March 2013: As part of its Knowledge for Change Series, the International Land Coalition (ILC), with the World Bank, has released a report, titled “Reflections on 20 Years of Land-Related Development Projects in Central America: 10 things you might not expect, and future directions,” which provides a critical assessment of the past and future of land policy reform projects in Central America.

The report notes that, while property rights interventions have been largely effective for urban residence, they have not resulted in meeting poverty reduction goals for poor landholders. It highlights, however, achievements in the development of land information systems and the potential they hold for multi-purpose land management.

The report calls for future projects to better integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR), poverty reduction and climate change considerations into their work while using spatial data more effectively. To improve future land projects, the paper urges project developers to: articulate project objectives and improve monitoring and evaluation; link urban projects to improved services and finance; approach rural projects through multi-sectoral, territorial approaches that address packages of uses; consider land redistribution efforts where households have holdings that are too small for sustainable management; design specialized projects for conflict areas; and integrate land use planning as part of territorial development.

ILC is a global alliance of civil society, UN bodies, and intergovernmental organizations working together to promote secure and equitable access to and control over land for poor women and men through advocacy, dialogue, knowledge sharing and capacity building. [Publication: Reflections on 20 Years of Land-Related Development Projects in Central America] [ILC Website]