(Ecofin Agency) - The Land Policy Initiative (LPI), a joint programme of the tripartite consortium consisting of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has launched a pilot project to track progress in implementing in the AU Declaration on land issues in Africa. This was revealed by the ECA in a press statement dated March 7.

In collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the project will assess progress made in implementing the key decisions and commitments of the AU Declaration on Land adopted in July 2009 by the General Assembly of the pan-African institution. “We are to a large extent in unchartered waters given many of our Member States have not monitored land governance processes in the past. Even at the global and regional levels, monitoring land governance is still a developing area”, said Janet Edeme, Head of Rural Economy, Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) at the African Union Commission (AUC).

“IFPRI is about research for policy impact and is therefore very pleased to join the LPI in this challenging yet exciting project,” said for her part Ms. Ruth Meizen-Dick, Flagship leader, Natural Resource Property Regimes, Policies Institutions and Markets (PIM), and Senior Fellow, Environment & production Technology Division, IFPRI.

“The pilot project on M&E will develop a comprehensive baseline that will form the basis for tracking progress in implementation of the key decisions of the AU Declaration on Land; track progress made at the continental, regional and national levels since the launch of the implementation of the Declaration; document and disseminate best practices; and build capacity to sustain efforts of member states in regular tracking and reporting on land governance,” indicates the statement.

Souha Touré