Action

Facilitating municipal land-use planning in Cameroon

  • Year

    Since 2021 – 2022

  • Location

    Cameroon

  • Partners

    Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), Rainbow EC, IDH and WWF

  • Budget

    EUR 175 000

  • Funded by

    EU REDD Facility

Introduction

The EU REDD Facility engages with the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), IDH and WWF in the development of at least two Local Land Use Management and Sustainable Development Plan (PLADDT) at the municipal level.

The objective

The objective is to support municipalities facing land conflicts and increasing pressure on natural resources through the development of a Local Land Use Management and Sustainable Development Plan (PLADDT) in Mintom and in Mbangassina.

The challenge

Multiple stakeholders have diverging interests in this land. These include local communities, migrant farmers, public figures, private sector and conservation organisations. The socio-economic and environmental implications of different land-use options will depend on both what is feasible and the availability of finances to implement one or another scenario. In the absence of any guarantees of financial support targeting sustainable investments, ‘business as usual’ land-use options that favour rapid forest conversion are likely to remain predominant.

Since 2018, the EU REDD Facility has supported the MINEPAT in the development of a methodology for Local Land Use Management and Sustainable Development Plan (PLADDT) to address some of these above-mentioned challenges. It aimed to foster common understanding between relevant ministries, regional delegations, civil society and the private sector around the methodology and decision support tools to prepare local land use plans.

The challenge is now to implement this methodology at municipal level bringing together multiple stakeholders to foster a common understanding and agreement on land uses, institutions/rules for future land management and activities necessary to achieve sustainable land management.

Launch of the PLADDT process in Mintom municipality

The approach

Based on the seven steps of the PLADDT methodology, the approach also follows three principles:

  • Increasing transparency and information sharing in land-use planning and land allocation processes.
  • Involving relevant stakeholders: line ministries, technical and financial partners, research institutes, private sector, civil society, etc.
  • Using participatory tools and methods.

Results and impact

  • Provisional PLADDTs for Minton and Mbangassina have been developed in collaboration with local stakeholders and submitted to both municipalities (see map below for Mbangassina);
  • These PLADDTs will be finalised once the Regional land-use planning and development schemes (SRADDT) are available.
  • This process and associated results will feed into future discussions on the alignment of the various municipal planning documents. A symposium will be organised by the MINEPAT on this subject in 2024.

Provisional PLADDT of Mbangassina

Resources