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The Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) according to the government has been able to achieve 15 absolute grants and 28 demarcations to date. Project Coordinator Monica Sharma explained that following the project’s extension in 2022, it is now worth some US$13.2 million and has several primary objectives.
The project seeks to enable Amerindians to secure their lands and natural resources against the backdrop of promoting sustainable and socioeconomic development.
Of the 15 absolute grants, 10 were given to communities, and five for village extensions. Sharma added that this year, seven investigations have been finalised and cabinet papers have been drafted for review and approval for these communities.
Concerning demarcation, of the 28 that have been completed, 20 have been for communities, and eight were for village extensions.
Sharma also updated the village leaders on the second objective of the project, which aims to strengthen access to existing and alternative mechanisms for resolving land titling disputes.
“Under the project, we reverted to the original target of having 210 persons trained in mediation. The project has exceeded in this regard, and thus far, we have trained over 550 persons in mediation,” she said.
Meanwhile, the third objective encompasses improvements in communication and the development of a proper communication strategy for the project.
“The strategy has been developed, it is in place, and it is being implemented. However, we see the need to continue to put funds into this output, to simplify and popularise the whole land titling process,” Sharma added.
The project is expected to end in 2024.
