LAND-at-scale Mali - Boosting local capacity to manage land conflict and protect customary rights

General

Land tensions and conflicts have always existed in Mali. Formal and customary law co-exist, causing a legal duality and ambiguity. Competition over land and natural resources is growing, and so are land-related disputes. Over 90% of smallholder farmers and pastoralists access land through customary tenure systems. Considering the large role customs play in rural areas, formal legal recognition of these customary rights is important. At the same time, the patrilineal customary systems undermine the position of women and youth. Land Commissions form a key structure in Mali and play a key role when it comes to customary land tenure management as well as land conflict resolution. However, only 30% of the communes have established a Land Commission, and their functioning is not monitored on a systematic basis. Project objective The goal of the intervention is to promote stability, food security, climate resilient agricultural development and natural resources management by strengthening security of access to and rights over land and natural resources, with special attention for inclusivity (especially women and pastoralists), through establishing and capacitating Land Commissions. Project strategies - Formalizing a coordination mechanism for building capacity towards sustainable, inclusive and transparent Land Commissions. - Providing a systematic approach for validating and sharing capacity building for Land Commissions, with a focus on mediation and inclusivity. - Setting up an independent monitoring and evaluation system of Land Commissions. - Establishing a network and exchange organization for Land Commissions.