RWANDA FOOD SECURITY AND LAND GOVERNANCE FACTSHEET

RWANDA FOOD SECURITY AND LAND GOVERNANCE FACTSHEET Abstract...1 1 Plicy and legislatin...1 1.1 Regulatry Land Gvernance Framewrk...1 1.2 Land Tenure Frms...2 1.3 Institutinal land gvernance framewrk...3 1.4 Gender...3 1.5 Land Transactins and Freign Direct Investment...3 2 Integrated Water Management...4 2.1 Regulatry Framewrk...4 2.2 Institutinal framewrk arund Integrated Water Resurce Management...4 3 Realities n the grund...5 4 Resurces and ther infrmatin...6 4.1 Natinal Plicy agenda 2012-2015...6 4.2 Sme dnr supprt...6 4.3 Civil sciety rganizatins...6 4.4 References...7 Abstract 1 Cnflict ver land was ne factr cntributing t the 1994 gencide. The aftermath f the gencide added new challenges ranging frm refugee resettlement t large numbers f widws and rphans lacking secure access t land. One strategy t integrate returning refugees was cmpulsry land sharing. An ambitius centrally driven land refrm seeks t address these issues, as well as t cnslidate land hldings fr facilitating an agribusiness apprach t farming. Draining f valley bttms, which are als imprtant fr the hydrlgy, play an imprtant rle in this strategy. The plicy and legal framewrk is in place and implementatin has started, with the intentin t cver the entire cuntry. The land refrm is imprtant fr fd prductin and water as it may imprve security f tenure fr men and wmen, n cnditin that the prcess is well gverned, that mnitring results are reliable and analysed, and that the rights cnfirmatin has becme scially legitimate. The management f disputes and cnflicts ver land is equally imprtant and requires mediatin capacity. The land registratin prgramme will nt imprve the psitin f the landless r near landless in rural areas. 1 Plicy and legislatin 1.1 Regulatry Land Gvernance Framewrk The recgnitin f state and private prperty and the right f every citizen t private prperty, whether held individually r in assciatin with thers is inscribed in the Cnstitutin f the 1 This cuntry factsheet was prepared under auspices f LANDac The IS academy n land gvernanceand cmpiled by the Ryal Trpical Institute (KIT - Martijn ter Heegde, Thea Hilhrst and Nichlas Prchet) at the request f the Ministry f Freign Affairs The Netherlands. 1

Republic f Rwanda. The state has the authrity t grant rights t land, including private wnership rights, and t establish laws gverning land acquisitin, transfer and use. State land is classified as public r private; public land cannt be alienated (GOR Cnstitutin 2003). Plicy Cntent Natinal Land All Rwandans will enjy the same rights f access t land Plicy f 2004 All land shall be registered, and land shall be alienable Cnslidatin f husehld plts is encuraged Land administratin shall be based n a title-deeds registratin system (GOR Land Plicy 2004a) Land Gvernance Legislatin 2005 Organic Land Organic Law Determining the Use and Management f Land in Law Rwanda. The State is respnsible fr managing state land in the public interest and with the bjective f supprting ecnmic develpment and scial welfare Recgnizes rights t land btained under custmary law as equivalent t rights btained under frmal law, requires land registratin and sets minimum plt sizes fr agricultural land Order N. 002/2008 f 1/4/08 defines Mdalities f Land Registratin and prvides fr tw types f certificates f land rights the Certificate f Registratin f Full Title and a Certificate f Registratin f Emphyteutic Lease (GOR Land Law 2005). (GOR Land Registratin Order 2008d; GOR Land Lease Order 2007c; GOR Order n Registrar f Land Titles 2006b). Custmary law cvers a sizable part f land in Rwanda and these lands have nt yet been frmalized under the Organic Land Law. Custmary law recgnizes wnership, leasehlds and brrwed land (Musahara 2006; GOR 2007; GOR 2010c). 