Third Phase Community Based Rural Development Project

General

The objective of the Project is to enhance the capacity of rural communities and decentralized institutions for the implementation of local development plans that promote sustainable land and natural resources management and productive investments at commune level. Therefore, the project seeks to support the implementation of the land tenure policy and law. This would be pursued through: (i) the establishment and operation of rural land tenure services (Services Fonciers Ruraux - SFR) at commune level, village land tenure commissions (les commissions foncieres villageoises) and village conciliation commissions (les commissions de conciliation fonciere villageoise); (ii) land titling operations; (iii) strengthening of capacity of local actors and rural communes to carry out land titling processes efficiently and transparently; and iv) dissemination of the law to increase men, women and illiterates' awareness about their rights, and pave the way for a more gender-balanced access to land. The project will also strengthen land security processes through: (i) diagnostic land tenure studies linked to the revision of Commune Development Plans; (ii) the elaboration of land tenure charters; (iii) elaboration of land tenure charters (chartes foncieres locales) and other documentation provided for by the Rural Land Legislation such as registration of usufruct rights (attestation de possession fonciere rurale); (iv) the regularization of land set aside for investment by the local government; and (v) strengthening the capacity of local actors to conciliate disputes related to land tenure. Given the preponderance of local disputes linked to land issues - including titling, pastoral vs. agricultural usage, and crop destruction - the component will also provide specific training modules on conflict resolution. Finally, the project will pilot a mobile court system in selected regions to enhance the ability of citizens to access formal justice services.