In Myanmar, it is estimated that 70% of the population depends directly on land and land-based resources. Many are smallholder farmers and indigenous communities whose land tenure rights are central to their survival, culture and identity and who have often held their land for generations. However, their rights to land and natural resources are not adequately protected in the policies, laws, and regulations that make up Myanmar’s land governance system. Instead, existing laws place many at risk of having their land indiscriminately acquired or ‘grabbed’. In addition, the parts of these laws that may provide greater tenure security and protection against land grabs are often not implemented.
LCG is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to address these problems, by promoting equitable and secure land and natural resource rights in Myanmar. We work with government and civil society to reform policies and laws that impact peoples’ rights to use, access and control land and natural resources. We also conduct research and provide access to information on key issues relating to land, natural resources and governance. In promoting equitable land governance, our focus is on advancing the rights of vulnerable groups, including women and men smallholder farmers and indigenous communities.
LCG is led by a Senior Management Team, which includes an Executive Director, two Deputy Directors (Programs and Operations), a Senior Finance Manager, and an international Technical Advisor. LCG is overseen by a Board of Directors comprised of a diverse group of members from civil society and the private sector.
LCG is an independent organisation that represents its own views while also supporting stronger civil society engagement in policy processes. While we do not represent the views of any other organisations, or act on their behalf, we value the diversity of approaches to land issues and strive to ensure that our views are informed by the perspectives of others.
LCG is funded by the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT Myanmar) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). We also receive funding for specific projects from other donors, for defined activities and time periods. Currently, projects include:
- OneMap Myanmar, funded by SDC: OneMap Myanmar is an initiative of the Government of Myanmar, that is being implemented with technical support from the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) at the University of Bern and LCG. The project aims to provide the people of Myanmar access to data on people, land and natural resources so that decision-making on development and land governance can be more inclusive and informed. LCG focuses on providing technical support on land and land governance issues, and support to enable multi-stakeholder dialogues.
- Sustainable Cropland and Forest Management in Priority Agro-Ecosystems of Myanmar, funded by FAO-GEF: This project is being implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MoNREC) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MoALI). It focuses on building the capacity of farming and forestry stakeholders to mitigate climate change and improve land conditions, by adopting Climate-Smart Agriculture and Sustainable Land Management and Sustainable Forest Management policies and practices.
- Empowering Smallholder Rubber Farmers in Myanmar, funded by Mighty Earth: This project is being implemented in partnership with CARE Myanmar and focuses on supporting the tenure rights of smallholder rubber farmers in Mon State.
- Reallocation and Development of Unused Concession Land Programme (REAL DEV) funded by LIFT Myanmar: This project is being implemented in partnership with Network Activities Group and CDE. REAL DEV is a three-year pilot project to develop a replicable approach to reclaiming underutilised concession land and reallocating the land to the rural poor, landless, and others. REAL DEV will develop procedures for land (re) allocation that are participatory, inclusive and transparent and that can be scaled up. It is intended that the procedures and learnings from the pilot will inform the implementation of national land reallocation initiatives and policy directions.