Sunday, Oct 13, 2024

Programme Area 2: Support for National Land Policy Development and Implementation

The IGAD member states shall be expected to continually update/develop and pursue various policies, laws and strategies in order to create conducive conditions and policy and legal frameworks for sound land management. These include national environment action plans (NEAPs), national strategies for sustainable development (NSSDs), and sectoral policies, laws, strategies and action plans (related to land governance).

IGAD’s role will continue to be in line with efforts that will lead to the development of these instruments at the national level, which will in turn allow for cross-border harmony. The land policy and legal issues of regional relevance pertain to strategic areas of cooperation in the region. It is the role of IGAD to initiate, support and lead the process of harmonizing land policies and laws in the region. This responsibility envisages the identification of relevant fields together with the member states, carrying out policy studies, proposing policy options to countries and providing a regional forum for discussion and advice on the mechanisms for the implementation of the policies and laws. The approach allows for the promotion of compatible policies and laws; and the development of strategies and concepts of regional relevance.

Member states of IGAD have varying capacities in land governance, with many of them lacking capacity to prepare business plans that are attractive enough to attract the necessary funding from development partners to formulate and implement comprehensive national land policies. Experience indicates that having readily available business plans and clear prioritization of land governance in national development strategies makes it attractive for national governments and development partners to allocate funding to support implementation of land governance programs.

Outcome 1.2: Awareness creation promoted and the process of developing appropriate strategies and concepts in land governance supported and guided.

There is ample evidence to show that there is a weak level of cooperation in the governance of land in the IGAD region. IGAD shall assume the role of promoting awareness creation and supporting and guiding the process of developing appropriate strategies and concepts. This includes identifying the root causes of the problems, carrying out regional studies, organizing forums for discussion and exchange of ideas and development of concepts. Once the concepts are developed, the member states will translate them into localized programmes, and implement them.

Outcome 1.3: Member states assisted to comply with the provisions of, and benefit from, the international instruments.

There are other various regional agreements and protocols under the global international conventions. The Conventions are simply too many and IGAD countries like other Contracting Parties are having tremendous difficulties meeting the reporting requirements of the agreements. Domesticating these international agreements provides another challenge; and so does meeting the requirements for accessing financial and technical assistance. Thus, IGAD has a pivotal role to play in assisting its member states comply with the provisions of, and benefit from, the international instruments.

Outcome 1.4 Enhance development of national land policies by setting up a fund to support member states to formulate and implement national land policies

Given that member states of IGAD are at different stages in the formulation and implementation of their national land policies, funds will be set aside in this business plan to support member states enhance the formulation and/or implementation of their national land policies with a view to narrow down the differences among member states in the levels of development of their national land policies.

The IGAD Secretariat will designate one of its land experts to provide on and off-site support to member states to foster inter-sectoral collaboration to ensure comprehensive and coherent national land policy development and implementation. Special attention will be given to supporting collaboration between ministries responsible for land and agriculture to ensure that land issues are captured in country agricultural policy frameworks and investment plans under the CAADP.

Outcome 1.5 National Dialogue Platforms established and functioning to support member states

IGAD will use its strengthened and well-resourced Secretariat to support member states establish national dialogue platforms for national and regional experience sharing, lesson learning and dissemination of best practices. The platforms will offer opportunities for engagements with different stakeholder groups including civil society, farmers/pastoral organisations, research and academia and private sector.