Experiences and Lessons Learnt

from VLAP

Vietnam Land Administration Project (VLAP)2008-15 (Financed by the GoV and World Bank)

2

1) VLAP Background

2) Summary of Outputs3) Observation and Conclusions4) Lessons Learnt

5) Next Steps

contents of the presentation

3

Overview

2008-15Nine

provinces (65

districts) Modernization of Land Registration System and Service Delivery

Strategic Options for the future

4

Total disbursements about USD 75.00 million (total project budget is USD 100 million)

Of the disbursements made, GoV (Counterpart fund) and IDA were almost equal.

5

Strengthening land administration in Vietnam.

Increased access to land information

Increase tenure security

Encourage on-farm investments

VLAP BACKGROUND:Rationale for Investing in Land Administration

6

SUMMARY OF VLAP DESIGN FEATURES

Strong project management is essential.

Attention to improving service delivery (to strengthen sustainability (e.g., introduce new service delivery attitudes and practices; and build up capacities).

Country ownership is essential (and local ownership too).

Use existing systems, technology and emphasis on gradual approach.

Introducing public awareness, community awareness, complaints handling and dispute resolution need emphasis.

7

• About 3.6 million land profiles were prepared, approved and updated (against a target of 3.5 million).

• Close to 3.0 million LURCs were distributed.

• About 62% of LURCs were in the name of women either individually or as joint owners (data incomplete).

• 57 Local Land Offices were modernized (against a target of 61).

• Village-level awareness raising and conflict resolution was very effective.

• Unit cost of LURC production at around $20-26

VLAP Accomplishments (estimate)

8

• Mass land registration can be effective and efficient

• Local innovations and on-the-job-learning produced significant results.

Observations and Experiences and

• Time-consuming approval processes (within sub-provincial, PPMUs, GDLA and MONRE) resulted in cost escalations, delays, frustrated contractors and land users.

Lesson leant: Land administration projects need initial preparation time to put systems in place

but

9

Completed at least four meetings per village and an average of about 12 rounds of community meetings in each district in the target areas.

Enhanced attention paid to “social safeguards” and “Joint Registration of LURCs” and protecting the rights of women.

The implementation of the Area-specific Action Plans Ethnic Minorities Action Plan in the four provinces (Quang Ngai, Khanh Hoa, Vinh Long and Binh Dinh), based on a consultative process, proved to be effective.

Local Facilitator (LF) model was piloted in all the nine provinces.

public awareness raising and community participation

Observations, Experiences and Lessons Learnt

o High beneficiary satisfaction

o Enhanced perception of legal protection of land rights.

o Reasonable accuracy land certificates produced.

o Special attention to ethnic minorities, women and other vulnerable groups.

o Issues: Large unmet need and high demand.

o Continued informal transactions.

o Safeguard requirements related to EMAPs were handled well.

o Gender concerns (and ethnic minorities) were adequately covered in the project design.

o Issues: However, total number of LURCs in the name of women could have been more

11

Implementation of the land titling process and

beneficiary satisfaction

Inclusion of ethnic minorities and gender

concerns

12

Observations, Experiences and Lessons Learnt (cont’d)

Capacity building activities significantly improved staff efficiency

Master Trainer courses and on-the-job trainings developed real and sustainable capacities.

Awareness raising is one of the most strategic innovation of the project enabling meaningful community engagement, facilitating acceleration of completion of activities and outputs

13

Community participation and awareness-raising was well-received and public awareness on tenure security improved.

Innovative Local Facilitator approach proved to be successful.

Lessons learnt: Early and regular stakeholder engagement is a must.

Observation, Experiences and Lessons Learnt (cont’d)

14

• Mass land registration can be effective and efficient

• Local innovations and on-the-job-learning produced significant results.

Observations, Experiences and Lessons Learnt (cont’d)

• Time-consuming approval processes (both national and sub-national levels) resulted in cost escalations, delays, frustrated contractors and land users.

but

15

Observation, Experiences, and Lessons Learnt (cont’d)

Weak capacity at all levels lead to delays, requiring frequent changes and adjustments.

CPMU’s (and PPMUs) M&E system suffered. Also, the drafting of the Land Law 2013

took away important attention and resources from mid-2011 till early 2013.

Lessons Learnt: Provide sufficient time for systems to be put in place. Build a good M&E system at the start of the project and sustain it.

16

Next Steps: Towards Building a sustainable

land administration System

17

Focus on building a sustainable land administration system (not merely issuance of LURCs) with an emphasis on access and service delivery.

A well-staffed (including less staff turn overs) and resourced project management unit at all levels is essential for successful project implementation.

Sequencing of operations in coordination with all partners and their contributions is important.

Public awareness campaigns are essential to promote social inclusion.

A good M&E framework and system are critical.

18