Document Type: Progress Reports

The purpose of the Ethiopia Land Administration to Nurture Development (LAND) program is to expand and extend two previously successful projects—Ethiopia Strengthening Land Tenure and Land Administration Program (ELTAP) implemented in 2005-2008 and Ethiopia Strengthening Land Administration Program (ELAP) implemented in 2008-2013 – financed by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Ethiopia Mission and implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and six regional states with technical assistance provided by Tetra Tech ARD. These projects helped strengthen rural land tenure security and women’s land use rights; encourage efficient land transactions; build capacity of federal and regional land administration agencies to improve service delivery and pilot cadastral surveying and certification methodologies to recognize and document rural land use rights.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

LAND’s five-year project implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plans were resubmitted to USAID, incorporating the extensive comments received from USAID. Monthly meetings were held with LAND’s Contract Officer’s Representative (COR), USAID and the Director of Land Administration and Use Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture (LAUD/MOA) and his staff.

A brief on the protection of communal land rights in pastoral areas was prepared by LAND subcontractor Land and Development Solutions International, Inc. (LADSI). It reviewed the international experience in ten countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, addressing pastoralist land use and rights and lessons learned related to rights recognition and reform; community resource management institutions, and protection of resources and provided suggestions for general approaches to protect pastoralist lands.

The Institute of Land Administration of Bahir Dar University (ILA/BDU) prepared a curriculum for summer courses leading to a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in land administration. LAND has drafted and expects to sign in the near future a MOU to define the modalities through which LAND will provide the university financing and technical assistance to strengthen its MSc. curriculum and prepare training materials for a series of short courses in rural land laws, land dispute resolution, land administration and land use planning.

On December 10, 2013 a national workshop was successfully held on the topic of “Continuous Operating Reference Stations (CORS) Concepts and Application with Special Reference to Local and International Experience.” The workshop served to sensitize and promote collaboration between key stakeholders to develop the CORS network in Ethiopia and make available online positioning user service (OPUS) to all GIS users in government organizations, the private sector, research institutions and academia for high accuracy determination of horizontal and vertical positioning. Participants recommended that short, medium and long-term plans be prepared to pursue this development. The short-term interventions include provision of practical oriented training for Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) staff, making the three CORS stations functional and establishing 2 additional CORS stations in the Nile River Basin. The medium-term plan includes networking more than 30 CORS stations managed by universities, research institutions and EMA and providing OPUS service. The long long-term plan would develop a project proposal for densification of the CORS geodetic network to cover the entire country. LAND will follow-up and facilitate implementation of these recommendations.

At the request of the LAUD/MOA, LAND has commissioned a consultant to revise the local level participatory land use planning manual it drafted to further clarify planning procedures in a user-friendly format. The LAND Administration and Land Use Planning expert is actively participating in the technical committee LAUD/MOA has established to oversee development of a participatory land use planning manual applicable for pastoral and agro-pastoral areas.

Preparation was made for LAND partner, Michigan State University (MSU), to assess the market demand for land administration professionals and private surveyors and review of university undergraduate and TVET land administration training curricula in January 2014.

After assessing the capacities of a couple of universities, LAND has decided to work with ILA/BDU as a hub for the center of excellence in land related research. Discussions were held with the Director and staff of ILA/BDU and the Vice President of BDU and agreement reached on the roles and responsibilities of LAND and ILA/BDU. LAND resubmitted its Grants Management Plan (GMP) to USAID/Ethiopia for approval.

LAND forged close relationships with the Oromia Bureau of Rural Land and Environmental Protection (OBRLEP), USAID/Ethiopia Pastoralist Areas Resilience Improvement through Market Expansion Project (PRIME) project, USAID Land Tenure and Property Rights Division (LTD) and Cloudburst in implementing Component 4 of the project. LAND developed Terms of Reference (TOR) the Institute of Pastoral Studies (IPAS) of Haramaya University to prepare community profiles for six Borana grazing systems. PRIME facilitated an initial assessment of the customary laws of natural resources management in Negele Borana area in the Guji Zone of Oromia regional state by LAND’s property rights lawyer and pastoral land tenure expert. Agreement was reached with OBRLEP officials to prepare a draft regulation for the protection of pastoral land rights. The LAND Gender Specialist conducted a gender gap analysis in Liben woreda, Oromia regional state to identify problems and issues pastoral women are facing in their livelihoods. The findings will inform LAND’s actions in addressing gender imbalances in its interventions.

