Feed the Future Land Tenure Assistance (LTA) Monthly Report No. 70 - September 2021

The project began operations in FY 2016 in 36 villages in the Iringa District and completed the first period of performance in FY 2020 with five villages in the Mbeya District. In September 2021, LTA made expedited progress in relation to the development of land use plans and implementation of village land registration process in Iringa, Mbarali, and Kilolo Districts. The progress made with respect to land use planning and the village land registration process pertain to outstanding tasks that the USAID-LTA project plans to complete by October 2021 as well as the transitioning of activities to the LTA-NGO. LTA completed adjudication and demarcation work in Winome village of Kilolo District, and the lists of claims for Msuluti, Ibumila, and Itamba villages were approved for printing and registration of Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCROs). LTA delivered a total of 2,608 CCROs to 14 Village Land Registries and assisted in the issuance of 1,433 CCROs to village residents. As part of the process of transitioning LTA activities to the LTA-NGO, LTA assisted the LTA-NGO in the implementation of several village land registration activities, including developing a Village Land Use Plan for Azimio Mswiswi village in Mbarali District and conducting demarcation and adjudication process in Ilongo village of Mbarali District. During the reporting period, LTA assisted the LTA-NGO to strengthen the capacity of village land governance institutions with respect to village land use planning, adjudication, and demarcation, and land rights. In collaboration with Mbarali and Makete District authorities, with the support of LTA, the LTA-NGO provided trainings to the Village Councils, Village Adjudication Committees, Village Land Councils, Hamlet leaders, and parasurveyors of Ilongo village in Mbarali District and Ibaga village in Makete District. The trainings covered various topics, including basic principles of land laws, introduction to the village land registration process using MAST, village land adjudication and demarcation principles, land use planning, and enforcement of VLUP bylaws and land dispute resolution. LTA and LTA-NGO continued to raise the awareness of village residents in relation to land rights. In collaboration with the District Land Offices of the Mbarali and Makete District Councils, LTA and LTA-NGO conducted village assembly trainings and hamlet level trainings in Azimio Mswiswi village in Mbarali District and Ibaga village in Makete District. In the reporting period, LTA continued boosting the collection of beneficiary contribution in the beneficiary villages of Iringa, Kilolo, and Mbarali Districts. As part of LTA's efforts to boost the collection of outstanding beneficiary contribution, in September 2021, LTA conducted beneficiary contribution campaigns by conducting CCROs issuance events. Such campaigns were organized in 14 villages of Iringa District. LTA continued laying the groundwork for ensuring the sustainability of its activity through a financially and organizationally viable successor NGO. In the reporting month, LTA's Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party held meetings with UN Women, DANIDA, World Bank, FCDO, and the Norwegian Embassy in Tanzania to explore funding and partnership options for the NGO. The representatives of the above entities responded positively to LTA's initiatives with respect to the sustainability efforts of the project and the LTA-NGO's plans. The discussions with these entities are ongoing.