- Support the development of an implementation strategy for Mozambique’s land policy including the development of a privatisation strategy, which identifies serious investors and maximises benefits for rural communities.
- "Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!"
The present shift in emphasis towards putting finances into the central state treasury, against agreed performance indicators, must take into account the risks involved and accept that the achievement of donor’s strategic objectives could be minimised. The lessons from PROAGRI are instructive in this regard, where, notwithstanding the existence of agreed principles, objectives and plans, very few of the land programme poverty alleviation elements received any attention and donor bodies were unable or unwilling to challenge these failings.
A key element will be the negotiation of performance indicators. In terms of the land programme these would need to include an emphasis on the strengthening of mechanisms for identifying investment potential and the linking of this to the processing of land concessions and community land delimitations; creating an enabling environment for the formalisation of agreements between communities and investors, etc.
Whilst the above may be the primary mechanism for channelling development funding, other mechanisms for channelling funding to specific government agencies, NGOs and the private sector need to either be maintained or developed further:
- Propose the establishment of funds for the contracting of services to process land applications and community delimitations (partial outsourcing but also independent access to confirm community rights).
Much praise has accrued to the new Mozambican land policy as a result of the ‘right’ to register land rights acquired through land occupancy that was included within the new legislative framework. It remains the case, however, that a community that wishes to exercise this right must pay the costs involved. The right therefore remains out of reach for the vast majority of rural communities. An independent funding mechanism that would allow a community to apply for a land delimitation ‘grant’ to cover these costs would be an important and necessary complement to central state funding assistance. Included should also be support for the negotiation and strengthening of agreements between rural communities and land concessionaires.
- Promote integrated economic and development planning and improved information exchange on land concessions, community land delimitations, forestry applications and other land uses.
- Provide funding support for intra and inter provincial exchange. Encourage the consolidation of a national mechanism for the exchange of experience.
- Promote the development of business plans for SPGCs, district administrations and municipalities for attaining sustainability - income projections matched against resource requirements. This should be part of the criteria for channelling funding to state treasury.
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