This suite of tools is intended to provide background information and guide USAID staff, United States Government personnel and development practitioners to address land based programming and programming that incorporates elements related to land.
The U. S. Government is a global leader in the land and resource governance sector. Through international agreements, global coordination, and bi-lateral development assistance, the United States supports programs and policies that create more transparent, accountable, accessible, predictable and stable access to land and other resources, enabling more responsible private sector investment and fostering broad-based economic growth. To ensure that these programs meet the highest international standards for responsible and sustainable development, USAID has developed the following tools and guidelines for programming.
Tools
Mobile Applications to Secure Tenure (MAST) Learning Platform
USAID’s Mobile Applications to Secure Tenure (MAST) is a collaborative, participatory approach that builds sustainable local capacity to efficiently map resource rights and secure land tenure. The approach is inclusive and promotes participation and leadership of women and other marginalized groups in project activities. It is technology-agnostic; the approach can be combined with many types of mobile tools, including USAID’s open-source MAST application.
Intimate Partner Violence and Land Toolkit
This Toolkit supports the objectives of the United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally and USAID’s Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy. It addresses activities and projects that USAID staff may design to strengthen and secure land tenure, property rights and land governance in rural, peri-urban and urban areas.
Guidelines
Guidelines on Compulsory Displacement and Resettlement in USAID Programming
The Guidelines describe good practices regarding compulsory displacement and resettlement (CDR). This voluntary tool is intended for use by USAID Operating Units and their partners at all stages of the program cycle, whether for implementation of activities or as a good practice guide for project design.
Operational Guidelines for Responsible Land-Based Investment
The Operational Guidelines for Responsible Land-Based Investment are now available as an e-book for tablets and e-readers. USAID is increasingly partnering with the private sector through efforts such as the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition (New Alliance). Some of these initiatives, particularly in the agriculture sector, involve land-based investments in countries where land governance is weak.
Available Tools and Resources
These toolkits can provide useful information for development practitioners related to programming challenges around cross-sector issues, including conflict, gender and natural resource management.