The government of Rwanda’s "great efforts” in securing land for women and protecting landscapes for wildlife that forms the basis for a thriving tourism sector were on Monday, November 1, applauded by officials including Mama Keita, Director of the Sub-Regional Office for Eastern Africa, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

This was at the start of the fourth edition of the Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA) held in a hybrid format under the theme: "Land governance for safeguarding art, culture and heritage towards the Africa We Want”, in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.

The conference is a platform for land administrators, non-state actors, private sector and academia to share information on good practices and innovative solutions that are working to secure rights to land and improve land delivery services among member states. Its overall objective is to deepen commitment and strengthen capacity for land policy development, implementation and monitoring in Africa through improved access to knowledge and information in support of evidence-based land policymaking.

Keita said: "There is no doubt that land is the greatest heritage for Africa and Africans, whose value for humanity transcends from one generation to the next. By developing effective governance policies and practices to secure this heritage, we will harness its potential for economic, social and environmental transformation and contribute to eliminating poverty and hunger through increased productivity; promoting sustainable agriculture by harnessing technology, innovation and indigenous knowledge systems; advancing gender equality and women empowerment; and promoting people-centered economic growth.

"The development and implementation of land policies requires knowledge of the issues at all levels of society. There is a need for targeted data and information on land claims and management to promote responsible investments while ensuring access to productive resources including fertilizers, seeds, and storage facilities, among others. Of utmost importance is harnessing good practices to secure land rights for women and youth, and to benefit from these opportunities. Here I want to commend the government of Rwanda for great efforts in securing land for women and also protecting landscapes for wildlife that forms the basis for a thriving tourism sector.”

Sharing of such knowledge among countries is critical, Keita noted, yet it is often hindered by the way the knowledge is packaged and disseminated.

Aissa Sarr, Country Manager of the African Development Bank, noted that poverty eradication and sustainable inclusive development should avail every citizen an equal access, control and ownership of land, land being a key input to food production and a major source of capital for the poor.

"The importance of land and its unequal distribution, between male and female, needs to be given greater attention in any program on land reform and women’s land rights in Africa,” she said.

Patrick Karera, Permanent Secretary in Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment, noted that land reforms require strong political will, the buy-in of the population and other key stakeholders with supporting institutions and structures required for ensuring an effective land policy space that impacts the continent especially marginalized and vulnerable groups.

He explained that land reforms require commitment not only at the county level but also at the regional level to guarantee equity and transparency in managing our most important resource on the continent guided by the Pana-Africanism spirit.

"Some of us started developing paperless land registry, online notarization, other innovations and strategic approaches to be able to continue serving the community regardless of restrictions. These experiences shouldn’t be lost but collated and improved,” Karera said.

"In Rwanda, the effective land administration has supported the increase of agricultural production, promoted investment on land, boosted the land market and contributed to poverty reduction in general. It has reduced land-related conflicts and improved doing business in the country, consequently improving its ranking on the global scale.”

When demand for land reform comes from within, the chances of successful implementation are naturally higher, he noted.

"The land reform has to be implemented by competent professionals who understand its rationale and will continue to work for its sustainability. Capacity gaps have to be identified and closed in line with the African Union Agenda on Land and national government economic development plans. Such capacity building and training will ensure staff retention, bringing in new actors in the land policy space, encouraging young people as future land governance experts and policy makers to go into and remain in the land space,” Karera said.

Creative economy generating over 30 million jobs worldwide

As noted, the theme of the three-day conference echoes the decision of the African Union that 2021 be the Year of arts, culture and heritage.

The creative economy, Keita noted, is among the most rapidly growing sectors of the world economy generating over 30 million jobs worldwide and employing more young people under 30 years old than any other sector.

"Through cultural and creative industries, incomes can be generated, jobs created, trade opportunities increased, and social harmony enhanced through music, film, software, advertising, entertainment, architecture, visual arts, publishing, and tourism. All these opportunities can be greatly facilitated by good land governance that facilitates sustainable management and use of forests, landscapes, rivers and other ecologies for economic and social benefit for culture and creative industries.”

Working with artists and the creative sector, Keita said, technical information can be simplified and made more accessible to communities. Keita noted that land governance information can be rendered in music, film, visual arts, short stories and animation, and presented in different African languages for better reach.

Karera said the conference is aligned to Rwanda’s commitment to preserve its history, legacy and traditions by "ensuring that our creative aspects remain in the forefront of our endeavours.”

He said: "This is because we firmly believe that it is important to uphold traditions and its collective spirit that brings us together.”

Delegates follow a presentation during the fourth edition of the Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA in Kigali on November 1.

Delegates interact ahead of the fourth edition of the Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA) held under the theme Land governance for safeguarding art, culture and heritage towards the Africa We Want.

Josefa Sacko, African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture delivers remarks during the conference in Kigali.

Participants in a group photo.

The fourth edition of the Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA) held under the theme 'Land governance for safeguarding art, culture and heritage towards the Africa We Want'.