Enhancing Sustainable Livelihoods for Poor and Marginalised Households through Land Tenure Security

Background:

DanChurchAid (DCA) present in Zambia as Norwegian Church Aid/DanChurchAid/ Christian Aid Joint Country Programme (JCP), with partner, Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA), and associate partners, Monze District Land Alliance (MDLA), Association for Land Development (ALD) and Gwembe District Land Alliance (GDLA) implemented the ‘Enhancing sustainable livelihoods for poor and marginalised households through land tenure security in three districts of Zambia’ (SULTS) project in the period December 2012 to March 2016 . The project has been externally evaluated. The purpose of the end of project evaluation was to provide the funders and implementing partners and other relevant and interested stakeholders with evidence about the past performance of the SULTS project.

Objectives

Overall Objective: The overall objective of the evaluation is to assess the extent to which the objectives and expected results of the project have been achieved, identify factors influencing their achievement and recommend how achievements can be sustained beyond the project.

Specific objectives: To assess the extent to which the project has achieved its 3 objectives and related result areas with special emphasis on the outcome indicators and most significant changes brought about by the project interventions at target group level; To assess the project monitoring and evaluation system with special emphasis on Project Process and Impact monitoring system and tools and suggest ways in which these could be used effectively to achieve project objectives in the follow up interventions by ZLA; To make recommendations on how achievements can be sustained beyond the project.

Methodology: Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were employed. Primary qualitative data was collected using in-depth interviews and focused group discussions while primary quantitative data was collected through questionnaire during field visits. Literature review was also carried out to collect secondary qualitative and quantitative data.

Key findings:

1. The project has been able to build the knowledge levels of the communities in respect of how they could have land tenure security through documentation of customary land rights and holding their traditional leadership accountable. The project has been able to build community structures which can interface with the traditional leadership on land matters. It has also been able to build the capacity of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to undertake advocacy activities for appropriate land policy and legislation

Recommendations:

1. In order to develop an effective linkage between land tenure security and sustainable livelihood strategies, there is need to support the development of institutional linkages with agricultural input supplies, markets and extension.

Recommendations for Partner:

1. ZLA needs to undertake a detailed needs assessment among CLAC members so as to know their requirements and ensure sustainability of the project.

2. ZLA need to formulate a system to promote good record keeping among CLAC Secretaries. This will promote sustainability of the work at community level, more so in retaining institutional memory.