Land in Africa: Market Asset or Secure Livelihood Conference London, November 8-9, 2004

Document begins: Land in Africa: Market Asset or Secure Livelihood Conference London, November 8-9, 2004 Strengthening and Streamlining the Community Land Demarcation Process By Arlindo Chilundo* Introduction In this short paper I am trying to analyse how the legal system can be strealimed so that the costs of delimitation and demarcation of land are reduced mainly in rural communities, where 80% of the Mozambican people live, most of them in absolute poverty. In doing so I look primarily into systems, then into processes and finally into mechanisms. I make some concrete recommendations towards reducing both time and procedures in delimitation and demarcation of community land. I. SYSTEMS The land policy and law are the main system that influence local communities' land delimitation and demarcation processes. Land Policy and Land Law Land Policy The main objective of land policy is to "safeguard the diverse rights of the Mozambican people over land and natural resources, while promoting investment and the sustainable and equitable use of these resources". In terms of its fundamental principles, the land policy recognizes customary rights of access and management of land use, and seeks to promote national and foreign investments without jeopardising local residents. The strength of the ...