News on Land

Eddy Claude Nininahazwe writing in Amjambo Africa! provides important background on the decision taken by President Evariste Ndayishimiye in July 2021 to suspend and renegotiate all foreign mining contracts in Burundi. Burundi has reserves of nickel, rare earth gold and coltan.

Researchers for a global land rights organization have published a grim assessment of the land and inheritance rights of women living in Scheduled Tribe communities of Jharkhand, India – and how the existing eco-system of laws and cultural practices perpetuate a system of terror and brutality meant to deny women of their land rights.  

Almost half (46%) of investors surveyed in sub-Saharan Africa have experienced disputes with local communities over land, new research from the ODI and TMP Systems has found.

As part of an ongoing initiative to facilitate responsible land investment, experts have warned companies are failing to avoid serious risks both to themselves and local communities, even though it makes financial sense to do so.

The management of the National Environment Agency (NEA) and other stakeholders last Thursday held a day-long inception seminar for the GEF-6 project.

The GEF-6 project is a five-year pilot project amounting to US$5.6 million for the implementation of the GEF-6 land/seascape planning and ecosystem restoration.

The inception, held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel was attended by various district authorities, government official, staff of NEA, Park and Wildlife, Ministry of Environment and Department of Forestry among others.

Tanzania is East Africa’s food forte. That is how it was seen during the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2021 Summit in Nairobi held between 7-10 September, which sought to highlight pathways to recovery and a resilient food systems.

Sadly, President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was hosting the summit, which promotes inclusive agriculture, had to declare drought in Kenya a national disaster. The declaration paved way for the treasury in East Africa’s largest economy, to make mitigation measures and assist over two million Kenyans severely affected by drought.

River Rwizi is located in Ankole Sub-region,  western Uganda. River Rwizi, which covers approximately 8,200km, is the source of water for livelihood to both people and animals in Rakai, Lyantonde, Isingiro, Lwengo, Kiruhura, Mbarara, Bushenyi, Buhweju, Sheema and Rubirizi.

The river is served by many swamps that include, Nyakafumura part of Mushasha water catchment and Kanyabukanja wetland. These swamps serve as water reservoirs or catchments that release water slowly to the river to serve communities around.

A Quarter of the world’s 4.4 billion hectares (10.9 million acres) of cropland is degraded, often due to drying, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Just over a hectare and a half, or 4 acres, of that dried-out land have for years been located at Benedict-

pound) bags of produce from a 0.8-hectare (2-acre) plot, whether the rains are adequate or not.

The Netherlands Enterprise & Development Agency (RVO), the Netherlands Embassy in Kampala (EKN), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) are pleased to announce their collaboration for a LAND-at-scale project in Uganda. In a virtual signing ceremony on September 9th, the partnership was made official.

Abdoulie Fye, Director of Programmes and Operations at The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) has urged communities to build peace among themselves, within their village and also among their neighboring communities.

Mr. Fye made these remarks at Pieara Tenda, Upper River Region during the conclusion of the peace building fund project.

Nairobi. President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday declared the drought ravaging parts of the country a national disaster.

The declaration comes just a month after the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said an estimated 2.1 million Kenyans face acute food shortage and would be in urgent need of assistance in the coming six months.

This was a rise of more than 600,000 people from the 1.4 million Kenyans the government in April said faced hunger due to the drought and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.