Sustaining the Implementation of The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Lands, Fisheries And Forestry in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) at National and District Level in Sierra Leone - TCP/SIL/3602

Abstract

In Sierra Leone, the implementation of the globally agreedVoluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance ofTenure of Lands, Fisheries and Forestry in the Context ofNational Food Security (VGGT) began in February 2014under the German-funded project “Support forCountry-Level Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelineson the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land,Fisheries and Forests” (referred to as VGGT ProjectPhase I), which ended on 31 July 2016. Phase I led tothe creation of a comprehensive institutional frameworkrequiring regular and ongoing meetings among keystakeholders from both government and civil societyorganizations.The present project was designed to leverage the benefitsof the implementation of the VGGT and to sustain theimplementation of the key emerging activities, localizingthe implementation of the VGGT at the district level. Thisproject provided the opportunity to incorporate lessonslearned during VGGT Project Phase I and incorporateother stakeholders who had not been fully engagedduring the first phase – in particular the private sector,members of parliament, local authorities etc. – in VGGTimplementation. The importance of continuing toimplement key and high-level activities ensured furtherpolitical buy-in and the application of VGGT principles,not least through the implementation of the newlyapproved National Land Policy (NLP).The overall aim of the project was to sustain theimplementation of the VGGT in Sierra Leone. This was tobe achieved through three main outputs:• A multistakeholder platform that continues topromote, implement and mainstream the VGGT.• Stakeholders in Parliament and at district levelsensitized on the VGGT and on the implementation ofthe NLP.• Support for the implementation of the newly approvedkey natural resources-related sector policies (the NLPand the Fisheries Policy).