Vanuatu Land Program closes with Kava after 5 years

Towards the end of 2015, LEI completed the five-year DFAT-funded Vanuatu Land Program. The Program was a long-term commitment by the Government of Vanuatu (GoV) in land sector reform initiatives that aimed to support the Land Sector Framework through improved decision making, making land transactions more transparent, and improving land management procedures and practices (and in doing so, minimise the potential for conflict over land matters).

LEI facilitated and supported the following program objectives:

• informed collective decisions by customary landholders
• participatory land governance
• effective and enabling services
• a strengthened Customary Land Management Office consistent with the GoV’s land reform agenda
• a Land Information Management system that met current/future needs and supported economic development, and
• implementation of effective management and governance systems.

Reflecting on his last two years as Program Director (2014/2015), John Meadows said:
“Working in Vanuatu was a fantastic experience. It’s a beautiful country and the people are among the most friendly I have ever met. The time spent supporting community outreach associated with the 2014 land laws was particularly enjoyable, and I feel privileged to have been able to have spent time in some of the communities that – as a tourist – one may never get a chance to visit”

In a frank assessment of the technical aspects of the Program, John went on to say:
“There were successes in some areas, while in others it was hard going. In the Department of Lands, I’d like to think that the introduction of improved processes, documented procedures, document tracking and title information systems, and creation of valuation roles have made a difference. The customary land sector proved more challenging. Supporting the development of the Malvatumauri Roadmap was an important contribution, as were the capacity building and community outreach activities associated with the establishment of the Customary Land Management Office and the introduction of new legislation. Progress in respect of embedding monitoring and evaluation, gender mainstreaming, improved governance and securing customary land tenure proved more difficult, and there is still much work to do.
I’d like to thank all of the people who assisted the Program during my time in Vanuatu, including the LEI staff, the Program office staff, counterparts in the respective ministries and departments, the subcontractors and stakeholders who provided input, advice and support, DFAT staff at the Australian High Commission and last (but not least) my landlord and land lady Brian and Galia at the Hub (not forgetting Coco the dog!).”