Quarterly Progress Report: Promoting Land Ownership Certification in Kayogoro and Kibago Districts, Burundi

The project is part of the capitalization and improvement of pilot experiments that emerged since 2008, with the goal of reducing land conflicts that jeopardize national security and stability. The government of Burundi has established a land policy letter with five strategic axes, including land tenure security through decentralization of land management. The project has defined three outcomes, focusing on land certification services, mediation of land conflicts, and increasing awareness of the population on their land rights, particularly for women. The systematic OGR approach is used to identify, register, and certify land plots, combined with the OIR approach for individual requests. This approach will be implemented by the local government through the Service Foncier Communal offices in both districts after the project. The target group includes the population of 49 villages in Kayogoro and Kibago districts, the districts' local administration, and the agents of the Communal Cadastre. During the reporting period, October 1st to December 31st, 2020, ZOA used two recognition approaches, OGR and OIR, to cover 9 villages fully and 3 villages 85% with the OGR approach. A total of 30 out of 49 villages have been fully covered. Awareness-raising activities reached 31,728 people, with 15,297 men and 16,431 women participating. The awareness-raising approaches used include animation of meetings, door-to-door visits, performance of sketches, public events called "Tumenyivyamatongo yacu," and live radio broadcasts. Women participated more actively in door-to-door sensitizations, exhibition of sketches, and public events, as these approaches were more appealing to them. A total of 112 members of CRCs were trained on the mediation process, including re-election of members after the 2020 elections. The training was theoretical and practical, focusing on conflict mediation techniques and women's land rights. Public conflict mediation sessions were organized, with MIPAREC providing advice on complex conflicts. Additionally, 20,629 persons attended information sessions on the role of local land conflict resolution mechanisms, including CRCs. The project's progress indicates that all 49 villages will be covered by the end of the project, with a total of 30 villages already fully covered. The awareness-raising activities have reached a significant number of people, with women participating more actively in certain approaches. The training of CRC members on mediation processes has also been completed, with a focus on conflict mediation techniques and women's land rights.