Final Report: Peru Forestry Project

The signing of the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) in 2006 revealed a need to reduce Peru’s illegal logging rates. To accomplish this, USAID’s Environmental Management and Forest Governance Support Activity, also known as Peru Bosques (“Forests” in English) project supports several objectives 1) to help the Peruvian government improve its institutions, forestry regulations,…

Is Land Tenure “Secure Enough” in Rural Rwanda?

Michael Brown and Ailey Hughes propose that despite increasing informality of ownership, land tenure in Rwanda is “secure enough” to incentivize smallholder investment in land, but the emerging threats arising from the implementation of agricultural policies could constrain the country’s development gains in the future. Recommendations are offered to the Government of Rwanda.

Final Report: Southern African Regional Environmental Program

Between June 26, 2010, and December 17, 2016, Chemonics International implemented the Southern African Regional Environmental Program (SAREP) and provided technical support to the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission to enable it to meet elements of the objectives in its strategic action plan (SAP), while responding to other related needs in areas adjacent to…

Is “Secure Enough” Good Enough for Land Tenure? A Case Study from Rwanda

What is “secure enough” tenure? The concept of “secure enough” tenure has been discussed in the context of humanitarian and post-disaster programming and increasingly through donor initiatives. In our new paper, we adopt the following definition of secure enough tenure, established by USAID: “[T]he benchmark of tenure security [is] when rights to land and natural…

Final Report: Tajikistan Land Reform and Farm Restructuring Project

In October 2013, USAID launched the Feed the Future-funded Land Reform and Farm Restructuring Project (LRFRP). This $5.5 million, three-year project supported the continuing process of dehkan (individual or family) farm restructuring and recognition of property rights, leading to a market in land-use rights.  This occurred through four key tasks: 1) legislative reform, 2) building the capacity of Tajik officials, farmers,…

Final Report: Rwanda LAND Project

USAID, in collaboration with Chemonics International, launched the 4-year, $9.4 million Rwanda LAND Project in 2012. The project strengthened the resilience of Rwandan citizens, communities, and institutions and their ability to adapt to land-related economic, environmental, and social change. This overarching goal was supported by efforts to assist the Rwandan government, civil society, and local communities to…

Benefiting Equally from Land – Reaching Women Before It’s Too Late

The timing, approach, and pace of land reform and collective farm restructuring throughout the former Soviet republics has varied dramatically – and in many places is still ongoing. Whether government chose to privatize land, guarantee land use rights, or keep the status quo of state ownership, land and access to it remains critical for millions…

This Land is My Land: Securing Land Rights for Vulnerable Groups Through Responsible Governance

This week, hundreds of the world’s leading land rights scholars, practitioners, and governors will convene in our nation’s capital for the World Bank Land and Poverty Conference. The theme of this year’s conference is “Scaling up Responsible Land Governance,” and conference-goers will join forces to develop clear pathways for “working at scale, mainstreaming innovations, and…

Know Your SDGs: Land Matters for Sustainable Development

Insecurity of land tenure and property rights is cited as a precipitating, if not primary, cause of contemporary global poverty and inequality. Research from a range of sources including the World Bank, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, OECD, civil society organizations, and academic institutions show that strengthening land and property rights goes hand…

News: Chemonics Presents at EU Conference on Property Rights and Land Governance

Property rights and land governance are intertwined with many development issues, compelling donors to re-examine their approach to land governance, legal frameworks, and policies. On April 9, the European Union debated a resolution to increase its development focus on property rights and hosted a discussion in Brussels, Belgium with the international community entitled “Property Rights: The Missing…

News: Chemonics Presents Political Economic Analysis at World Bank Conference

Chemonics International is pleased to take part in the 15th annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty from March 24 to 27, 2014, at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The theme of this year’s conference is “Integrating Land Governance into the Post-2015 Agenda: Harnessing Synergies for Implementation and Monitoring Impact.” The conference will focus…