Sierra Leone : Land Governance Assessment Framework

The importance of land governance in the socio-economic development of a nation cannot be overemphasized, as the allocation of land across competing uses can determine the type and level of economic activities that can be carried out by individuals, groups, and businesses. The need for a systematic assessment of land governance arises from three factors: policy importance, institutional fragmentation, and technical complexity. The land governance assessment framework (LGAF) was developed by World Bank, in partnership with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), IFAD, IFPRI, United Nation (UN) habitat and the African union land policy initiative to facilitate an analysis of this nature, will allow for the comparison of the state of land governance in Sierra to global good practices in key areas of responsible land governance. The results of the LGAF in Sierra Leone will feed into the ongoing voluntary guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries, and forests in the context of national food security (VGGT) discussions. The World Bank generally organizes a high level policy dialogue with the government to discuss key conclusion and policy recommendations. This report starts with a presentation of the methodology used in the implementation of the LGAF in Sierra Leone. It will provide an overview of the role of land in the economy and the history and context of land and tenure governance in Sierra Leone. It then presents the results of the assessments, followed by for improving land governance. Finally, it presents the policy matrix in relation to land matters in Sierra Leone