4-5 April 2002
Venue: Nucleo de Estudos da Terra Desenvolvimento (NET) University of Eduardo Mondlane Maputo, Mozambique
Rights and access to land-based natural resources in Mozambique
Implications of the Mozambican Land Law experience for poverty alleviation in Southern Africa
As a follow-up to the SARPN conference on land reform and poverty alleviation in Southern Africa, held in June 2001, a two-day workshop was held in Maputo on the 4th and 5th of April 2002 to take forward discussions on the impact of Mozambican land law for poverty alleviation processes. In particular the workshop focussed on the land market in both rural and urban areas in the country. The event was organised jointly by SARPN and the Land Unit (Nucleo de Estodus da Terra Desenvolvimento, NET) of the University of Eduardo Mondlane.
A wide range of stakeholders in the current Mozambique land debate participated in the workshop, including representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Land Commission, the Land Forum, FAO, DINAGECA, ORAM UNAC, academics, researchers and independent consultants.
Delegates from outside Mozambique were also invited and included representatives of IFAS in South Africa with experience in land markets. Two senior Angolan delegates were also invited as a consideration of the similarities between the ongoing Mozambican process and what may potentially unfold in Angola. Dr Afonso Norman represented the Angolan Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as the Gabinete Juridico, which is charged with land legislation for Angola while Francisco Bongue represented civil society as a senior member of the Angolan Land Forum. There participation was coincided remarkably with the amnesty agreement in Angola which potentially heralds the beginning of major reforms in the country, including land ownership and tenure.
A number of commissioned papers were presented during the workshop, facilitated by Professors Jose Negrao and Arlindo Chilundo. The set of papers focussed on two major aspects of the implementation of the law, namely the land market in urban areas (with a particular focus on problems and solutions) and the land title market and rural economic development. The papers included the following:
- Professor Jose Negrao – An overview of the Land Market in Mozambique
- Janet de Assulai – Land Market in urban areas
- Victor Muchanga – The land market in Maputo and Matola cities: problems and solutions for urban planning
- Alexandre Baia – A contribution to the Land Market analysis of Mozambique
- Cesar Tique – Rural Land Market in Mozambique: its impact on land conflicts
- Aristedes Baloi – Some aspects of Land Title Market and Rural Economic Development in Mozambique
- Dr Afonso Norman – Evolucao da Legislacao Fundiaria em Angola.
These papers will soon be available on the SARPN website in both English and Portuguese.
Great interest was evident in the workshop and discussion, particularly the presence of the Angolan delegation. National television interviewed key speakers, indicating that the workshop made an impact on the current debates around land and poverty. This was despite an evident confusion in the opening session as to the legality of selling land per se or the infrastructure built upon it. Nonetheless, the workshop served to expose areas of crucial importance for the ongoing debate particularly as the issue of privatisation has raised some vigorous protest. SARPN will continue to work with NET on this issue as a facility to deepen debate and to provide a platform for a wide variety of perspectives to be heard. A similar process might be undertaken in Angola, depending on demand for it.
For further details contact Dr Scott Drimie, SARPN Land Policy Analyst, at: sedrimie@hsrc.ac.za or Prof Doutor Arlindo Chilundo at:arlindo@zebra.uam.mz
|
