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OBJECTIVES
To advance, promote and research into land rights of small peasants and
pastoralists with a view to provide information and knowledge so as to
facilitate equitable and socially just access to, and control over land
for production of food and other basic needs. In particular, to monitor
developments in land tenure regimes (including machinery for settling
of land disputes) generally and in rural and peri-urban areas specifically.
In this connection to educate the public at large and land administrators
in alternative and suitable forms of land tenure regimes including accessible
modes of settling land disputes. To conduct and procure research and training
concerning these and to publish or otherwise to make known the results
to the public.
To offer advice, counselling and related assistance on land tenure issues
to small land users in rural and peri-urban areas and in this relation
to undertake (or assist in undertaking) occasional test cases on pro
bono basis before relevant judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative
bodies.
To make available on request arbitration services for resolving land
disputes consistent with the Institute’s objectives.
To research into, construct and suggest amicable means of resolving
land disputes among and between small land users and villages.
To provide and organise on request short courses on land tenure and land
rights;
To provide on request consultancy services to government and non-government
organisations provided it is within the spirit of social and educational
objects of the Institute;
To organise and sponsor conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings and
such other fora with a view to promote the social and educational objects
of the Institute.
To raise funds for the purposes of the Institute on such terms as are
compatible with the autonomy of the Institute and within the spirit of
its social and educational objects.
The first four objects constitute the heart of what is envisaged to be
the educational and social work of the Institute. These four objects can
be grouped under three main aims: educational, advisory and activist service.
There are three major planks of educational work:
- To research into and generate knowledge about alternative systems
of land tenure taking inspiration from already existing local systems
of knowledge
- To use these and other comparative material from elsewhere in Africa
to mount short but intense courses/seminars for, particularly, village
leaders (chairmen, secretaries, village council members, etc.) and village
intellectuals (elders, school teachers, opinion makers, etc.) and
- Disseminate through different means - publications (both occasional
and regular), print and electronic media, workshops etc. - the results
and findings as well as debates generated through research and training
sessions.
Advisory work would consist of mainly legal (although not exclusively)
counselling and occasional taking up of litigation in test cases to establish
more sensitive and synpathetic judicial attitudes towards the landrights
of producers.
The Institute would also seek to explore alternative ways of resolving
land disputes among villagers and between villages outside formal judicial,
quasi-judicial and administrative structures. The Institute would be prepared
to provide activist service such as voluntary arbitration, mediation and
conciliation and personnel where this is requested by village communities.
It is hoped that in this way village communities can articulate their
own conceptions of fairness and justice and develop their own responsible
and accountable machinery to resolve at least some of their land disputes
without having to resort to the more expensive and virtually inaccessible
formal machinery.
The Institute may, in appropriate situations and in conformity with its
main aims, undertake selected consultancy and research projects either
on its own or in collaboration with like-minded national and international
bodies.
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