Solidaridad West Africa has engaged over 50 stakeholders, including members of Village Area Land Committees (VALC) and Chiefdom Land Committees (CLC) in Bo and Kenema districts, to review and validate the findings of a needs assessment and capacity development study.
The one-day session, held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security training hall in Kenema, provided stakeholders the opportunity to assess and validate the study conducted by an independent consultant.
The assessment aims to enhance the knowledge of VALC and CLC members, particularly women, in land governance, thereby promoting inclusive and sustainable land management across Kakua and Nongowa chiefdoms in Sierra Leone.
This initiative supports the implementation of the Sierra Leone Land Administration Project (SLLAP), which is led by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank.
Andrew Kojo Morrison, Country Representative of Solidaridad Sierra Leone, emphasized the significance of the initiative, stating:
“Our collaboration with FAO and the World Bank under the Sierra Leone Land Administration Project represents a critical step toward inclusive land governance. By engaging directly with traditional authorities in Nongowa and Kakua, we are ensuring that land committees truly understand the laws governing their responsibilities.
This is not just about policy awareness; it’s about transforming rural land management by amplifying women’s voices in decision-making and building sustainable local capacity. The validated findings will guide our efforts to create a land administration system that honors customary rights while meeting modern governance standards across Sierra Leone.”
The findings from the needs assessment will inform a follow-up program designed to further strengthen these committees, enhance their operational structures under SLLAP and contribute to the development of an efficient and accessible land administration system in Sierra Leone.
A local authority representative expressed support for the initiative, highlighting the importance of addressing land governance issues:
“This project is highly significant. If land issues are not properly addressed, they could lead to serious disputes in our communities. We encourage Solidaridad and FAO to support the Government in training VALC and CLC members across all districts. Ensuring that they fully understand their roles and responsibilities will help establish effective land governance systems and prevent conflicts in our districts and communities.”
Consultant, Kadija Jalloh, who conducted the study, explained that the objectives of the study were to determine whether land committee members have the necessary tools and understanding of key policies, including the Gender and Women’s Empowerment Act, the Land Commission Act and the Customary Land Rights Act. This knowledge is crucial in enabling them to handle land governance issues effectively within their communities.
“It is important that committee members are well-versed in these national policies as they will need to reference them when addressing land-related matters. Our goal is to ensure they are fully equipped to support the Government in establishing a standardized land governance system across the country,” she said.
The activity is supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
