Access to land in the Cunene region of Angola for food security.

  • Country: Angola.
  • Location: Cunene Region, southern Angola.
  • Duration: March 2018 to February 2019.
  • Participants: 120 rural producers (70% women) with problems accessing land and water; 30 municipal technicians.
  • Area of specialization: Rural Market Development.

Starting point

Angola has begun its economic recovery after the end of the civil war that followed independence from Portugal. It is a country with abundant natural resources, especially oil, but this wealth remains in the hands of a few, creating significant socioeconomic inequalities.

In Angola, 85% of the population is engaged in agriculture, 30% live on less than $1.40 a day, and 46% suffer from malnutrition. Many communities engage in subsistence farming and live in extreme poverty. Furthermore, they lack title to the lands on which they grow their crops. To address this situation, the Land Law came into force in 2004, ensuring land ownership by customary law and allowing for the recognition of land ownership.

Despite the existence of this law, many of these lands remain unlegalized due to a widespread lack of awareness among farmers and public officials. Added to this is the fact that men do not allow women to own or inherit land, even though they do 50% of the agricultural work.

Objective

Ensure access to fertile land in Cunene for the farmers who work it and implement a work strategy.

What is the project about

Establish a training program for 30 government technicians from two municipalities in the province of Cunene on the Land Law and its application, as well as on the participatory methodology for demarcating community lands.

Furthermore, workshops are held to educate 120 participating farmers (70% of whom are women) on the Land Law, including procedures for obtaining and registering land with the competent authorities.
In addition, community working groups are created to enhance the role of women in land-working processes and raise awareness among men.

Entities that support this project