Customary Land Tenure in Liberia - Land Tenure and Property ...

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Land in the studied clans is primarily used for agriculture and settlement. Dependence on land and natural
resources for livelihoods is universal, occurring primarily through agriculture, but also through harvesting forest
products, water collection, fishing, hunting, and mining. In all 11 clans, we noted that residents use upland areas
for farming; creeks and streams for fishing, bathing, washing clothes, and collecting water; and bush and forests
for hunting and collecting timber and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). In some clans, we also encountered
swampy lowland areas being cultivated for rice production; mineral rich areas utilized by artisanal gold and
diamond miners; and palm, rubber, cocoa, and coffee plantations. Most clans have areas reserved for use by the
Sande and Poro or other local cultural societies (e.g., Quee/Kwi).
Several clans have rich forest resources. Clans such as Motor Road, Ding, and Saykleken and Nitrian
communities have managed community forests, which have been set aside for specific purposes ranging from
conservation to commercial timber extraction. According to Mana Clan members, portions of the Gola National
Forest located in the clan‟s territory – reportedly the area‟s last remaining primary forest – have been allocated as
a concession by the government to Sun Yeun and B&V logging companies. These companies have yet to begin
operations in Mana.
We encountered a few commercial farms. Ding Clan had four such farms, which were established for
commercial palm and rubber production. In Ding, these farms were acquired by elites originating from outside
the clan who obtained deeds to secure their rights to the farms. Of these, only one – a rubber farm – has
restarted commercial production since the owners fled during the war. Also, part of Nitrian Community was
recently allocated by the government as concession for oil palm cultivation, but the company has yet to begin
operations and community members appear to be largely unaware of the transfer. Areas secured for small- and
medium-scale mining operations are a prominent feature of Mana Clan and were also reported in Ding Clan. In
Mana Clan, land is being sought for industrial-scale mining concessions.
Settlement areas differed by clan. In Mana, several settlements are highly populated and densely packed. In Little
Kola Clan, the settlement areas all have low-populations with houses set far apart from one another. In Motor
Road, the settlement areas are small and few, but houses are densely packed. In other clans, the size of different
settlement areas varies. In each of these areas, we saw a few homes built of mud bricks and having zinc roofs – a
sign of the relative wealth of the homeowner. In most cases, however, the homes had earthen walls and thatch
roofs.
3.3 LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES
This section describes the livelihood activities in the studied clans, particularly examining those activities derived
from use of land and natural resources. Specifically, we focus on farming rice and vegetables, tree crop
cultivation, raising small livestock, hunting and fishing, and mining. Other livelihood activities include making
charcoal 28 for sale, pit sawing, running small businesses such as shops and cell phone charging stations, and
driving motorcycle taxis. We also discuss gendered divisions of labor and analyze livelihood trends and their
possible effects.
3.2.1 Farming
Farming was almost universally described as the most important livelihood activity in the 11 studied clans. The
only exception was Mana Clan, where some members reported that they did not engage in agriculture as part of
their livelihood strategy. „Farming‟ largely refers to upland rice intercropped with vegetables and tubers, but may
also include swamp rice, vegetable gardens, and sugarcane. Farming is predominantly for subsistence purposes.
However, in some clans, especially those near major towns and cities, a significant proportion of what is
produced is sold in markets.
28 Often referred to as “coal” in Liberia.
CUSTOMARY LAND TENURE IN LIBERIA