Leaving no one behind: Addressing conflicts and violence over land and natural resources
Banjul – The Gambian Government, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have joined hands in an effort to address, in a sustainable way, the conflicts and violence that erupt over land and natural resources, as well as the challenges these generate in The Gambia.
“In the last two and a half years we have seen an escalation of tensions over land disputes. We must enhance dialogue between all stakeholders to address this situation. Fortunately, this is what this project seeks to do”, said Ms Seraphina Wakana, UN Resident Coordinator during the launch of project “Addressing Conflict over Land and Natural Resources in The Gambia” which took place
The eighteen-month project is funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) and has a budget of the US$1.4 million. Its main goal is to reduce the violence that occurs in the communities in relation to land and natural resources. This will be achieved by strengthening resource management and the capacity of dispute resolution systems, and also by restoring the citizen’s trust in the systems established to solve land disputes.
Land and other natural resources such as forest, water and fisheries are the pillars of The Gambian economy, and are directly linked to the livelihoods of more than 3 in 4 people in the country. However, over 50 hotspots of land conflicts have been identified across the country. Sadly, some of the clashes have resulted in the death of at least four people between 2018 and 2019, and have also caused the destruction of properties and livelihoods. Findings of the “2018 Gambia Conflict and Development Analysis”, have identified land and natural resources conflicts as a priority area that needs to be addressed urgently to preserve social cohesion and peace.
Mr Musa Drammeh, the Minister for Lands, presided the project launch and said his statement that the launch was timely. The minister highlighted that inadequate legal frameworks and weak enforcement of existing land laws have led to unplanned and disorganised development in the urban areas, and have caused loss of farm lands and increased the number of disputes over land. He added that the intervention will, among other things, help develop a land policy and legislation to regulate the activities of real estate companies and ensure that they contribute to the economic growth of the country. Mr Drammeh thanked FAO, UNDP and the UNPBF for what he described as an “unprecedented investment in our Land Governance Sector”.
Ms Seraphina Wakana, UN Resident Coordinator said the project will draw on global best practices and important lessons learned from other countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia where the UN Peace Building Support Office has backed similar projects that work to strengthen land management and reduce conflict.
Alignment with National Development Plan, other initiatives
The intervention is in line with the National Development Plan (NDP 2018-2021) and the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF 2017-2021). The initiative is also based on FAO’s flagship Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Land Tenure. It will help consolidate the Agriculture and Natural Resources sector policy with appropriate sub-sector policies to create an enabling environment for modern market-led agriculture. Furthermore, it will contribute to increase production and productivity, and will address hunger and food security needs through sustainable land and water management practices.
Delivering as One for Peace and Sustainable Socio-Economic growth
Through this project, FAO, UNDP and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office will work closely with government and civil society organizations to strengthen legal frameworks and peace building initiatives for inclusive and sound land governance and conflict resolution. The capacities of national institutions: judiciary, legislative, traditional and regional authorities will be improved for inclusive and equitable land dispute resolution. Additionally, the intervention will enhance the capacity of the Land Commission and work with it to educate youth and women in particular on land disputes management systems. This will enable them to understand and utilize appropriate land resolution mechanisms.
Background
Inadequate legal frameworks and weak enforcement of existing laws and regulations regarding land ownership, forest and other natural resources have resulted in a myriad of spiralling conflicts over the past four decades. There have been sporadic incidents of disputes over farmland, ownership and access to natural resources, as well as protests that denounce the destruction and degradation of the environment by new private sector ventures.
Since the coming into office of the new administration in 2017, the problem has escalated. Tensions and instability related to new and existing unresolved disputes have increased. The problem is further exacerbated by citizens’ misinterpretation of “democratic rights” and the increasing demand for productive resources triggered by high population growth and the impacts of climate change.
Land conflicts and why they occur
The current system of land governance and administration needs to be modernized and updated as it is still based on the 74 years old Land Act from 1945, that was minimally revised in 1991. It is plagued with critical gaps that are causing land governance challenges. Consistent and coherent land conflict management systems and mechanism shine by their absence. What is currently being used instead, are multiple mechanisms for land transfer as well as dispute resolution namely Common Law, Islamic and Customary Law. These different legal frameworks combined with citizens’ lack of confidence, especially among youth, in the traditional (Chieftancy/Alkaloship) dispute resolution mechanisms have led to significant destabilizing tensions that are affecting everyday relations amongst citizens and communities. The situation has reached a point where it is undermining the social cohesion and the attainment of the sustainable development goals.