Pathein, Ayeyarwaddy, Myanmar: Public consultations onthe draft National Land Use Policy continued successfully today in Ayeyar Shwewar Town Hall, Ayeyarwaddy Region. The Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MOECAF), on behalf of the National Land Resource Management Central Committee,led the event introducing the first policy of its type to be developed in Myanmar. Approximately 250 people attended thisunprecedented event and provided feedback on the policy. The policy is intended to strengthen the tenure security of smallholder farmer’s, communities and ethnic groups,improve access to accurate information on land resources, increase the public’s ability to participate in decisions being made about land resources, and lead to improved participatory land use planning processes in the future. Over ninety minutes of “question and answer” discussion took place between the panel and members of the public in the audience continued aftera presentation on the draft policy. Comments today included a suggestion that the policy should allow Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s), with or without registration, to support farmers going through land conflict resolution [This is detailed in Section 46C of the draft policy]. Also that a ‘bottom up’ approach be implemented in land use planning so that land confiscation could be avoided. Comments received at consultations will be categorized, assessed for relevance, and incorporated into the policy through an approach that should balance the views of various stakeholders. This process of analysis and review, will continue, and be followed up with expert round table meeting, which will be participated by internal and external technical experts and representatives of CSOs andethnic leaders. After that a national level workshop will be organized for final inputs from key stakeholders. The policy will be finalized and the results will be made public in 2015. The purpose of the public consultations is to improve the content of the draft policy, achieve greater support for the National Land Use Policy from the public, as well as increased public confidence in the government’s commitment to a democratic development process. Public consultations on the draft policy will continue in every State and Region of the country in the coming weeks. For more information please contact: U Tin Maung Than - MOECAF – Forest Department Ph: 067-405428 The draft policy can be viewed and downloaded at: http://www.fdmoecaf.gov.mm Those submitting written comments should identify themselves or their organization for the comments to be considered on email before December 31:[email protected]. Or deliver comments in person at the Forest Department, Building No. 39, Nay Pyi Taw.