The purpose of the Ethiopia Land Administration to Nurture Development (LAND) program is to expand and extend two previously successful projects—Ethiopia Strengthening Land Tenure and Land Administration Program (ELTAP) implemented in 2005-2008 and Ethiopia Strengthening Land Administration Program (ELAP) implemented in 2008-2013 – financed by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Ethiopia Mission and implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and six regional states with technical assistance provided by Tetra Tech ARD. These projects helped strengthen rural land tenure security and women’s land use rights; encourage efficient land transactions; build capacity of federal and regional land administration agencies to improve service delivery and pilot cadastral surveying and certification methodologies to recognize and document rural land use rights.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The draft LAND’s five-year work plan was submitted to USAID/Ethiopia and discussed with its staff. The comments received were incorporated and resubmitted along with a revised draft of the Award Monitoring Plan (AMP). Approval of both the work plan and AMP is pending.

Preparation for assessment of implementation of the rural land administration laws of the regional states of Amhara, SNNP and Tigray is well underway. Terms of reference (TOR) for the assessment have been prepared in collaboration with the respective regional universities, the bureaus of justice, and rural land administration. It is expected that subcontracts will be signed with the universities shortly and they will begin the assessment work in November 2013.

A brief identifying international best practice for the protection of communal land rights in pastoral areas is currently being prepared by an international consultant. It is expected the report will be delivered in November 2013 to help inform development of procedures to certify communal land rights under LAND’s Component 4. LAND has also drafted TOR for the Institute of Pastoral Studies of Haramaya University (IPS/HU) to record and compile customary laws in pastoral areas. This activity will begin in the next quarter.

LAND is currently supporting the LAUD/MoA to prepare and conduct a national workshop that will begin development of a national land use policy in February 2014. A workshop organizing committee has been established and a concept paper and guidelines for preparation of papers to be presented at the workshop have been given to the identified authors.

LAND has nearly completed negotiations and will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Institute of Land Administration of Bahir Dar University (ILA/BDU) for the preparation of curricula and training materials to train national, regional, and local land administration and land use planning experts. The MOU will cover modalities to finance development of training manuals and deliver training to the university. Assistance provided to the university will support the offering of a Master’s of Science (M.Sc.) project and land administration short courses by June 2014.

Discussion is ongoing with the Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) to make the four EMA Continuous Operating Reference Stations (CORS) network in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Gondar, and Jimma functional and to train EMA staff in managing the CORS and provide Geographic Information System (GIS) users with real-time correction factors in undertaking cost-effective cadastral survey, mapping, and participatory land use plans. EMA has completed assessment of the conditions of its CORS. LAND has learned that Addis Ababa University is currently managing 23 functional CORS and possesses the capacity to meet most of the training needs of EMA to build capacity of its staff to operate and manage its CORS.

The TOR for conducting a market survey for land administration and land management experts in Ethiopia and reviewing the curricula of universities that train such experts was prepared and submitted to Michigan State University, which is looking at collaboration with the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Netherlands to execute the task. The occupational competence standard for medium and low-level land administration and land use technicians is being specified, after which the curriculum for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) facilities will be developed. Once the curriculum is approved by the Ministry of Education, it can be used by any TVET in the country to train such technicians. LAND intends to engage one TVET per region to offer training using the approved curriculum.

LAND experts have assessed the capabilities of two universities that might serve as a center of excellence at which a research center will be established. LAND will support establishment of the center and will implement a competitive grants research scheme. A research grant scheme manual specifying the procedures and rules to be followed in administering the grants was prepared and submitted to USAID/Ethiopia for approval.

Preliminary activities to implement Component 4 have been initiated. A series of discussions have been held with USAID/Ethiopia’s PRIME project staff and field trips taken together in Oromia, Afar, and Somali regional states to assess suitable sites for piloting Component 4 activities. Potential sites were identified in Guji Zone of Oromia regional state and Zone 3 of Afar regional state. The site visited at Shinile woreda of Siiti Zone in Somali regional state did not appear to have potential for inclusion in the project. These sites will be discussed further with USAID/Ethiopia and identification of potential suitable sites will continue in the next quarter.

The revised draft AMP of LAND, including the results framework and key indicators, was submitted to USAID/Ethiopia for approval. A USAID impact evaluation team held discussions with LAND technical staff and accompanied staff during a visit of the Shinile area, Somali regional state. The evaluation team was able to interact with key stakeholders in the country and collect basic information on the LAND project.

