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TLI focuses on three interrelated pathways: investors, the national business ecosystem and the global and regional development community, employing a multi-tiered approach to change investor practices and enabling environments at all levels. The Project utilises a variety of tools and methods to do this including the development of tech tools like the Risk-Reward Model and regular cross-sectoral events, as Dr. Boupha references below. The end product of this is to promote and incentivise transformation and alignment with TLI practices.

From the middle of winter here in Australia and our financial year just closing, welcome to a mid-year operations update from the team. Our January 2025 LEI newsletter was shared 2 weeks prior to the unprecedented stop work order issued to our Lesotho Land and Gender consultancy. Our team was deep in planning for another round of community and household meetings addressing new issues of land inheritance, trialing a newly established grievance mechanism and educating communities about more gender inclusive practices for decision making. Abruptly stopping the work was devastating. Communities’ expectations were raised. Numerous stakeholders were left stranded on a learning curve of land rights and inheritance discussions and social and behavioural change actions. The team’s desire and passion to ignite a new economy, food security and rural development opportunity to their fellow citizens was quashed in a moment. We can only hope that such long negotiations are an indication of a way through and not a way out.

On 17th December 2024 around midday, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck just 30 km away from Vanuatu’s capital city of Port Vila. No stranger to disasters, the nation has weathered three major cyclones in 2023 alone. But recovery from this impact has felt a little different. 14 people tragically lost their lives, and an estimated 80,000 people were impacted nationally. Some six months on, parts of the CBD still remain closed to the public as the reconstruction effort continues: many roads still require repair and demolition of unsafe buildings is ongoing. And new urban paradigms are emerging, with many businesses relocating ‘to the suburbs’ – with no intent to return. 

The world of land tenure and administration is also constantly evolving, influenced by political change, climate disruption, and technological evolution. Global official development assistance (ODA) fell in 2024 for the first time in five years, dropping by 7.1% as donor countries shifted their priorities inward and scaled back commitments. Although some countries – like Korea, Portugal, and Belgium – increased their contributions, the overall decline highlights an alarming recalibration in donor country priorities. Over the course of 2025, we will need to remain vigilant and flexible as the global development community reacts to these readjusted priorities and the growing questions around the value and effectiveness of bilateral aid.

Our Research and Communications Officer Naia Webb reflects on her time at the FIG international conference in Brisbane this April. As a geospatial newbie, she had plenty to learn, and was keen to hear about where industry leaders think the profession is, and should be headed.

In this interview, Nik Regenvanu, Team Leader of the Vanuatu Affordable and Resilient Settlements (VARS) project, shares insights into his work addressing housing and land tenure challenges in Port Vila. With a background in banking, finance, and governance across the Pacific, Nik discusses the progress of the VARS project, its role in tackling affordable housing and secure land tenure, and the impact of the December 2024 earthquake on the region. He highlights the importance of collaborative efforts between the government, private sector, and communities in creating sustainable and resilient settlements for the future. Nik also discusses the critical role of financial institutions in facilitating affordable housing development, the need for long-term resilience planning, and his vision for Vanuatu's urban growth beyond the immediate recovery efforts. The VARS project, supported by the World Bank and Vanuatu's government, is seen as a potential model for similar initiatives across the Pacific, contributing to the region's long-term stability and development.

Good land registration is crucial for sustainable land management and securing land rights in Lesotho. It ensures clear ownership, resolves disputes, and protects tenure security. Overcoming challenges like women's land rights and high registration costs can foster fairer, more transparent land systems.

Lineo Rakaibe is a gender expert working with LEI in Lesotho. She writes from her previous experience as a District Gender Officer under the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development, and more recently as a Senior Gender and Social Inclusion Expert on the Land and Gender consultancy, part of the Market Driven Irrigated Horticulture (MDIH) project, which falls under the Millenium Challenge Corporation Lesotho Compact.

If 2024 was a day out of the office, it would have been to a theme park. We took many rides (a couple too many) on the roller coaster with tender proposals and travel, and not enough time at the picnic tables to exchange and connect. The unpredictability and sometime rapid pace of work in our field is what we have come to know. Very fortunately at LEI, we have a strong team who embrace the demands that allow us to pivot quickly and progress effectively.  We aim to find a steady pace for impactful work in 2025 as we see our projects move into implementation, wrap up and roll-over phases.

Finance for nature-based solutions is on the upswing. The voluntary carbon market (VCM) and carbon investments have seen remarkable growth, particularly for projects that incentivize protection of forests and other landscapes in carbon-rich regions such as the Mekong, and is projected to mobilize up to US$5 billion annually in the next decade. Yet, like any credible market, the VCM must be inclusive, grounded in an enabling policy environment, and with mutual benefits for people, nature, and climate. But the price of carbon has taken a plunge in recent years (Forest Trends 2024, World Bank 2024) as a result of a host of issues and concerns that are summarized as a lack of environmental and social “integrity.” Though not all forest-based carbon projects have come under scrutiny, they currently command weaker prices than many other sectors, signaling a lack of market confidence.  

Naia Webb (on the far right in the photo above) joined the Land Equity International team at the end of last year in a new position in the company as a Research and Communications Officer! Naia brings with her experience in climate advocacy and a passion for impactful storytelling. Naia is a recent graduate from the University of Wollongong and over the coming years we look forward to fostering her career in environmental advocacy. We are keen to use Naia’s skills to strengthen our communication materials and company strategy for project knowledge, while also advancing our research initiatives to support good land governance worldwide.

Land Equity International was invited to contribute to the publication and interviewed Dr. Sochanny Hak (Dr Channy) and Dr Hue Le in an article titled ‘Giving voice to smallholder women farmers in the Mekong Region’ (pp 50-53).  This article discusses the Mekong Region Land Governance (MRLG) project which over the past decade has had a key focus on securing land tenure for small-holder farmers. Designed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), co-financed by Germany and Luxemburg, implemented by Land Equity International and GRET, and shaped by political economy thinking, the project has intentionally committed to over a decade of momentum building activities.