Nuo 2010 m. liepos 1 d., kuomet įsigaliojo Žemės įstatymo ir Žemės reformos įstatymo pakeitimai, valstybės politiką žemės tvarkymo ir administravimo srityje įgyvendina ir dalyvauja ją formuojant pagrindinė institucija Nacionalinė žemės tarnyba. Lietuvos Respublikos žemės fondo administravimo nagrinėjimas turi tiek teorinę, tiek praktinę reikšmę. Svarbu pažymėti, kad valstybinės žemės tvarkymo ir administravimo reglamentavimas painus, sudėtingas, su egzistuojančiomis teisės aktų spragomis, todėl darbe išsamiai išnagrinėta žemės santykius reguliuojančių institucijų veikla, valstybinės žemės ūkio paskirties žemės pardavimo teisniais aspektai. Taip pat įvertinta ar apskričių panaikinimas užtikrino geresnį žemės fondo administravimą. / Since 1 July 2010 after the commencement of amendments of Land law and Land reform state policy in the area of Land resources management and administration has been implemented and led by the main authority National Land Service. The analysis of the Land fund administration of the Republic of Lithuania has both theoretical and practical significance. It is important to point out that state land management and administration regulation is rather intricate, complicated, with existing legal loopholes, therefore, the paper analyses in detail the work of institutions regulating land relations, and legal aspects of the sale of state agricultural land. The work also assesses whether the abolition of counties can ensure better Land fund administration.

This study was aimed at analysing communal land use management practices and policies towards sustainability and climate resilience. The objectives of this study were to assess rainfall variability, climate change impact, adaptation practices and impediment factors for adaptation on the one hand and, on the other, analysing the pressure, scrutinising the sustainability of institutional practices, and assessing policy setting and its application status in managing communal lands. To conduct the study, a household survey, key informant interviews and group discussions were used. It employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. For analysis, rainfall variability trend analysis, different empirical formulas, Principal Component Analysis and analysis of variance were used. In addition, Qualitative Content Analysis technique and descriptive statistical tools were also used. The study found that there was spatiotemporal rainfall variability. About 18 extreme wet and 8 extreme dry events were depicted out of 194 frequencies of events. The most outstanding manifestations of climate change/variability impacts identified were: water scarcity, migration, severe erosion and feed scarcity. Applying biophysical measures on communal lands, practicing area enclosure and constraction of feeder road were moderately excersised adaptation and mitigation practices while, low level community awareness was the most outstanding barrier for community adaptation. Besides, feed source and fuel biomass energy did not satisfy community demand. Government recognition to support community user groups, the existence of community labour contribution and congruence between government legislation and community by-laws were found moderately strong. Besides, communal land administration and use of legislative setting and instruments to govern land administration were adequately in place to implement communal land use and management. However, workability of by-laws in applying them at the ground was a major weakness. In conclusion, the study revealed that there exist generally a weak communal land use management practices and policy implementation towards enhancing sustainability and climate resilience. Hence, the following recommendations were forwarded: enhancing community awareness, encouraging communities to establish their own private woodlots and grazing areas to reduce the pressure on communal land, applying proper communal land resource use and management plans and certifying communal lands with demarcation and maps should be given due emphasis to enhance sustainability. Moreover, policy and legislation evaluation and revision to improve its application at the ground is fundamental. On top of this, further research endeavour is still paramount important to scrutinize the integral effects of the biophysical, social, cultural and legislative dimensions for better sustainable and climate resilient communal land use management practices and policy implementation / College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences / Ph. D. (Environmental Management)

Magister Philosophiae (Land and Agrarian Studies) - MPhil(LAS) / The challenge of alleviating poverty, especially of the rural poor, is a universal one. Mozambique is also faced with this challenge as well the challenge of redressing the inequality exacerbated by civil war. Among the many strategies suggested for addressing poverty is improving poor people&rsquo;s access to land. In Mozambique, all land is owned by the state, yet informal land markets do exist. A theoretical review of the models on informal markets in developing countries reveals that economy of rural family depend greatly on land resources, and that often formalisation of land markets leads to land concentration and speculation rather than to the promotion of economic development. The overall objective of the study was to analyse the economic, institutional and social dynamics and determinants of informal land markets in rural Mozambique and how they impact on the livelihoods of poor people. Due to the largely unexplored nature of the topic, this study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. Research methods included a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. To achieve these objectives, a strategy comprising two approaches was used. Firstly, a theoretical review was undertaken, to discuss both international and African debate on informal land markets models with regard to different views on Mozambican informal land markets. This theoretical review also covered the political economy of land in Mozambique. Secondly, empirical evidence was systematized in the form of a case study of the perceptions of determinants on informal land markets that was undertaken in Mogovolas district. The lack of clear policy regarding the informal land market in Mozambique produced a complex range of problems, between local people, between locals and new investors, between new investors, and between all these groups and the state. The large majority of smaller localised conflicts were, and continue to be, resolved by traditional authorities and local social-control mechanisms. Conflicts between local people and investors have proved much more complex. The role of the state has been unclear from the start and the state is still dysfunctional due to a lack of transparency, inefficiency, and corruption in management of land.</p> / South Africa

