On 25th October, the Towards an Inclusive and Peaceful Society in Mozambique (TIPS) project organized an experienced exchange with the Aga Khan Foundation (AFK) in Tete province aiming to strengthen the role and mandate of the provincial forums in regards to advancing the communities role and capacity in natural resource management and mitigating resulting conflicts.

The event hosted trainings on ‘Conflict Resolution, Mediation and Dialogue in the Scope of Natural Resources’ and ‘Advocacy on Natural Resources Management.’ In addition, AFK shared best practices from the success of Village Development Organziations (VDO) established in Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Nampula.

Five provincial forums’ chapters have been composed by civil society organizations and community leaders to provide safe spaces to regularly meet, discuss and seek solutions to issues related to natural resource management, including inclusive and sustainable land managemet, natural resource-based conflicts, discuss progress on their monitoring plans, and develop joint advocacy plans for inclusive and sustainable management of natural resources. In addition to being a safe space, the Forum will serve as a platform where members will prepare for an agree on the issues to be introduced in the multi-stakeholder platforms.

Joao Chale from AKF sharing the VDOs approach.

VDOs are mainly local community structures while the Forum is a provincial structure with people coming from the districts. The VDOs are composed of 15 to 20 members from localities while the Provincial forum 32 members from different districts. The Forum was established for a specific purpose paying specific attention on natural resource management and/or conflict resolution, while the VDOs are multi-sectorial bodies established based on the Law no. 8/2003 of May 19 (LOLE) within the decentralization process focusing on the planning process of education, health, gender, youth, economic development, water sanitation sectors.

In terms of structural management, the VDO has a President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer and Counsellors while the Forum have only a task force composed by 5-7 members to discuss the implementation of the advocacy plans and other Natural resources, conflict, and mediation processes. It was clear during the event that Forum needs to have a grounded structure at the community level and a strong support from Provincial CSO Platform to continue their activities. The task force already identified that these groups need meet regularly either at Provincial level or in small groups at the local level to keep discussing local issues. If not continued, the vitality of the forum can be in danger, different VDOs which have long term funding/support ensured from AFK.

Both structures, Forum and VDOs, are also linked and coordinate with Government at all levels in the private sector. CSOs at the local, district and provincial levels. However, the Forum goes beyond provincial to the national level through organizations supporting and providing space for national dialogues.

A challenge that need to be addressed is the lack of synergy between various groups given the resources and objectives of each organization. Furthermore, there is a strong need for local funding to effectively implement needed initiatives.