Ministry of Agriculture, FAO begin implementation of local land bank project

The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Transformation, Forestry, Fisheries, Industry and Labour, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, continues the implementation of FAO funded technical cooperation project – Development of National Land Banks for improved Food and Nutrition Security and Land Administration in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

To this end, Stefanie Elder-Alexander, land administration specialist, is currently in the state undertaking a technical assistance mission. The mission will run from January 14 to 20, 2018.

The objectives of the mission include:

1. An examination of the systems of land records for both state and private lands to examine existing mechanisms for record storage and sharing

2. Hold technical discussions with officials from land and surveys, Land Registry, extension and advisory services and other relevant agencies to review possible institutional frameworks for implementation of the land banks

3. Support the Land and Survey Department to define the pilot land bank site

4. Discuss with associated stakeholders regarding land bank operations and system queries to be developed

5. Review the database management system in operation to draft specifications for the development and management of the land bank database.

This technical assistance mission follows an Inception Workshop held on the project on November 10, 2017.

The project is expected to establish a pilot land bank, prepare an institutional framework and operational guidelines for the establishment and operation of a national land bank. Databases, with an inventory of rural lands, including idle and underutilized state lands, with relevant information on plot sizes, soil type, slope, existing land use, infrastructure and crop possibilities, among other initiatives, would be developed to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the land bank.