During the reporting quarter, PRADD submitted to GOCAR a draft version of the revised MOU with USAID as called for in the approved work plan. The discussions are ongoing (see also 2.7.3Partnerships below).

The purpose of the Ethiopia Land Administration to Nurture Development (LAND) program is to expand and extend two previously successful projects—Ethiopia Strengthening Land Tenure and Land Administration Program (ELTAP) implemented in 2005-2008 and Ethiopia Strengthening Land Administration Program (ELAP) implemented in 2008-2013 – financed by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Ethiopia Mission and implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and six regional states with technical assistance provided by Tetra Tech ARD. These projects helped strengthen rural land tenure security and women’s land use rights; encourage efficient land transactions; build capacity of federal and regional land administration agencies to improve service delivery and pilot cadastral surveying and certification methodologies to recognize and document rural land use rights.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Tetra Tech ARD signed the LAND Task Order on March 12, 2013 and conducted an initial start-up call with USAID/Ethiopia’s COR shortly thereafter. Tetra Tech was instructed to deliver an illustrative one-year work plan and Award Monitoring Plan (AMP) within 30 days of contract award and then proceed with a series of consultative stakeholder workshops to provide national and regional stakeholders an opportunity to fully engage in the work planning process.

As provided in its contract with USAID, Tetra Tech delivered within 30 days of award:

• Illustrative first year work plan
• Illustrative AMP
• Branding Strategy and Marking Plan

Additionally, Tetra Tech delivered its Grants Management Plan (GMP) within 60 days of award.

During the months of May and June, Tetra Tech conducted stakeholder consultation workshop meetings with the MOA/LAUD, the Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) and land administration officials from the Regional States of Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, SNNP, Afar and Somali. Mr. Zemen Haddis, Contract Officer’s Representative (COR), USAID/Ethiopia for the task order participated in all these meetings. Dr. Gregory Myers, Chief, Land Tenure and Property Rights Division, Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment (USAID/Washington) participated in the meetings with land administration officials and customary authorities in Somali Region and provided the Tetra Tech project team technical advice and guidance to implement activities that will help strengthen community land rights in pastoral areas.

Consultations with stakeholders concluded with LAND’s official launching event that took place on June 27 and 28 in Addis Ababa. Director of the USAID Mission/Ethiopia, Mr. Dennis Weller stressed the importance of land tenure and property rights to achieving USAID’s Feed the Future objectives, promoting economic growth and resiliency, combatting global climate, mitigating conflict and good governance. Mr. Weller noted LAND’s pilot activities to clarify and strengthen community land rights in pastoral areas is a new and risky initiative but he is also excited by the prospect of piloting these activities with the Ministry of Agriculture to help address the root cause of conflict in pastoral areas. H.E. Ato Sileshi Getahun, State Minister, Ministry of Agriculture confirmed his ministry’s support to pilot activities to certify community rights in pastoral areas. He noted the importance of linking communities to value chains and urged representatives from the Afar and Somali Regional States to work with LAND to carefully select pilot locations for these activities.

LAND’s efforts engage stakeholders in the work planning process helped secure buy-in from key stakeholders for project activities and build a collaborative working environment in which to begin full-fledged implementation activities. The process also provided an opportunity for USAID, GOE stakeholders and LAND’s technical team to develop a common vision for the project’s outcomes and helped shape the technical approach for implementing LAND’s interventions.

The consultation process also revealed stakeholder expectations for training assistance that exceeded LAND’s scope and financial resources. The task order COR and LAND’s Chief of Party (COP) agreed that the LAND project team will need to produce an implementation plan to meet this demand by proposing innovative strategies that are consistent with LAND’s SOW and will sustainably leverage its financial resources to maximize delivery of training assistance. Sustainable approaches to be developed include training of trainers (TOT) approach and strengthening the capacity of Ethiopian Universities to train land administration officials beyond LAND’s project life.

Discussions with regional officials in the predominantly pastoral Regional States of Afar and Somali and with Dr. Myers also made clear LAND’s interventions to strengthen community land rights in pastoral areas and to link these communities to market opportunities would be both experimental and risky. This was also acknowledged by Mr. Weller during his speech at LAND’s launch. To mitigate risk and create conditions to quickly pilot interventions, LAND’s priority in the next quarter is to identify pilot locations where there is social cohesion, low risk of open conflict and potential for value chain creation and community interest to form associations to facilitate market linkages. Once pilot locations are agreed with stakeholders, LAND will identify and document customary land and natural resource practices and study the social dynamics and power structures. LAND will also commission a desk review and report on international best practice to protect communal land rights in pastoral areas that will identify models to guide LAND’s interventions.