1.2 Land Tenure Frms Land is classed as either individual land r state land by the 2005 Organic Land Law. Individual (i.e., private) land can be btained under principles f custmary law r under frmal law. Land Tenure Types Ownership Cntrats de Lcatin Certificat d Enregistrement d une Prpriété Fncière Cntrat d emphythése Cntrats de Cessin Gratuite Acte de Ntriété Paysannat Land Fr individuals, entities. Ownership rights can be btained under custmary law r frmal law but must be registered t be recgnized under the Organic Land Law Granted fr undevelped land, usually in urban and peri-urban areas. Is granted after a deed plan (fiche cadastre) is issued fr a parcel but befre land is develped Equivalent f freehld title, available after land is develped in accrdance with a cntrat de lcatin lng-term leases available t the general public and have primarily been used fr agricultural land granted t NGOs, churches, and ther nnprfit assciatins fr dnated r sanctined land. It has n limit n its duratin ccupancy permit that is widely held in urban areas, annual rent must be paid and a 6% tax n value f the land must be paid n registratin User rights n land allcated by the gvernment, such as fr tea plantatins (mstly given in the 1960s and 1970s), there is n central registratin f paysannat land 2

(GOR Land Registratin Order 2008d; GOR Organic Land Law 2005). (GOR Land Lease Order 2007c). (GOR 2007; GOR Land Leasing Law 2007c) The majrity f land in Rwanda is held under custmary law and has nt yet been frmalized under the Organic Land Law. Custmary law recgnizes wnership, leasehlds and brrwed land (Musahara 2006; GOR 2007c; GOR 2010c). 1.3 Institutinal land gvernance framewrk Respnsibility fr land matters rests with the Ministry f the Envirnment and Lands (MINELA) including: (1) drafting legislatin and establishing nrms fr ratinal explitatin and efficient land management; (2) crdinating stakehlders activities and mbilizing necessary resurces fr land management and land-use planning; and (3) reinfrcing capacities f decentralized entities in matters f land management (GOR 2010a). Authrity ver the district land cmmissins, the sectr land cmmittees and the cell land cmmittees is vested in the Natinal Land Centre, part f MINELA. It is respnsible fr: (1) establishing mechanisms that guarantee land-tenure security t land-users n a nndiscriminatry basis; (2) prmting the ratinal use f land in Rwanda; (3) establishing a legal and institutinal framewrk; and (4) building institutinal capacity. Natinal Registrar fr land is within the Natinal Land Centre. The Centre maintains data fr mapping parcels, crdinates planning (althugh desn t itself plan) and supprts decentralizatin (GOR 2010a; GOR 2010b). Respnsibility fr balancing natinal ppulatin plicy, land-use planning, and envirnmental needs t ensure that land is nt degraded lies with MINELA s Envirnmental Sectr. Issues arund fd security are with the Ministry f Agriculture and Animal Resurces (MINAGRI) which initiates and manages prgrams designed t transfrm and mdernize the sectr. The Ministry s pririty prgrams target: intensificatin and develpment f sustainable prductin systems; supprt fr prfessinal develpment f prducers; prmtin f prduct chains and agr-industry develpment; and institutinal develpment (GOR 2010c; GOR 2010d). In respnse t the 1994 gencide the Rwandan gvernment has instituted cmpulsry villagisatin and land-sharing prgrams requiring existing ccupants t give up a prtin f their land t returnees. A mandatry mediatin prcess initiated by gvernment after the gencide als extends t civil cases relating t land rights and land-related inheritance disputes. Mediatrs, knwn as abunzi are gruped in cells f 12 abunzi, 30% f whm must be wmen, and wh hld the psitin fr tw years. 1.4 Gender Whereas the cnstitutin and frmal laws cvering wmen s land rights stress the imprtance f equity, it is custmary law and traditinal practices that tend t gvern wmen s land rights. In many cases, wmen are nt in registered marriages and thus utside the prtectin f the frmal law (Scalise and Givarelli 2010; Brwn and Uvuza 2006; GOR 2007; GOR Law 22/99 1999). 1.5 Land Transactins and Freign Direct Investment Land sales ccur but mst landwners prefer t lease land. The gvernment f Rwanda is keen t prmte investment and prfessinalizatin f farming in rural areas. 3