While previous research suggests that risk management influences project success, less is known about the practical application of the risk management concept on projects and its’ influence on development project success. Thus, this thesis investigates the impact of risk management on project success from a development project perspective. Adopting a qualitative case study approach with semi-structured interviews as the main source of data collection and assessing success from a stakeholder perspective as well as the achievements of the project’s intended outcomes and analysing the various risk management strategies adopted in the pursuance of those outcomes, the findings indicate that risk management practice positively influence development project success. To achieve this, the empirical data shows that risk identification need to be approached strategically to provide a clear focus for project delivery leading to the design of strategic actions to respond to identified risks as well as an effective monitoring and evaluation of the risk management process as a whole. Additionally, the different stakeholder objectives and expectations need to be strategically incorporated into the risk management strategy without deviating from the project’s purpose. The study recommends the need for development project managers not to over-rely on academic expertise in their identification of risks but make use of the wider pool of knowledge available to them, technical or not and to also pursue the positive impacts of risk. Furthermore, they should widen their risk management strategies to include donor support missions, without deviating from the project’s purpose, to ensure transparency and efficiency.

As a national key priority programme, land reform acts as a driving force for rural development and building the economy of the country. In order for land reform to contribute to sustainable livelihoods for land reform beneficiaries, it must be supported by diversified programmes of pre- and post-settlement support of agrarian reform in a non-centralised and non-bureaucratic manner. Post-settlement support in the context of South African land reform refers to post-transfer support or settlement support given to land reform beneficiaries after they have received land. Support services, or complementary development support, as specified in the White Paper of the South African Land Policy of 1996, include assistance with productive and sustainable land use, agricultural extension services support, infrastructural support, access to markets and credit facilities, and agricultural production inputs. Government’s mandate is, however, not only restricted to the redistribution of land or making land more accessible. It is also responsible for empowering beneficiaries and for creating an effective support foundation to ensure that sustainable development takes place, specifically in the rural areas of the country. In practice, sustainable development entails that, for land reform to be successful, the quality of life of beneficiaries must improve substantially and the acquired land must be utilised to its full commercial potential, after resettlement on claimed land has occurred. Therefore, an effective post-settlement support strategy and model must be set in place. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) and the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Administration (DARDLA) are the key departments that have been mandated to implement the Land Reform Programme (LRP). DRDLR is responsible for facilitation of the land acquisition (pre-settlement support) and DARDLA for post-settlement support, ensuring that the land or farms that have been delivered or acquired by land beneficiaries are economically viable. Without post-settlement support, land reform will not yield to sustainable development and nor improve the quality of life of rural people. There is, however, little or no evidence to suggest that land reform has led to improved efficiency, improvement of livelihoods, job creation or economic growth. Against this background, the study investigated and unlocked the key challenges related to the post-settlement support of the LRP, with emphasis on the agricultural support programmes rendered by the DARDLA in Mpumalanga Province to land reform beneficiaries. It further examined how such support impacts on the sustainability of the LRP, and made recommendations to the management of the Department on what could be done to further improve post-settlement support to land reform projects towards achieving the objective of sustainable development. / M Public Administration, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

