FAO Hosts Inception Meeting on State Peace Fund Project

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Sierra Leone on Thursday hosted an inception meeting for the State Peace Fund (SPF) Project, a complementary initiative to the Sierra Leone Land Administration Project, aimed at piloting innovative solutions for land dispute resolution across the country.

Speaking at the event, Wuyango Bockarie Harding, Assistant FAO Representative for Programs, highlighted the persistent challenges in land governance in Sierra Leone. He noted that unresolved land disputes, weak customary and statutory tenure systems, and gender inequality continue to pose significant risks to peace and stability.

“Land conflicts account for over 60% of High Court cases and remain a major driver of insecurity,” Harding said. “Despite reforms like the National Land Policy (2015) and the Customary Land Rights Act (2022), implementation capacity remains limited. Women, youth, and marginalized groups continue to face challenges in accessing and securing land rights, underscoring the need for the SPF Project.”

Sahr Paul Beinya, National Project Coordinator, explained that the meeting provided a comprehensive update on the early progress of the SPF/UTF/SIL Project. The session focused on reviewing technical assistance provided by FAO on behalf of the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning (MLHCP), addressing emerging concerns, and agreeing on next steps for effective delivery in line with World Bank requirements.

The discussions involved representatives from the MLHCP, FAO, the World Bank Project Task Force, the National Land Commission (NLC), and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) engaged in land governance and community-level representation.

Key discussion points included:

• Progress on initial project activities, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building initiatives.

• Alignment of technical assistance with the government’s land reform agenda and the implementation of new land laws.

• Timelines, coordination mechanisms, and strategies for accelerated delivery of project outputs.

• Ensuring inclusivity, with special attention to women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

• Strengthening collaboration between FAO, MLHCP, NLC, CSOs, and the World Bank to maximize impact and sustainability.

The SPF Project is part of ongoing efforts to promote peace, strengthen land governance, and enhance access to land rights, particularly for marginalized communities, in Sierra Leone.