The challenge of promoting governance of tenure in post-conflict Sierra Leone

How can you effectively promote land rights in a peacebuilding context where land tenure is a highly sensitive issue? To what extent do governance issues impact land policy processes and the tenure security of local communities? These questions have been central to my work over the past decade in Sierra Leone. There, FAO has been assisting the government in implementing the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGTs), endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in 2012. 

When we began our work in Sierra Leone in 2014, we encountered governance challenges linked fundamentally to tenure insecurity for most farmers and rights holders. This situation stemmed from an outdated legislative framework and a nearly non-existent land administration system. Weak institutions at both central and provincial levels further compounded the issue due to limited resources and human capacities. 

It's important to note that Sierra Leone had emerged from a civil war just 12 years before our intervention. It’s a context where you see competition for resources, including lands regulated by customary law under which traditional leaders are their custodians, but are often accused of confusing that mandate with ownership. You see how difficult it is for women to hold property titles, considering the deeply rooted gender inequalities. You also see conflicts linked to investment in the mining sector, for example, to land concession, and to pervasive foreign investment. In the past, agribusiness and mining companies wishing to acquire large areas of land found themselves negotiating land deals with communities who had no proper legal representation. All this has created an evident power imbalance between different groups. 

Our work coincided with the early years of the VGGTs, with a view to aligning with the country's efforts to develop a land policy. Having a parallel, country-led land policy process allowed us to address governance issues effectively. In practice, this meant adopting a multisectoral approach, looking beyond agriculture in isolation to consider land, forestry, and fisheries together. It also involved encouraging a multistakeholder platform approach from the outset. 

Looking back on our approach, I acknowledge mistakes, such as not conducting an in-depth political economy analysis at both the national and local levels. This analysis could have enhanced the effectiveness of our governance actions. 

Engaging different stakeholders – the government, civil society organizations, the private sector, tenure right holders, and traditional leaders – involved years of building mutual trust, working alongside the government to establish a financially self-sufficient multistakeholder platform. Today, this platform serves as a forum for presenting, discussing, critiquing, and improving initiatives related to land. 

Although the VGGTs and the multistakeholder platform approach convened different actors, building trust required time and a common objective. This dynamic is still unfolding in Sierra Leone as the country implements new laws. 

The next step involves linking the multistakeholder platform in Freetown with similar platforms in the districts, replicating the concept at a more local level with different actors. Recent additions to the central one, like the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, contribute to the evolving landscape. 

I think our focus should be on the continuous reflection of the vision and objectives, and on what we aim to achieve in the long term. As we implement our project, we must constantly assess the needs and priorities of the different actors to be able to adapt accordingly whenever appropriate. 

Importantly, we must not underestimate the timing needed to analyze governance challenges and conduct an in-depth political economy analysis, especially at the local level. This critical aspect should precede project proposals, requiring time, resources, and specific capacities. Ensuring that the right people are around the table, addressing power imbalances, effective communication, and collaborative co-design with partners are essential for sustainable interventions. 

About the author:

Francesca Romano is a Land Tenure Officer at FAO. She coordinates the project Promoting inclusivity for improved local tenure governance, implemented by FAO with the financial support of Germany.

The views and opinions expressed in this piece are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of FAO. FAO does not accept responsibility for, or endorse the views of the author(s). 

Learn more:

• Brochure: The Voluntary Guidelines: Securing our rights - Sierra Leone 
• Video: Success stories: Sierra Leone and the Implementation of the VGGT 
• Project: Promoting inclusivity for improved local tenure governance 
• Tool: Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security 
• Tool: Multi-stakeholder platforms 
• Site: Governance of Tenure