As a national key priority programme, land reform acts as a driving force for rural development and building the economy of the country. In order for land reform to contribute to sustainable livelihoods for land reform beneficiaries, it must be supported by diversified programmes of pre- and post-settlement support of agrarian reform in a non-centralised and non-bureaucratic manner. Post-settlement support in the context of South African land reform refers to post-transfer support or settlement support given to land reform beneficiaries after they have received land. Support services, or complementary development support, as specified in the White Paper of the South African Land Policy of 1996, include assistance with productive and sustainable land use, agricultural extension services support, infrastructural support, access to markets and credit facilities, and agricultural production inputs. Government’s mandate is, however, not only restricted to the redistribution of land or making land more accessible. It is also responsible for empowering beneficiaries and for creating an effective support foundation to ensure that sustainable development takes place, specifically in the rural areas of the country. In practice, sustainable development entails that, for land reform to be successful, the quality of life of beneficiaries must improve substantially and the acquired land must be utilised to its full commercial potential, after resettlement on claimed land has occurred. Therefore, an effective post-settlement support strategy and model must be set in place. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) and the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Administration (DARDLA) are the key departments that have been mandated to implement the Land Reform Programme (LRP). DRDLR is responsible for facilitation of the land acquisition (pre-settlement support) and DARDLA for post-settlement support, ensuring that the land or farms that have been delivered or acquired by land beneficiaries are economically viable. Without post-settlement support, land reform will not yield to sustainable development and nor improve the quality of life of rural people. There is, however, little or no evidence to suggest that land reform has led to improved efficiency, improvement of livelihoods, job creation or economic growth. Against this background, the study investigated and unlocked the key challenges related to the post-settlement support of the LRP, with emphasis on the agricultural support programmes rendered by the DARDLA in Mpumalanga Province to land reform beneficiaries. It further examined how such support impacts on the sustainability of the LRP, and made recommendations to the management of the Department on what could be done to further improve post-settlement support to land reform projects towards achieving the objective of sustainable development. / M Public Administration, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Until recently, there have been different and sometimes conflicting views on whether or not the communal land tenure system (CLTS) has a positive or negative impact on rural economic welfare. This study analyses some trends associated with the CLTS in the Ditsobotla area of the NorthWest province, focusing on the implications for rural economic welfare. The results of the study suggest that the CLTS is extremely important in order to sustain the rural economy, and therefore this dissertation presents developmental, policy and research options for consideration by government and other affected stakeholders for the betterment of the livelihood of people in the Ditsobotla area. The study adopts participatory research techniques in the selected villages of Springbokpan and Mooifontein. It also reflects on land tenure experiences in other African countries. The dissertation concludes with a suggestion that the South African government should engage in in-depth research programmes prior to the implementation of the envisaged communal land tenure reform legislation and that, the state should secure sufficient funding to boost agricultural activities in the area. Taking all these factors into account, a view is held that all developmental endeavours in the area must be informed by the collective participation of the affected local people, and their efforts must be united for the enhancement of their livelihood. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Aim of the study: The main aim of the study is to examine and pursue research regarding the history and role of law in the disintegration of the institutions of traditional leadership in South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho in order to make recommendations regarding the challenges and opportunities facing traditional authorities in these countries. The traditional systems, roles and functions of these institutions are traced from the pre-colonial era up to the period of democratic regimes in these countries. This study is based on the premises that the jurisprudence of the institution of traditional leadership is as old as mankind and that this institution is rooted in the rural soil of African communities. Research Methodology: This study is based on legal comparative research with reference to South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho. A literature survey of the most important sources dealing with history, legislation and policy documents was undertaken. Conclusion and Recommendations: The institution of traditional leadership is one of the oldest traditional institutions of governance in South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho. During the pre-colonial era traditional authorities constituted an important component in the traditional system of the administration of the traditional community. Traditions placed a great amount of responsibility on traditional leaders to look after the best interests of their communities. When the colonial government took over the reigns of these three countries, they changed the pre-colonial form and nature of traditional authorities. These colonial governments exercised control over traditional leaders and allowed minimum independence in their traditional rule. The post-colonial governments of South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho retained the institution of traditional leadership. The Constitutions of these countries provide the legal framework for the recognition and functioning of the office of traditional leaders. However, it has been noted in this study that the relationship between the traditional leaders and the governments of these countries has been a mixture of conflict and cordiality. One of the reasons for this uneasy relationship between the traditional leaders and the central governments of these countries is that the status, authority, power and functions of traditional leaders have been reduced considerably when new institutions such as Local Governments, Land Boards, District Councils and Village District Councils were given powers and functions previously exercised by traditional