Building evidence in support of land policy The LandObs Africa portal on LSLBIs Hubert M. G. Ouedraogo Lead land expert LPI Secretariat

Overview Lack of data: a constraint to land policy processes in Africa Key efforts to generate data in support of land policy LPI LandObs portal on LSLBIs in Africa Key challenges and way forward

Lack of data: a constraint to land policy processes in Africa

Land policy critical to Africa’s development A major challenge for Africa: how to make land play its proper role in development? –Land policy development, implementation, monitoring Land Land policy development: –providing direction for successfully addressing key issues which constrains Africa’s development Land policy implementation: –Translating developed policy into actions Land policy monitoring and evaluation –Learning from past successes/ failures –Take appropriate measures to ensure effectiveness of policy Quality data needed for evidence-based policymaking

Data/ information needs in context of land policy development Recognising customary-based land rights –Which % population holds land under customary land systems? –What land area is governed under customary land systems? Enhancing land tenure security –What % of population has documented land rights? –What is the number of land related conflicts? –% of land conflicts addressed by traditional institutions/ courts Strengthening women’s land rights –% of women holding documented land rights –% of women who accessed land through inheritance Promoting effective land administration systems –% of total land registered under existing land administration systems Addressing issues of LSLBIs –Number of cases –Land area under LSLBI contract –Price of land allocation State lands; land use planning…

Data/ information needs in context of land policy implementation Communication –Percentage of population having basic information about the new land policy? –Extent to which accessed information is in line with principles of new land policy? Capacity building –What Capacity is needed to implement the new land policy? –Who are capacity providers in land policy/ in which area? Land use planning/ management –What is the amount of land available for investors? –Where are these lands/ and what current uses or claims? Review of land laws in line with new land policy –What are existing land laws/ implementation regulations?

Data/ information needs in support of progress tracking of land policy Pre-requisite: Building consensus on tracking questions Availability of data to characterise baseline? Gathering/ processing relevant data to feed M&E system Sources of data –land ministries; other ministries; national statistics departments; research; development partners; CSOs; private sector associations; local land commissions…

Availability/ accessibility of data Limited availability of reliable/ updated data –Ex: 80% of land in Ghana under Customary regime? When available, data not made accessible –Most data still operated manually –Sensitivity of certain land related data (who owns what?) –Cult of Secrecy in African public administration: “information is power” Limited culture of networking/ information sharing amongst experts/ researchers Weak linkage between research/ policy making processes

Key efforts to generate data in support of land policy

First generation of African land Observatories: Mali-- Chad The Land Observatory of Mali –Established in 1994 –Objective: to generate knowledge with a view to informing decision-makers/ non state actors. –Specific Objectives: Data collection; analytical work; Technical assistance/ capacity development –Governance structure: Independent research team (association AVES) Central/Regional observatories –Challenges : lack of clarity on objectives; disconnect with policy-making; relying heavily on donor funding

OBSERVATOIRE DU FONCIER AU TCHAD

SADC LAND REFORM SUPPORT FACILITY

SADC Land reform support facility 2003: Institutional Study in Series of meetings of SADC Land Facility team 2007 (September): meeting of PS responsible for land affairs of SADC region 2008: Meetings of SADC Ministers responsible for land affairs Kick-start activities: information sharing; development of databases; Training sessions: Land distribution; land administration Coordination of LPI regional assessment study on land 2008: Coordination of LPI Multistakeholder conference on land reform (Winhoek, Namibia)

- Data gathering - Analytical work/ providing evidence - Prospective studies - Support to exchange of information/ networking - facilitating cooperation, common position development on strategic land issues - Developing common land policy indicators The West Africa Land Observatory (A UEMOA initiative) Bénin Burkina Faso Côte-d'Ivoire Guinée-Bissau Mali Niger Sénégal Togo

Observatoire du foncier, Madagascar

Other land Observatories Land Observatory of Burkina Faso (2014) –Supported by MCA –Data gathering, processing, lesson learning –Analytical work to inform national land policy process –Popularisation of thematic land issues; dissemination of best practices –Support to participatory M&E –Promoting Partnerships on land policy

Other land Observatories Observatoire du foncier et des politiques foncières au Cameroun (Ongoing) –Challenges of study on Customary land rights in Northern Cameroon (FPAE research center) Data scattered in different national/ local institutions Bias of stakeholder perspective (Government, CSO, Farmers…in data collection/ analysis Resistance to information sharing (protecting sources of funding) –Development of land observatory proposed by FPAE –Objective Centralising land related data in a single institution Avail such data to all interested actors Provide a platform for information/experience sharing –Partnerships FPAE; IRD; CIFOR, CIRAD

LPI LandObs Portal on LSLBIs in Africa

Background on LandObs AU Declaration on land –Commission to work toward establishment of appropriate institutional framework to provide coordination of follow-up activities and facilitate mutual learning by memmber states VALPAF initiative on land policy (2010) –Database of land related information –Database of land experts –Community of practice Nairobi Action Plan on LSLBI –Assessments of LSLBIs –Capacity support to governments to negotiate fairer land deals –Establishment of a monitoring and reporting mechanism –Development of Guiding principles for sound investments in land –Development and implementation of land policies Partnership:

LandObs Africa: Continental level data Available Data - Number of cases -Size of investments - Contractual status (intended; concluded; failed) Entry point - per country - (per region)

LandObs Africa: Country level data Available Data - Investors (primary/ secondary) - purpose of investment - negotiation status - status of implementation - intended size - allocated size (as per contract) Entry points -By

Key Challenges and Way Forward

Key challenges Limited expertise in knowledge management Technical: development of platform Overcoming resistance to information sharing Synergy at Global, Continental, Regional, National levels Open source data approach: reliability/ steering Buy-in/ collaboration of African governments Ownership/Maintenance of Portal Sustainability of funding Constraint of access to internet services

Way forward Developing other components of LandObs Africa –Land related information: from LSLBI  other topics) –Database of land experts: from Excel files  migrate to Platform –Community of practice Awareness raising and training session on use of LandObs –Governments –CSOs… Linking LandObs to other initiatives –National land Observatories –Regional land observatories –Global platforms (Land matrix) Linking research to policy making processes –Influencing research agenda –Informing policy making

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