IMPROVEMENT OF LAND TENURE SECURITY FOR LIBERIAN WOMEN IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR Cheryl A. Williams Gender & Social Development Focal Person Ministry of Agriculture ANNUAL WORLD BANK CONFERENCE ON LAND AND POVERTY MARCH , 2015

OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION Focus of the Study Introduction Specific Objectives Methodology Land Tenure Systems Customary Land Ownership Liberian Agriculture Sector Liberian Women in Agriculture Improvements in Land Tenure Security Gender Gaps despite progress Conclusion

FOCUS OF THE STUDY The study focuses on developments by the Liberian Government on customary land rights for women in Agriculture. The study also concentrates on the gender disparities in land rights and tenure security agriculture. This paper explores the process to obtain land employed since the 19th century, the tenure security issues with a gender lens and looks at the improvements made by the Government of Liberia and its Development Partners (DPs).

INTRODUCTION Liberia is a nation rich in natural resources with a vast forest, and vast agriculture land. Pluralistic land tenure system of customary and statutory. Land in Liberia is a productive resource, essential to the development and sustainability of rural livelihoods. Agriculture in Liberia has been described as the backbone of the country’s economy employing over 70% of the economically active population and is the dominant contributor to export trade and earnings accounting for over ninety percent of export (nearly all being rubber).

INTRODUCTION cont Small scale agriculture is practiced in Liberia with women farmers mainly produce food crops; while male farmers are engaged in cash crop. The arrival of the freed slaves brought about social distinctions and the introduction of ‘civilized’ and ‘uncivilized’ peoples and land tenure. Limitations on access to land have threatened the survival of rural dwellers especially women Inequality in land issues have been the cause of social unrest and civil conflict in Liberia.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE DOCUMENT To monitor the level of progress made by the Liberian government in land rights and tenure security. To assess existing institutional policy and legal frameworks that support gender equality in land tenure security for women in agriculture and To identify key gender gaps in land rights and tenure security despite progress made thus far.

METHODOLOGY Desk review of existing land laws and law reform progress. Previous study conducted in Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties on the ‘Consequences of Gender Disparities in Land Tenure Security for Small Scale farmers’. Key informant interviews with farmer groups leaders, extension workers, County Agriculture Coordinators, County Gender Coordinators, land commission workers.

METHODOLOGY cont Key informant interviews with Gender group of the Constitution Reform Committee, focus group discussions with male and female farmers.

LAND TENURE SYSTEMS IN LIBERIA Land acquisition and ownership in Liberia before 1822 was based on community/customary rights involving shifting and overlapping claims, managed by local governance institutions. Customary laws provide opportunity for gender discrimination and bias against women and girls. Customarily, because men are traditional heads and in most cases religious leaders in rural settings, community properties are under their control. Statutory/legal land ownership was introduced by the Settlers.

LAND TENURE SYSTEMS IN LIBERIA cont… The patriarchal social structure in Liberia existed long before the arrival of the settlers. Indigenous Liberians had a traditional system of governance led exclusively by men. Tribal courts to judge familial and communal cases were male dominated. Religions and traditional sects were also headed by men. Inheritance was also based on patrilineal descent that favors male off- springs.

CUSTOMARY LAND OWNERSHIP Land access and acquisition under tenure systems is through group claims held by families, villages or towns. Land ownership by legal deeds has changed the tenure systems in many areas even though customary land ownership is practiced by majority of Liberians. Due to the numerous cases of land tenure insecurity and illegal land sale by unscrupulous local authorities the President has placed a moratorium on public land sale.

LIBERIAN AGRICULTURE SECTOR Liberia recognizes agriculture as a strategic sector it is a significant net contributor to the economy. is a significant net contributor to the economy in terms of employment and foreign exchange earnings, and a primary determinant of nutrition, education, poverty reduction, and rural transformation. Unlike other investments the effects of agricultural investment on economic growth and development are fast.

Liberian Women in Agriculture Liberian women account for over 60% and 80% of agricultural output and trade respectively. Women in all counties except Montserrado, constitute a large proportion of farm labor, processing and commercialization of agricultural products Women in Liberia produce over half of the output in food crops; however, female participation in cash crop production is extremely low. Despite this dominance they own less land than men and have less access to extension services, productive resources and technologies to improve productivity.

IMPROVEMENTS IN LAND TENURE SECURITY In June 2009, government passed the Executive Order to establish the Law Reform Commission (LC) of Liberia, an independent body. It is mandated to supervise the law reform process and serve as the coordinating arm of the government for various law reforms. Agriculture programs targeting women farmer groups that looked into land acquisition and ownership rights for women have helped lifted several women farmer groups and individual farmers from poverty.

IMPROVEMENTS IN LAND TENURE SECURITY cont Besides establishing the LC to ensure ‘equitable access to and security of tenure for women, youth and other categories of persons who may have labored under a disadvantage in this regard’, the Liberian Government and partners conducted researches to identify issues in land tenure security that stalls the economic progress of marginalized groups, so that gaps in existing land policies can be addressed.

IMPROVEMENTS IN LAND TENURE SECURITY cont The formulation of the Land Rights Policy finally became a reality in 2013 after several recommendations from studies carried out by Development Partners including USAID’s Land Policy and Institutional Support (LPIS) Project, funded through a Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Program. The policy aims to address historic inequalities and was a giant step in the country’s history to address inequalities in customary land ownership.

IMPROVEMENTS IN LAND TENURE SECURITY cont The principals of the policy are to secure land rights for economic growth, equitable benefits, equal access, equal protection, environmental protection, clarity, participation and evidence based. The Land Rights Act was passed in 2014.

GENDER GAPS DESPITE PROGRESS Despite progress made in land tenure security, women lack the confidence in acquiring land for agriculture in some parts of rural Liberia. Inadequate information dissemination across the country. Local experts lack adequate training and Sensitization on advocacy for Women’s Land Rights in Liberia is not properly conducted.

CONCLUSION Women farmers now own land for leading to economic empowerment, decision making powers. The Commission has been successful in achieving its goal of ‘developing a comprehensive national land tenure and land use system that will provide equitable access to land and security of tenure so as to facilitate inclusive, sustained growth and development, ensure peace and security, and provide sustainable management of the environment’.

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