Liberia to Host Second National Land Conference in Ganta

Monrovia – The Multi-Actors Platform on Land Governance and Responsible Agricultural Investment in Liberia (MAP Liberia Land Platform), in collaboration with the Government of Liberia and the Liberia Land Authority (LLA), will hold the second National Land Conference (NLC) in Ganta, Nimba County, from September 23 to 27, 2024.

With backing from the Liberian government and international development partners, the NLC will review progress since the first conference in March 2022 in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. Themed "Looking Backwards, Looking Forward After the First National Land Conference," the event aims to assess the implementation of land reforms and land-based investments, focusing on livelihood and food security. The conference will identify progress, challenges, and opportunities to accelerate land reform in Liberia.

Over 200 delegates, including representatives from government agencies, civil society, academia, community-based organizations, and international donors, are expected to attend. Key topics will include customary land formalization, land rights of women, youth, and people with disabilities, land administration, conflict resolution, decentralization of land services, and linking land rights to responsible agricultural investments.

The conference will also explore improvements in policies and practices related to land, agriculture, and food security, and develop concrete recommendations for advancing the Land Rights Act of Liberia.

President Joseph N. Boakai is expected to lead a high-level government delegation to Ganta to officially launch the conference on September 24, 2024.

A special focus will be placed on Women's Land Rights Day, set under the theme "Collaborative Solutions: Partnership for Advancing Women’s Land Rights," where national and rural women’s organizations, along with their international partners, will review the status of women’s land rights and define a road map for future actions.

Organizers are eager to work with media institutions for full coverage of the conference, and a final communique will be signed by delegates to further land reform and responsible agricultural investment in Liberia.

The event is open only to delegates with official invitations, and organizers urge institutions that have pledged support to fulfill their commitments promptly.