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About Us
We envision a world in which land governance systems, both formal and informal, are effective, accessible, and responsive for all. This is possible when land tenure and property rights are recognized as critical development issues and when the United States Government and its development partners demonstrate consistent attention and a firm commitment to supporting coordinated policies and programs that clarify and strengthen the land tenure and property rights of all members of society, enabling broad-based economic growth, gender equality, reduced incidence of conflicts, enhanced food security, improved resilience to climate change, and effective natural resource management.
Mission Statement
The USAID Land Tenure and Resource Management (LTRM) Office will lead the United States Government to realize international efforts—in accordance with the U.S. Government’s Land Governance Policy—to clarify and strengthen the land tenure and property rights of all members of society—individuals, groups and legal entities, including those individuals and groups that are often marginalized, and the LTRM Office will help ensure that land governance systems are effective, accessible, and responsive. We will achieve this by testing innovative models for securing land tenure and property rights and disseminating best practice as it relates to securing land rights and improving resource governance within the USG and our development partners.
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Displaying 216 - 220 of 440Concern Over Climate Change and Land Concessions in Liberia
According to AllAfrica.com, farmers in Liberia are blaming perceived climatic changes on the government’s policy of allocating large-scale concessions for mining, logging, and agriculture. A Liberian non-governmental organization, Green Advocates, organized a workshop in southeast Liberia during which farmers and other participants cited deforestation and forest degradation from large-scale concessions as a major factor in the changing climate in Liberia.
Land Rights Victory for Marchers
Earlier this month, tens of thousands of people in India were marching for land rights. The marchers wanted the government to assure them that they will be given secure rights to agricultural land, homestead rights for landless people, tribunals to resolve land-related cases, and that the National Land Reforms Policy would be presented for public debate within six months. The government agreed to these and other provisions, including implementing the Forest Rights Act and setting up a Task Force on Land Reform – this brought the march to a halt. Here is the agreement.
Linking Health and Land Rights in Nigeria
According to a recent NPR article, lead poisoning from illegal gold mining has killed more than 400 children in northern Nigeria. Thousands more children have been left sick and mentally stunted.
Land At Top of Peace Talks Agenda
On October 17th in Oslo, Norway, historic peace talks will begin between the government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Details on the negotiations are available in a recent article in the New York Times. This is a promising initiative with the potential to end the conflict and bring lasting peace and stability to Colombia. To illustrate the importance of land to the conflict, both parties have agreed that land and rural development will be the first issues to be addressed in the agenda proposed for negotiations.
Landesa Founder Interviewed in New York Times
A recent New York Times article features a conversation with Roy Prosterman, founder of Landesa, a Seattle, Washington-based NGO and partner in USAID Land Tenure projects in Kenya, Liberia and other locations. Prosterman founded Landesa, formerly the Rural Development Institute, in 1966 and has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. To date, Landesa has worked with local governments in over 50 countries to develop laws, policies and programs that provide secure land rights for the world’s poorest people.