Join us behind the scenes with James as he walks us through the powerful change that can be made through partnerships
What is your role in the platform? What does it entail?
James: Liberia is pursuing a unique model of the Platform blending the major multi stakeholder initiatives around land and agricultural investment into our Multi Actor Platform on Land Governance in Liberia (or the MAP Liberia Land Platform), which involves the WHH Land for Life Initiative, ILC supported National Engagement Strategy (NES) as well as the FAO sponsored VGGT work. The Platform is Co convened by Civil Society and the Government's Land Authority. Our key constituencies of the Platform include the CSO Working Group on Land Rights Reform, the Government actors, academia, and CBOs. My role as the Co- Covener and the Facilitator is to help coordinate the initiatives and ensure synergy in bringing together experts, actors and resources to enrich the platform's work; to work with key actors at national level, to help plan, facilitate the implementation of programs by members and to coordinate between the international sponsors and the national membership of the platform. I also help in mobilising resources and help organize training for members.
What is the bigger strengths of your MSP to achieve its objectives?
James: The great strength of our MSP is that it emerges from and draws substantial support and strength from the civil society working with government actors. This engagement over the years of land reform (developing policies and now achieving the land rights law) is key in providing the motivation and leadership of the Platform. Secondly, the MAP Platform is known for its role in building a forum in the land sector that builds upon the work of the VGGT in bringing together actors in the land and agricultural investment sector not only to have meetings but to begin to build a stakeholder platform for engagement on a sustained basis. Finally, with the study we are doing on private sector engagement, it will build upon our strengths to engage the private sector and build a new relationship with that sector.
What instead the areas that require further strengthening?
James: Areas of the platform that require further strengthening are: engagement with the private sector and the academia, as well as engagement with high level institutional organizations that work around land and agricultural investment. A key area of the platform is also resource mobilisation and communication skills development within the secretariat as well as the general membership of the platform.
What are the learnings you would like to share with peers and other practitioners?
James: Where the opportunity prevails, merge or combine processes that share similar approaches and vision in the country such as MSPs on land governance. This should be done both by actors in the country as well as the international donors and promoters.
What would you like to learn from others?
James: How to involve high level governmental authorities and heads of private corporations.