2.1 Regulatry Framewrk 2 Integrated Water Management The abundant water resurces f Rwanda include lakes, rivers, and marshlands. Marshlands are particularly prductive ecsystems, respnsible fr cycling nutrients, recharging grundwater and helping mitigate flding. Ensuring integrated water management in marshlands is imprtant t prtect sil prductivity and hydrlgy. Lcal gvernments are generally in charge f the administratin f (imprved) marshlands (FAO 2009; REMA 2009a; GOR Water Plicy 2004). Rwanda has tw majr drainage basins: the Upper Nile basin and the Cng basin and agricultural use accunts fr 68% f water withdrawal, while dmestic use and industry accunt fr 24% and 8%, respectively (REMA 2009; FAO 2005; FAO 2009; Wrld Bank 2009a; GOR Water Plicy 2004b). The 2005 Organic Land Law prvides that the cuntry s lakes, rivers, and grundwater are in the public dmain, and the use f water resurces is shared by all (GOR Organic Land Law 2005). Water Plicy in Rwanda 2004 Sectr Plicy n Water and Sanitatin Gal: ensure access t water fr everyne fairly and in a sustainable manner, prtect water resurces and surces, and prmte cperatin fr the management f catchment basins Imprve the water supply systems; t ptimize use f water in the agricultural sectr, energy prductin and transprt; t encurage the management f water supply infrastructure by cmmunities; t increase access t sanitatin services; t reinfrce capacity-building at all levels (central and district). Water Law (Law N 62/2008 f 10/09/08) Designed within the framewrk f the 2004 Water Plicy Prvides that water is a public gd, and respnsibility fr its prper use and prtectin is the respnsibility f the state Recgnizes principles such as: prtecting water resurces frm pllutin, requiring water users and water plluters t pay, using water user assciatins The pririties fr water distributin are: (1) the ppulatin; (2) livestck; and (3) hydrelectric energy prductin (GOR Water Plicy 2004b; GOR Water Law 2008). 2.2 Institutinal framewrk arund Integrated Water Resurce Management Several agencies share respnsibility fr water resurces and distributin f water in Rwanda; the Ministry f Infrastructure (MININFRA) being respnsible fr the water and sanitatin sectr and the Natinal Water Cmmissin being respnsible fr creating water resurce develpment plans and prgrams t supprt the Ministry s plicies (REMA 2009a). Rural water supply, management f water resurces and sanitatin are the respnsibilities f the Ministry f Natural Resurces, thrugh its Directrate f Water and Sanitatin and the 4

Ministry f Natural Resurces is respnsible fr helping t set natinal water plicy; ensuring cmpliance with relevant legislatin; representing the gvernment in intergvernmental rganizatins n matters related t water; and prmting internatinal and reginal cperatin n water resurce issues. At the district-level basin cmmittees are respnsible fr preparing district-level water management plans. The district basin cmmittees have the pwer t delegate authrity fr management f water resurces and water infrastructure t lcal water user assciatins (GOR Water Law 2008; REMA 2009a; RWASCO 2010). The Ministry f the Envirnment and Lands (MINELA) has respnsibility fr: planning and implementing water quality and distributin prgrams; t ensure