leaders. The post-colonial transformation of traditional leadership in these three countries has led to a steep decline in the authority of traditional leaders. In order to encourage active participation of the traditional leaders in the new democratic structures and bodies, the institution of traditional leadership must be adapted to the changing political, social and economic environments. Rural local government bodies and the national governments of these countries should not view the institutions of traditional leadership as competitors for political power. The post-colonial governments of South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho should introduce traditional leaders as equal partners in the development and advancement of rural communities. In order to achieve this goal the governments of these countries should empower and capacitate traditional leaders so that they do not become misfits in the new constitutional and democratic settlements. / Thesis (LL.D. (Indigenous Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Aim of the study: The main aim of the study is to examine and pursue research regarding the history and role of law in the disintegration of the institutions of traditional leadership in South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho in order to make recommendations regarding the challenges and opportunities facing traditional authorities in these countries. The traditional systems, roles and functions of these institutions are traced from the pre-colonial era up to the period of democratic regimes in these countries. This study is based on the premises that the jurisprudence of the institution of traditional leadership is as old as mankind and that this institution is rooted in the rural soil of African communities. Research Methodology: This study is based on legal comparative research with reference to South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho. A literature survey of the most important sources dealing with history, legislation and policy documents was undertaken. Conclusion and Recommendations: The institution of traditional leadership is one of the oldest traditional institutions of governance in South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho. During the pre-colonial era traditional authorities constituted an important component in the traditional system of the administration of the traditional community. Traditions placed a great amount of responsibility on traditional leaders to look after the best interests of their communities. When the colonial government took over the reigns of these three countries, they changed the pre-colonial form and nature of traditional authorities. These colonial governments exercised control over traditional leaders and allowed minimum independence in their traditional rule. The post-colonial governments of South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho retained the institution of traditional leadership. The Constitutions of these countries provide the legal framework for the recognition and functioning of the office of traditional leaders. However, it has been noted in this study that the relationship between the traditional leaders and the governments of these countries has been a mixture of conflict and cordiality. One of the reasons for this uneasy relationship between the traditional leaders and the central governments of these countries is that the status, authority, power and functions of traditional leaders have been reduced considerably when new institutions such as Local Governments, Land Boards, District Councils and Village District Councils were given powers and functions previously exercised by traditional leaders. The post-colonial transformation of traditional leadership in these three countries has led to a steep decline in the authority of traditional leaders. In order to encourage active participation of the traditional leaders in the new democratic structures and bodies, the institution of traditional leadership must be adapted to the changing political, social and economic environments. Rural local government bodies and the national governments of these countries should not view the institutions of traditional leadership as competitors for political power. The post-colonial governments of South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho should introduce traditional leaders as equal partners in the development and advancement of rural communities. In order to achieve this goal the governments of these countries should empower and capacitate traditional leaders so that they do not become misfits in the new constitutional and democratic settlements. / Thesis (LL.D. (Indigenous Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Until recently, there have been different and sometimes conflicting views on whether or not the communal land tenure system (CLTS) has a positive or negative impact on rural economic welfare. This study analyses some trends associated with the CLTS in the Ditsobotla area of the NorthWest province, focusing on the implications for rural economic welfare. The results of the study suggest that the CLTS is extremely important in order to sustain the rural economy, and therefore this dissertation presents developmental, policy and research options for consideration by government and other affected stakeholders for the betterment of the livelihood of people in the Ditsobotla area. The study adopts participatory research techniques in the selected villages of Springbokpan and Mooifontein. It also reflects on land tenure experiences in other African countries. The dissertation concludes with a suggestion that the South African government should engage in in-depth research programmes prior to the implementation of the envisaged communal land tenure reform legislation and that, the state should secure sufficient funding to boost agricultural activities in the area. Taking all these factors into account, a view is held that all developmental endeavours in the area must be informed by the collective participation of the affected local people, and their efforts must be united for the enhancement of their livelihood. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)