Development partners, especially the International Land Coalition (ILC), have recommended that local communities be involved in land governance, particularly in decision-making on land-related matters.
During a recent visit to the Awer Central Forest Reserve in Dokolo district on June 10, 2024, delegates from over 30 countries, including Sierra Leone, Burundi, Colombia, Cameroon, South Africa, the Philippines, India, Kenya, and Ethiopia, along with civil society organizations, shared ideas and experiences on land governance sector success.
Moise Mbimbe, an officer representing the International Land Coalition based in Cameroon, emphasized the importance of community involvement in decision-making processes, especially for women and youth, because they face a lot of challenges in land-related issues.
“Inclusivity is a key aspect of effective land governance. It is essential to ensure that local communities are always involved in decision-making processes, particularly specific categories like women and young people, who face challenges in different ways,” Mbimbe said.
He further stated that transparency is also vital to ensuring that communities are aware of the solutions being implemented and can hold decision-makers accountable. Adding to that, local communities strongly depend on land, and through inclusion in decision-making, they will be able to secure their livelihoods sustainably.
In a related development, the National Forestry Authority is set to roll out a community tree planting campaign in a total of five districts in the Lango region to address the issue of climate change. The in-charge NFA East Lango Area Gracious Agutis says a total of 51,000 seedlings will be planted. Agutis says the benefiting districts include Amolatar, Dokolo, Lira, Alepotongo, and Otuke.