Other priority activities in the next quarter include:

• Finalizing LAND’s five-year implementation plan, budget, AMP and log frame to guide sequencing of activities and align LAND’s output and impact indicators with those of USAID’s Feed the Future program;
• Produce a Gender Analysis and Action Plan (GAAP) to ensure LAND’s activities benefit women and men equally, especially activities to certify community land rights and link communities to market opportunities;
• Engage universities to assess impact of implementing the current land administration and land use (LALU) legislation in the regions;
• Develop TOT modules for judges and land administration officials on LALU legislation and customary practices and modules on land use planning;
• Contract a consultant to assess capacity and needs of the EMA to operate and maintain its Continuously Operating Reference System (CORS);
• Contract a consultant to assess the market demand for land administration graduates and develop a strategy to strengthen university’s land administration curricula.

In regards staffing, LAND’s COP mobilized to Ethiopia at the end of March and the nearly all technical and administrative staff joined the project team by May 01, 2013. Recruitment of the Deputy Chief of Party (D/COP) is a priority in the next quarter as the D/COP will lead LAND’s Grants Program and interventions to strengthen capacity of Ethiopian universities.The project’s Communications Specialist will be an employee of Winrock International, Tetra Tech’s STARR IQC partner. Due to administrative issues mobilization has been delayed but should be completed in the coming weeks.

A summary of activities conducted in October – December 2012 under the Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD) Project in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The two lawsuits between PRADD and its former Boda Administrator Mozane Demokoy went through many new developments. After the hearing of the Labor Court in early January, the third postponement of the verdict by the vice-judge and the summoning of PRADD’s Administrative Coordinator to “informal” meetings to solicit bribes – proved irregularities were at work behind the scene. PRADD was found guilty of abusive contract termination and sentenced to a fine of $6,300. PRADD appealed the decision, and the hearing of the Appeal Court is scheduled for the next quarter. Meanwhile, PRADD called on the Minister of Mines to demand more transparency and justice. A couple of weeks later, when the Criminal Court subpoenaed the parties for the other lawsuit (PRADD pressing charges against Mr. Demokoy for retaining his work computer one month after his contract termination), the Prosecutor declared the Ministry co-plaintiff, postponed the hearing, arrested and jailed Mr. Demokoy until further notice. Mr. Demokoy, who has been behind bars for the past two months, is reportedly in good health.

In March 2012, two representatives of the US government (Timothy Fella from USAID and JJ Harder from State Department) and four representatives of the North American diamond industry (manufacturers Ronnie VanderLinden and Jeffrey Fischer, and jewelers Kevin and Genevieve Hume) undertook an exploratory mission to the Central African Republic (CAR) to determine under which conditions, and with what caveats a direct supply chain linking Central African artisanal diamond miners with North American buyers could be established. The mission was also to inform all national stakeholders including the Ministry of Mines (MM) of this prospective initiative in the most transparent way. The US Embassy and USAID-funded Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD) project, operating in CAR since 2007, organized the mission with a supply chain model in view of sourcing artisanal diamonds in a sustainable and ethical manner that is fair to all parties involved.

On May 31 the 2009-2011 work plan for PRADD/CAR expired. PRADD had been in discussion with USAID for several months to build on its successes and refine its approach for the next period from June 2011 to May 2012. During a working week in late May in Burlington, Vermont, PRADD and USAID agreed on a specific set of activities and timelines and subsequently submitted the June 2011 to May 2012 work plan as well as a revised PMP for approval.

Anticipating the end of the current 2009-2011 work plan and the need to produce a new one, the COP, the PRADD Administrator, and the Tetra Tech ARD Home Office drafted a new organizational chart detailing changes in positions and responsibilities. PRADD completed performance reviews for all national staff and planned the contractual termination of poor performing incumbents. PRADD advertised the terms of reference for new positions externally and internally, and interviews have started.

The Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD) project is a joint initiative of USAID and the Department of State to assist fragile artisanal diamond producing states to fulfill their commitment to comply with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). The project’s objectives are to increase the amount of alluvial diamonds entering the formal chain of custody while improving the benefits accruing to mining communities through an approach of strengthening property rights. Launched in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2007 as a pilot initiative, the project has achieved some noteworthy successes both in national policy reform and in positive impact
on local communities’ livelihoods.