AFRICAN UNION LPI-SDC Assistance to Niger in support of the implementation of the AU declaration on land policy Land Policy Initiative LPI Land Policy Initiative

NIGER, A SAHELIAN COUNTRY

Niger Development challenges Food security and valorization of agro-pastoral land Combating desertification and managing natural resources Reduction of conflicts related to land (South, Centre) and to access to water (North)

The response of Niger: Orientation principles of Rural Code 1980s: decentralized consultation / on land and development (Rural Development Strategy) 1989: establishment of the national Comity of the rural Code 1993: Adoption of the OPRC (Orientation Principles of the Rural Code)

Key elements of the OPRC An orientation framework for all productive activities in rural areas: –Agriculture –Pastoralism –Forestry… In a perspective of: –Securing rural actors –Sustainable use of land resources

Key elements of the OPRC (2) Ackowledging all land rights: –Registered land rights –Customary property land rights –Droits d’usages prioritaires (Pastoraux) Local institutions in charge of securing land rights –Land commissions Tools for land use planning –Local Land use plans

20 years later: which outcome? Sensitization campaigns on the rural Code Establishment of land Commissions Development of complementary laws Recognition of local land rights Securing communal land rights (grazing areas, livestock corridors, etc.)

Remaining challenges Secure priority land use (pastoral land rights) Developing land use planning Improving women’s land rights Sustainability of the rural code process? Articulation of rural and urban land processes Coordination of rural code process and decentralization process.

Why an LPI/ SDC project in support of Niger? SDC Working in Niger for more than 20 Yrs A request of assistance from Niger to LPI –Local land use planning SDC is supporting: –The AU Declaration on land –The Voluntary Guidelines –Encouragement of synergy in implementing VG/ F&G through recruitment of a senior land expert through EU/FSTP Process –Clarification by LPI/ Niger on needs –Development of a proposal in support of the implementation of the AU Declaration on land

Objectives of project Facilitate the implementation of AU Declaration on land for improved tenure security of rural producers and reduced conflicts in rural areas

Expected Outcomes O1: Improved knowledge and experience sharing on local land use planning O2: Enhanced capacity of actors on participatory local land use planning O3: Improved M&E of the land policy process in Niger for more effective land rights delivery services; O4: Emhanced experience and capacity of Niger, RECs and LPI in piloting the implementation of the AU Declaration on land at country level.

Key outputs For O1: Improved knowledge/ experience sharing on land use planning –Report on promising practices on land use planning (including experiences from Burkina and Tanzania) –Reports of e. discussion on promising practices on land use planning –Policy briefs and advocacy material on land use planning and securing land rights of small holder farmers, women and pastoralists communities

Key outputs For O2: Enhancing the capacity of actors in the field of participatory land use planning –Framework on participatory land use planning –Training modules & material on participatory land use planning

Key outputs O3: Improved M&E of the Niger land policy process –Framework on M&E of land policy including land use planning and other tools –M&E Pilots –Reports on progress achieved in land policy (input to the report to AU summit)

Key outputs O4: Enhanced capacity in implementing the pilot project … –Recruitment of National land expert –Report of a training session on land policy development/ implementation –Periodic implementation Reports of project

Key Lessons A momentum of synergy between LPI/ FAO in implementing the AU Declaration and VG in Niger Using the LPI/ SDC Niger pilot project as a model to implement the AU Declaration on land at national level Increasing interest of partners to support the Niger land policy process –Experience of 20 years of the Rural Code of Niger (French cooperation) –Support to the development of the National land policy (FAO) –Work on land indicators (World Bank and others … )