that the use f water and wetlands is dne withut endangering the envirnment; t put in place legislatin fr mnitring and reductin f pllutin; and t fster apprpriate envirnment-friendly methds and techniques fr the explitatin and management f natural resurces (GOR 2010a). The ratinal use f water ptential fr agricultural purpses is ensured by the Ministry f Agriculture and Animal Resurces (MINAGRI). MINAGRI s Unit f Agricultural Engineering and Sil Cnservatin, manages agricultural develpment and sil cnservatin thrugh terracing, drainage and irrigatin (REMA 2009a; GOR 2010d). 3 Realities n the grund The pressure n land, cmbined with limited nn-agricultural livelihd ptins, was ne f the factrs that led t the 1994 gencide. The displacement f large grups f peple brught abut by vilence put additinal pressure n the land. In several cases multiple grups ccupied and laid claim t the same land. The gvernment estimates that by 2001 land-related disputes cncerned as much as 80% f the cases cming befre prefect curts (Musahara 2006; André and Platteau 2005; GOR 2007; Wyss 2006).Cmpeting claims t land are influenced by the reintegratin f dembilized sldiers, frmer prisners, and ld- and new-case returnees frm neighbring cuntries. The cmpulsry villagisatin and land-sharing prgrams were mstly cnducted withut due prcess r payment f fair cmpensatin, required settlement in areas withut services r adequate farmland and resulted in increased insecurity and tensin (GOR 2007; Bruce 2007).The Rwandan gvernment has als allcated land in game reserves and parks and created resettlement villages (umudugudu) fr returning refugees. The mandatry mediatin prcess and its abunzi mediatrs are hampered by the fact that they are nt cmpensated, and receive little training n cnflict reslutin skills r the law. The preference f sme grups, ntably wmen and marginalized grups t present their case t the abunzi related t a widespread suspicin f bias with lcal authrities (ARD 2008b; GOR 2007). The gacaca, lcal adjudicatry bdies established by gvernment t judge thse wh participated in the gencide, als have the pwer t address land issues (Musiime 2007; Bruce 2007). There is a need t develp effective land cnflict mediatin strategies and ensure dialgue and cnsultatin f plicy arund cmpulsry land sharing. The grwing ppulatin is putting pressure n land tenure structure, as manifested by cmpeting claims t land, gvernment exprpriatins, and a histry f cnflict and land degradatin. At present land disputes remain cmmn in Rwanda. Amng the ther causes f land disputes currently the mst significant relates intra-family prblems; mstly inheritance claims, bundary encrachment, claims arising frm plygamus relatinships, and land transactins. The verwhelming majrity f disputes are ccurring within extended families rather than between different scial grups (GOR 2007; Wyss 2006; ARD 2008a; ARD 2008b). The handling f mst land disputes initially ges thrugh custmary frums such as: the family cuncil (a custmary institutin whse make-up changes depending n the issue in 5

questin); leaders f the nyumba kumi (a defunct administrative level fr up t 10 husehlds, whse leaders still retain sme authrity); umudugudu leaders (elected villagelevel leaders); and the cell executive cmmittee (ARD 2008a). The legitimacy f custmary institutins, smetimes mandated by the state, t mediate in land disputes is questinable in the pst-cnflict envirnment, and mst lack mediatin skills. It appears that many residents, while cntinuing t rely n the custmary land tenure system t supprt and enfrce their land rights, are mtivated t register their rights under the new legal framewrk. Plicy space in Rwanda fr farmers t questin aspects f land plicy and regulatins is perceived t be insufficient. It is suggested that gvernment land refrms