When chiefs, elders, and women leaders from 23 rural communities gathered under a cloudy September sky in Ganta, the atmosphere was jubilant. For the first time in generations, they held official documents that recognized their collective ownership of the land on which they live, farm, and raise families.
The government of Liberia, through the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) and in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), formally presented customary land deeds to 23 communities across Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Nimba counties. The milestone is part of a larger effort to strengthen land rights, reduce conflict, and promote peace in rural Liberia.
The ceremony brought together national leaders, including Internal Affairs Minister Francis S. Nyumalin, local county authorities, international development partners, and civil society actors. Representatives from the African Development Bank, the Environmental Protection Agency, and grassroots organizations joined villagers who had completed the rigorous Confirmatory Survey and Customary Land Formalization (CLF) process.
For the beneficiaries, many of them women, the deed presentation was more than a bureaucratic exercise. It was recognition of their right to land long managed under traditional norms but often vulnerable to disputes, government concessions, or powerful outside interests.
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"This land is our heritage," said one elder from Grand Cape Mount, holding up the freshly issued document. "Now our children will inherit it with dignity and security."
UNDP's push for peace through land rights
The CLF process was supported under a UNDP project titled Enhancing Peace and Social Cohesion through the Promotion of Equitable Access to and Use of Land for Rural Women in Conflict-Prone Communities and Concession Areas. It prioritizes women's inclusion in land governance and aims to reduce one of Liberia's most persistent drivers of violence -- land disputes.
The Liberia Land Authority noted that Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Nimba counties were selected as the first beneficiaries because of their histories of land-related conflicts and ongoing concession pressures.
"Equitable access to land is not only about economics," a UNDP representative told attendees. "It is about peace, justice, and ensuring women have the power to shape the future of their communities."
A sobering revelation
But even as communities celebrated, the event took a sobering turn when LLA Chairman Samuel F. Kpakio addressed the gathering. He revealed that the institution responsible for managing Liberia's land sector is struggling with an acute staffing and funding crisis.
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The LLA says it currently operates with only 300 staff nationwide, far below the 1,300 needed to function effectively. Budgetary shortfalls, lack of vehicles and other logistics, and overstretched personnel have left the authority unable to fully meet its mandate.
"The land sector is facing serious difficulties," Kpakio told Minister Nyumalin in particular and the rest of the attendees in general. "Without proper investment, it will be difficult to meet the demands and responsibilities placed on the Liberia Land Authority."
His remarks underscored the paradox of a historic achievement -- granting communities long-awaited legal ownership of their land -- while the very institution tasked with safeguarding those gains teeters under resource constraints.
Land issues remain one of Liberia's most sensitive governance challenges. During the country's civil wars, disputes over land and natural resources fueled conflict. Even in peacetime, overlapping claims between communities, individuals, and companies have sparked local unrest.
Those following the LLA's operations have noted that the LLA's ability to function effectively is central not only to rural development but also to preventing a relapse into conflict.
Kpakio acknowledged the crucial role of partners like UNDP, the Peace-building Fund, and local organizations that have filled critical gaps. "Most of our activities are possible because of their support," he said. Still, he emphasized, international assistance is not a substitute for sustained national investment.
