Ovejas (Montes de María). This pilot will establish best practices and lessons learned, facilitating massive formalization in other municipalities throughout Colombia, which is essential for lasting peace.
• Support the expansion of Colombia’s multipurpose cadaster. The GOC identified the multipurpose cadaster as a critical initial step to implement development policies in conflict-affected regions. We are providing direct support to this initiative, working closely with the National Planning Department and IGAC. Maximizing the viability and use of a multipurpose cadaster is essential for territorial governance and resource management.
• Direct support to modernize information systems. We have progressed 60% in the construction of the Land Node, a web-based platform that links the databases of land-related agencies, permitting the exchange of information in real time. We are also preparing to support the Superintendence of Notary and Registry (SNR) to digitalize millions of files in several departments across the country. This is a critical step for enhancing the Land Node, streamlining land restitution and formalization processes, and reducing the time it takes to promote land reform.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Building relationships based on trust and confidence is essential for achieving positive development impact. During the quarter, we spent much time and effort engaging the newly elected governors and mayors in the five regions where we work. Today, these new officials—who took office on January 1, 2016—have a solid understanding of the type of assistance available to them through the various USAID implementing partners in the regions, particularly LRDP. Buy-in from local authorities is essential for the successful implementation of project activities.

We provided targeted technical assistance to local governments in the construction of their municipal and departmental development plans. Working together with local counterparts, LRDP staff ensured the inclusion of cross-cutting land reform and rural development initiatives, as well as territorial peacebuilding efforts, in local government planning over the next four years. Based on our extensive knowledge and experience in various regions, we provided a strong foundation for the new officials to build on. Through these initiatives, LRDP is well positioned to continue providing assistance to the implementation of the development plans in the coming years and to prepare local governments for post-conflict initiatives.

PROMOTING PROJECT COORDINATION

We demonstrated our leadership in coordinating among the various USAID implementing partners in the regions where we work. Taking the initiative in Montes de María, we hosted a project coordination meeting to promote dialogue and synergies between the various USAID projects operating in the region. This helped orient USAID’s new Rural Finance Initiative on the realities of working in Montes de María, on where the various partners are active, and on what each one is doing. Participation by USAID’s Program Office in this meeting highlighted its importance and helped establish a model for project coordination for application in other regions. We also played a key role in project coordination efforts in Cauca—again, in close coordination with USAID’s Program Office.

Establishing synergies across technical areas and ensuring that implementing partners avoid duplicating efforts are important. However, project coordination also spans across other areas. For example, LRDP played an important role in providing security support and guidance to other implementing partners, such as USAID’s new Rural Governance Activity and the Rural Finance Initiative. Sharing best practices, contacts for transportation services and overall intelligence about the security situation in the regions where we operate is important for promoting the safety of other projects’ staff. We will continue to play a leading role in project coordination in our five focus regions.