Cross River Community-Led Framework Advances Women’s Access To Land

Biakwan, a front line forest community in Boki local government area within the central senatorial district of Cross River State, is the first amongst others to develop such a framework.

The development of the community-led framework was spearheaded by a nonprofit organisation known as the Biakwan Light Green Initiative (BLGI) with the support of Global Environment Facility Small Grant Programme (GEF/SGP).

The Executive Director of the BLGI, Mr. Peter Bette stated that the organisation decided to adopt a community driven approach that would encourage greater number of women alongside the men in making decisions on land use and management for sustainability.

Bette stated that, “the innovative approach adopted wais aimed at promoting inclusive decision-making, sustainable resource management and evidence-based conflict mediation. It was also to ensure that marginalized groups, particularly women, were empowered to participate in the decision-making process. 

“The key aspects of the engagements included stakeholder mobilization, capacity enhancement, collaboration, and ongoing monitoring and reviews of activities. The initiative would equally aims strengthen community governance and ensure sustainable resource management,” said Bette.

Speaking further on the essence of the framework Bette said, “the framework with the development of a geo-reference map outlined the land use zones in the community for proper management.

“Secondly, on the Sustainable Development Goals especially 5, this framework guarantees women’s land rights, food security and inclusivity regardless of gender,” the executive director explained.

According to him, the successful implementation of the community land use plans and by-laws would depend on the already the established 15-member community forest management committee and the active involvement of all community members.

He revealed that the land use plan was developed with the support of specialised persons, which the Biakwan community enacted the bye laws and validated the document at the customary court.

During the inauguration of the forest management committee, it’s chairman, Mr. Kingsley Atim emphasized the importance of a structured approach to managing land and other community resources.

He expressed confidence that the newly developed framework would serve as a roadmap for sustainable community governance, balance economic development and environmental protection as well as mitigate conflicts related to land use.

Reacting to the gesture, a vegetable farmer and leader of the poultry cooperative cluster, Mrs. Esther Oyong, who shared the benefits derived from adopting Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), expressed the hope that the successful implementation of the framework would also translate to gains.