Chiefdom Development Planning as a Framework
for Sustainable Rural Development
A Paper Presented at Regional Implementation Workshop for
IFAD - Supported Projects and Programmes
Prepared by: Norman, Dumsile and Jerry
Venue: Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre
(Maputo)
Date: 15 November 2010
Presentation Outline










Background
Land Tenure in Swaziland
Adminstration of land in Swaziland
Acquisition of land under Swazi Nation Land
Access to land
The need for a Chiefdom Development Plan (CDP)
The Process of CDP development
The CDP lauch
Challenges and Mitigation Measures
Conclusion
Background
 This
presentation serves to provide information
on the sustainable management of land and water
to improve agriculture production through the
use of the Chiefdom Development Plan (CDP) as
a frame work for land use in the Lower Usuthu
Smallholder Irrigation Project (LUSIP).
 The goal of LUSIP is the reduction of poverty
and sustained improvement in the standard of
living of the population in the Project
Development Area (PDA) through
commercialization and intensification of
agriculture.
Land Tenure in Swaziland
Land Tenure in Swaziland is divided mainly into two:


Title Deed Land: This is land in respect of which a person
could have a title to it and could be sold and bonded
Swazi Nation Land: This is land that is held in trust by the
Ingwenyama (His Majesty the King) on behalf of the Swazi
Nation. Section 211 of the Swaziland Constitution provides:
“…All land (including any existing concession) in Swaziland,
save as privately held title-deed land, shall continue to vest in
Ingwenyama in trust for the Swazi Nation…” This is land that
is mainly found in the rural area where the majority of Swazis
live.
Administration of land in Swaziland



Swazi Nation land is administered by Chiefs, on behalf
of His Majesty the King (Ingwenyama).
The Swaziland Constitution in s.212, establishes the
Land Management Board responsible for the overall
management, and for the regulation of any right or
interest in land whether urban or rural or vesting in
Ingwenyama in trust for the Swazi nation.
According to the Constitution, in performing its
functions, the Board shall be accountable to
Ingwenyama.
Acquisition of land under Swazi Nation Land


Swazis access land through the Khonta (be given land)
system. The process followed under this custom is that,
once a person has been accepted by the Inner Council
(Bandlancane) to be allocated land in the community,
he is required to pay a cow as a token of appreciation.
The Inner Council representatives walk the boundary
and tie a knot (kubopha lifindvo)
Members of the community nearby the new site are
also informed so that they can come to witness the
allocation
Chief’s
Advisory
Council
Headman/
Indvuna
Princes/
Bantfwabenkhosi
Inner Council/
Bandlancane
CDC
CDT
BOMANGWANE/
Chief’s Runner
Community
Police
COMMUNITY/ ETIGODZINI
CHIEFDOM COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE
Access to land



An unmarried woman cannot khonta (be given land)
on her own. She can only be allowed to khonta
through her male child
This customary requirement has been found to be
somewhat cumbersome for women. It is worth noting
that unmarried men cannot also acquire land through
kukhonta under Swazi Nation Land.
Section 20 and 28 of the Swaziland Constitution also
clothe women with equality before the law
The need for a CDP
A
CDP is a tool for community planning
 It is comprehensive in detailing how a particular community
intends developing, and it sets out targets and timelines for
such intended development
 It’s fundamental underlying principles are; empowerment,
self-reliance, responsiveness, partnership, accountability,
transparency, equal participation, inclusiveness,
responsibility, equity, efficiency, consensus building and
representation.

It empowers communities to effectively participate
and support equitable fransformation processes
The Process of CDP development
 Mobilization
of community (SDCs and CDC elected)
 Identification of key stakeholders (Government, NGOs, CBOs)
 Conduct Training for Transformation Level 1
 Conduct Training for transformation Level 2 (Vision,
Mission Statement and objectives)
 Conduct Participatory Community Resource Assessment
 Facilitate development of Local Economic Development
Strategies (Key strategic Focus areas and Objectives)
 Compile Draft CDP and present to Traditional Authorities
and community for approval/endorsement
 CDP Launch by Chief
 Facilitate marketing of launched CDP
Process cont...