are mstly the prduct f central level decisin making, with less cnsideratin fr rural realities (Anseeuw and Alden, 2010; Ansms 2009, Ansms et al. 2010). The use f mnitring fr adaptive management is hampered by a tendency t apprach the presentatin f results as public relatins (e.g. very lw percentage f disputed cases f land registratin). Mst land users lack space fr dialgue r cnsultatin with gvernment r ask critical questins t gvernment fficials. There is a widely held suspicin f bias amng thse fficials, which undermines gvernment credibility. A particular prblem fr Rwanda is the landlessness f marginalized grups particularly abasigajwe inyuma n amateka (knwn as the Abatwa r Twa), gencide survivrs, rphans and legally vulnerable wmen (Musahara 2006; André and Platteau 2005). 4.1 Natinal Plicy agenda 2012-2015 4 Resurces and ther infrmatin Increase supprt fr land registratin Prceed with land cnslidatin Bst investment and prfessinalizatin in agriculture 4.2 Sme dnr supprt USAID has supprted the gvernment f Rwanda in its develpment f land plicy and the legal framewrk gverning land. Als the UK s Department fr Internatinal Develpment (DFID) is funding and prviding technical supprt fr Rwanda s Natinal Land Tenure Refrm Prgramme. Since 2011, the Wrld Bank is prmting the implementatin f the land gvernance assessment framewrk (LGAF), an activity that is facilitated by RISD. 4.3 Civil sciety rganizatins Members Internatinal land calitin: Rwanda Initiative fr Sustainable Develpment (RISD) www.risdrwanda.rg The Eastern Africa Farmers Federatin (EAFF) participates actively in natinal and internatinal discussins n land gvernance. They als published in 2010 The Entebbe Declaratin n Large Freign Land Acquisitins http://www.eaffu.rg/g/dwnlads/eaff%20psitin%20n%20land%20grab.pdf EAFF cvers the fllwing cuntries: Burundi, Demcratic Republic f Cng, Djibuti, Eritrea, Federal Demcratic Republic f Ethipia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic f Tanzania. General website: http://www.eaffu.rg Members EAFF in Rwanda: 6

Syndicat des agri-éleveurs du Rwanda (IMBARAGE) http://www.rparwa.rg/spip.php?rubrique20 Syndicat Rwandais des Agriculteurs et Eleveurs INGABO - http://www.agrinf.net/?menu=dcuments&view=dcument&dcument_id=52534 4.4 References André, Catherine and Jean-Phillipe Platteau. 1995. Land Relatins Under Unbearable Stress: Rwanda Caught in the Malthusian Trap. Centre de recherche en écnmie du dévelppement (CRED) Faculty f Ecnmics, University f Namur, Belgium. Anseeuw, Ward and Chris Alden. 2010. "The Struggle ver Land in Africa: Cnflicts, Plitics & Change" HSRC Press, 2010 Ansms, An. 2009. Re-Engineering Sciety: The Visins and Revisins f Rwandan Elite. African Affairs, 108/431:289 309 (3 February). Ansms, An, Ann Verddt, and Eric Van Ranst. 2010. A Green Revlutin fr Rural Rwanda: Recnciling Prductin Grwth with Small-Scale Risk Management. A paper prepared fr the Ten Years f War Against Pverty cnference, 8 10 September, Manchester, UK. http://www.chrnicpverty.rg/uplads/publicatin_files/ansms_et_al_rwanda.pdf Assciates in Rural Develpment, Inc. 2008a. An Assessment f Lcal Reslutin f Land Disputes in Tw Pilt Areas: Kabushinge and Nyamugali Cells, Rwanda Submitted by ARD t USAID. June 2008. Brwn, Jennifer and Justine Uvuza. 2006. Wmen s Land Rights in Rwanda: Hw can they be prtected and strengthened as the Land Law is implemented. Rural Develpment Institute Reprt N. 123. Seattle: RDI. Bruce, Jhn. 2007. Drawing a line under the crisis: Recnciling returnee land access and security in pstcnflict Rwanda. Humanitarian Plicy Grup (HPG) Backgrund Briefing, Overseas Develpment Institute (ODI). Lndn: ODI. Fd and Agriculture Organizatin. 2009. Aquastat Summary Fact Sheet: Rwanda. Rme: FAO. Gvernment f Rwanda. 