Land Reform in Afghanistan (LARA) Work Plan (18 Months)

The project aimed to strengthen land tenure security in Afghanistan by supporting the Supreme Court and communities with rights formalization and informal dispute resolution. The project was implemented by Tetra Tech ARD and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project's main objectives were to support the formalization of land/occupancy rights, deed registration, and dispute resolution and community participation. To achieve these objectives, the project focused on three key components: institutional and private sector strengthening, capacity building, and cross-cutting components. The institutional and private sector strengthening component aimed to build the capacity of private sector service providers and public institutions to provide land-related services to the Afghan private and public sectors. This component included providing institutional support and strengthening the capacity of land service providers in areas such as organization, financial management, procurement, contracting, and reporting. The capacity building component focused on building the capacity of private sector service providers and public institutions to provide land-related services. This component included providing technical support and capacity building in technical services, as well as capacity building and training in urban planning, plan implementation, development control, and monitoring. The cross-cutting components included ensuring gender equity issues were applied across all components and coordinating communications and PIA strategies across all components. The project also included a monitoring and evaluation component, which aimed to track the project's progress and identify areas for improvement. The project's geographic focus was Afghanistan, with a specific emphasis on urban areas. The project's timeframes were February 2011 to July 2012, with a total duration of 18 months. The project's recommendations and implementation details were tailored to the specific needs of the Afghan government and private sector. The project's implementation focused on several key activities, including the upgrading of informal settlements, formalization of land/occupancy rights, deed registration, and dispute resolution and community participation. The project also included the evaluation of the land registration system, design of improvements, building of capacity, and automation of land records. The project's legal framework component aimed to provide tailored assistance to ARAZI to identify, manage, lease, and obtain revenue from Afghan government lands. This component included providing technical assistance to ARAZI on its operations, conducting BIZCLIR/CLIR real estate registration and real property legal framework diagnostics, and assisting ARAZI to develop models for resolving land disputes between mail and private individuals/businesses. The project's personnel and management structure included a Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, and a team of technical advisors and support staff. The project's security plan was also in place to ensure the safety and security of project staff and stakeholders. The project's monitoring and evaluation plan included regular progress reports, quarterly meetings with stakeholders, and a final evaluation report. The project's collaboration with counterparts and other donors was also an important aspect of the project's implementation. Overall, the LARA project aimed to strengthen land tenure security in Afghanistan by supporting the Supreme Court and communities with rights formalization and informal dispute resolution. The project's implementation focused on several key activities, including the upgrading of informal settlements, formalization of land/occupancy rights, deed registration, and dispute resolution and community participation.