Land Reform in Afghanistan (The LARA Project) Quarterly Report (2nd Quarter FY 2013)

306-C-00-11-00514-00, aims to develop a robust, enduring, and Afghan-owned and-managed land market framework that encourages investment and productivity growth, resolves/mitigates land-based conflict, and builds confidence in government's legitimacy. The project's primary government partners are MAIL/MAIL/Arazi, the Ministry of Urban Development Affairs (MUDA), the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), the Supreme Court, and selected local municipalities. The LARA project comprises an 18-month Base Period and an 18-month Option Period, with a contract amount of $41.8 million. The project is designed to contribute to USAID's Afghanistan Objective (AO) and the Afghanistan National Development Strategy. Three influences will help shape the LARA project's contributions to this Objective: the foundations provided by the former USAID Land Tenure and Economic Restructuring in Afghanistan (LTERA) project, USAID/Afghanistan management objectives including Afghanization and conflict mitigation, and the LARA project objectives. The LARA project objectives include improving property rights delivery, enabling all citizens to exercise their rights through public information awareness, strengthening land dispute resolution processes, promoting economic development through clear and enforceable property rights, and strengthening institutional, policy, and legal reform to secure property rights for Afghan citizens. These objectives are supported by three components: Informal Settlements & Formalization, Legal Framework, and Capacity Building. The Informal Settlements & Formalization component supports MUDA, AGCHO, IDLG, and the Municipality of Jalalabad with informal settlements upgrading, formalization, cadastral mapping, laws for urban planning and land use regulation, and training in planning and enforcement. This component also strengthens tenure security by supporting the Supreme Court and communities with rights formalization and informal dispute resolution. The Legal Framework component provides limited assistance to MAIL/MAIL/Arazi to identify, manage, lease, and obtain revenue from Afghan government lands and provides targeted technical assistance. The Capacity Building component builds capacity of public and private sector land service providers to improve and streamline land tenure processes to Afghan private and public sectors. During the 2nd Quarter FY 2013, the LARA project made significant progress in implementing its activities. The Informal Settlements & Formalization component upgraded informal settlements, conducted cadastral mapping, and provided training in planning and enforcement. The Legal Framework component provided technical assistance to MAIL/MAIL/Arazi and identified potential revenue streams from Afghan government lands. The Capacity Building component built capacity of public and private sector land service providers through training and technical assistance. The LARA project also made progress in its cross-cutting areas, including gender, training, public information awareness, and private sector development. The project collaborated with other donors, including Tetra Tech DPK, International Land Systems (ILS), Development & Training Services Inc (dTS), and Landesa. The project's financial performance was also satisfactory, with expenditures totaling $4.3 million during the 2nd Quarter FY 2013. The LARA project's progress was also reflected in its stakeholder engagement, with regular meetings and consultations with government partners, civil society organizations, and the private sector. The project's monitoring and evaluation system was also in place, with regular reporting and analysis of project performance. Overall, the LARA project made significant progress in the 2nd Quarter FY 2013, implementing its activities and making progress towards its objectives. The project's continued success will depend on its ability to build on this momentum and address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.