1988. Li N. 47/1988 Organisatin du Régime Frestier. http://www.amategek.net/display_rubrique.php?actd=shwart&infrmatin_id=499&pa rent_id=307135&type=public&langue_id=fr&rubid=307139#307139. 1999. Law N. 22/99 f 12/11/99 t Supplement Bk One f the Civil Cde and t Institute Part 5 Regarding Matrimnial Regimes, Liberalities, and Successins. http://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/legis/nfr/eur/lxwerwa.htm (accessed 13 Octber 2010).. 2003. Cnstitutin f the Republic f Rwanda. http://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/legis/nfr/eur/lxwerwa.htm. 2004a. Natinal Land Plicy. http://www.minirena.gv.rw/img/pdf/natinal_land_plicy.pdf. 2004b. Water and Sanitatin Plicy. http://www.minirena.gv.rw/img/pdf/water_and_sanitatin_plicy.pdf. 2005. Organic Law Establishing the Land Tenure System in Rwanda. http://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/legis/nfr/eur/lxwerwa.htm (accessed 13 Octber 2010).. 2006a. Law Determining the Organisatin, Functining and Respnsibilities f Natinal Frests Authrity (NAFA). http://www.rema.gv.rw/index.php?ptin=cm_dcman&task=cat_view&gid=144&itemid =77&lang=en. 2006b. Presidential Order Determining the Structure, the Pwers and the Functining f the Office f the Registrar f Land Titles.. 2007b. Law Relating t Exprpriatin in the Public Interest. Law N 18/2007 OF 19/04/2007. http://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/legis/nfr/eur/lxwerwa.htm. 2007c. Presidential Order N 30/01 OF 29/06/2007 Determining the Exact Number f Years f Land Lease.. 2007d. Ministry f Lands, Envirnment, Frestry, Water and Mines (MINITARE). Results f Preparatry Field Cnsultatins in Fur Trial Districts; March Octber 2006. Kigali: DFID and Herts., UK: HTSPE publicatin.. 2008b. Ministerial Order N. 001/2008 f 01/4/2008 détermina the requirements and prcedures fr land.. 2008d. Order N. 002/2008 f 1/4/08 Defining Mdalities f Land Registratin. 7

. 2008e. Putting in Place the Use, Management and Prtectin f Water Resurces Regulatins. http://www.minela.gv.rw/img/pdf/li_fixant_les_r_gles_d_utilisatin_de_cnservatin_de _prtectin_et_de_gestin_des_ressurces_en_eau.pdf. 2010a. Ministry f Envirnment and Lands (MINELA). Website: Abut the Ministry. http://www.minela.gv.rw/spip.php?rubrique2. 2010b Natinal Land Centre Prfile. http://www.minela.gv.rw/img/pdf/nlc_prfile.pdf. 2010c. Ministry f Envirnment and Lands Annual Reprt July 2009 June 2010.. 2010d. Ministry f Agriculture and Animal Resurces (MINAGRI). Website: Abut the Ministry. http://www.minagri.gv.rw/index.php?ptin=cm_cntent&view=article&id=49&itemid=2 7&lang=en Gvernment f Rwanda (Ministry f Natural Resurces), Department f Internatinal Develpment, HTSPE, and Matrix. 2008. Establishing a Land Administratin System fr Rwanda: Technical and Ecnmic Analysis. http://siteresurces.wrldbank.rg/intie/resurces/sagashya_english_present.pdf Musahara, Herman. 2006. Imprving Tenure Security fr the Rural Pr, Rwanda: Cuntry Case Study. FAO, LEP Wrking Paper #7. Rme: FAO. Rwanda Envirnment Management Authrity. 2009a. State f the Envirnment and Outlk Reprt. http://www.rema.gv.rw/se/ Rwanda Water and Sanitatin Crpratin 2010. RWASCO Prjects. http://www.electrgaz.c.rw/prjectsrwasc.html Scalise, Elisa and Renee Givarelli. 2010. Making Equal Rights Real: Land Rights, Vulnerability, and Legal Empwerment. Rural Develpment Institute. Publicatin pending. United States Agency fr Internatinal Develpment. 2010. Prperty Rights and Resurce Gvernance, Rwanda Cuntry Prfile http://usaidlandtenure.net/usaidltprprducts/cuntryprfiles/rwanda Wyss, Kathrin. 2006. A Thusand Hills fr 9 Millin Peple: Land Refrm in Rwanda, Refrestatin f Feudal Order r Genuine Transfrmatin. Swiss Peace Wrking Paper 1, FAST Cuntry Risk Prfile. http://www.swisspeace.ch/typ3/fileadmin/user_uplad/pdf/wrking_paper/wp_1_2006_r wanda2.pdf 8