Consultative meetings are held in each section where men, women and youth
engage freely in discussions/dialogue in planning for their chiefdom
Plans made at Chiefdom Section’s level are taken to the CDC for ratification
and integration with other plans compiled from the other sections of the
chiefdom
The integrated plan is then presented to the chiefdom Traditional Authorities
by the CDC
The Inner Council, together with CDC, then presents the Draft CDP document
to the Chief in Council for further and final endorsement
The Chief calls a mass community meeting where the CDC Chairperson,
through the Headman (Indvuna), presents the CDP Draft document to
community members. In such a meeting, community members are given the
opportunity to ask questions, add information, or get clarification on what is
contained in the document.
The whole exercise takes +92 days dependant on the size of the chiefdom and
sections, as well cooperation of the people and local leadership
THE CDP PROCESS
1. Introduction meetings
2. Community profiling
3. Elections of SDCS, CDCS
by community
Mobilization
(7 days)
Approved SDCs, CDCs &
Communication structure
1. Workshop TA, CDC on the Draft
Strategy
3. Design and print approved CDP
document
Present Draft Plan/Strategy
to TA for Approval (8 days)
Approved Strategies signed off by TA,
Designed & printed
1. Prepare for Launch – agenda, venue,
invitees & refreshments
2. Prepare posters, CDP booklets
Facilitate Launching
of CDP (7days)
CDP Launched by Chief, Key stakeholders
invited & booklets issued.
1. Identification of
stakeholders
2. Contact stakeholders
3. Profiling stakeholders
4. Role definition
Identification of key
Stakeholders (3 days)
Key Stakeholders list endorsed by
SDCs , CDCs & TA .
Stakeholder analysis report
1. Compilation of strategies into
a plan
2. Presentation to LUSIP
Management for quality check
up
Compile Draft CDP
document (15 days)
Draft CDP document approved by
LUSIP Management
1. Introduction to Sustainable Dev.
2. Group formation
3. Group dynamics
3. Communication
4. Conflict resolution
5. Leadership qualities
6. Decision making
7. Gender equality in development
8. Socio-economic rights
9. Management of meetings
10.Constitution development
1. Introduction to CDP process (CD Planning
Awareness)
2. Envisioning
3. CDP Development plan
Conduct Training for
Transformation Level 1
(10days)
Conduct Training for
Transformation Level 2
(3days)
Trainees List & Certificates issued!
Training Report
Vision & Mission Statements; Values &
Objectives Accepted by TA & Trainees List and
Task Team formed
1. Train task team on Local Economic Development
(LED) strategies
2. Allocate Resources
3. Development of LED strategies and prioritize (rank)
strategies
4. Workshop strategies to SDCs, CDC & Bucopho
1.Train Task Team on resource assessment
2. Conduct Resource Assessment (PRA)
3. Produce Reports & Maps
4. Present Assessment reports to SDCs, CDC, TA
Conduct
Participatory
Community Resource
Assessment (30 days)
Facilitate
development of LED
strategies (6 days)
Strategic Focus Areas endorsed
by SDCs, CDCs & Bucopho
Community Resource Assessment
Current land-use map endorsed
Report
1.
Workshop CDC, TA on project proposal writing, negotiations
2. Reporting on implementation of Plan
Facilitate marketing of
launched CDP (3days)
Empowered SDCs, CDC, TAs on Proposal Writing,
Project Implementation, Negotiations &
Participatory Monitoring & Evaluation (Reporting)
Total # of days = +92
This is dependant on the size of
the chiefdom & # of sections &
cooperation of the people/ local
leadership.
The CDP Launch



After the community’s endorsement, the CDP is launched
by the Chief where key stakeholders are invited to attend
The Chief endorses the CDP publicly
The launch is significant in the sense that it provides
opportunities for theTraditional Authorities to market/sell
the Plan to potential Funders and targeted Government
Ministries.
CDP Launch cont...
MADLENYA CDP LAUNCH – 27.03.10
SIGNED
BY CHIEF
MGWAGWA
GAMEDZE
Challenges and Mitigation Measures
Challenges
Mitigations
1. At section level, consultative meetings
are sometimes poorly attended which
delays development of CDP on time due
to meetings being postponed
 CDC engage communities during week-
2. Decentralization Act has not been
passed
 Lobby Parliamentarians for the passing of
the Act since the Decentralization Policy is in
place
3. Land Policy is still a Draft, yet it is a
framework for land management in
Swazi Nation Land. Land Tenure
Security status in Swaziland is a threat
for rural businesses
 Lobby government to speed up the process
of passing the long awaited Land Policy in
order to bring into effect and review the
relevant legislations related to land
 Lobby the newly established Land
Management Board and Kings Advisory
Council
4. There is no ‘clear driver’ of CDP at
National Level. Decentralization Department
is there, but has a challenge (in terms of
capacity) in driving this initiative forward
 Lobby government to capacitate the
ends
 TA take lead in covening consultative
meetings
Decentralization Department to take lead in
CDP development/formulation
Challenges and Mitigation Cont…
Challenges
Mitigations
5. Swaziland is still at a learning curve in as
far as CDP development is concerned.
Decentralization Department is at teething
stage, hence, there are insufficient Funds to
implement the CDPs
 Source Funding to help implement the
CDPs
6. Complex land tenure security
 Introduce the concept of Leasehold on
Swazi Nation Land
 Capacitate Chiefs to lobby His Majesty
King Mswati III on the land tenure security
issue on SNL
 Create Stakeholder Forum to debate on
Land Tenure Security
7. Inadequate legislation relating to land
 Lobby Parliament for the enactment of prodevelopment laws and policies
 Work with the office of Attorney General to
fast track drafting of policies and legislations
relating to development
Conclusion






The CDP approach, being bottom-up in nature is more ideal for
sustainable development
A CDP outlines a clear communication and leadership structure
within the chiefdom
It plays a paramount role in ensuring that the TA of that particular
Chiefdom take a leading role in ensuring that the CDP is
implemented
The CDP is complementing government’s decentralization
strategy, and is even more forward-looking because it gives the
community members an opportunity to shape their own destiny
There is a need for an adoption of a national rural development
framework that will serve as a guide to all development initiatives
in Swaziland
The general consensus, among stakeholders, is that CDPs could be
an ideal framework for sustainable rural development
THANK YOU