Internship MetaMeta Research

The long-term aim of the project is to improve livelihoods, halt deforestation, and the expansion of savannah grassland by developing a land use plan for Foya District, Lofa County. The assignment will build on the assessment IDH conducted in the region. The assessment identified some opportunities including local interest and availability of land for agriculture investment that could contribute to improving local incomes and livelihoods, re-greening large areas of previously forested land that is now severely degraded and mostly covered by savannah grassland, and at the same time contribute to forest conservation. Growing population in the region, farming practices including slash and burn, and the expansion of farming activities are threatening the last remnants of forest in Foya District. Thus, collaborative land use planning, bottom-up re-greening activities and attracting investments linked to forest conservation and agricultural development are necessary to halt deforestation and recover forested areas.
 
To achieve its objective, the intern will contribute to the process of developing the land use plan and related maps for Foya District. This process should be inclusive, based on deep consultation with the public, informed by the perspectives and needs of the population and, the outcomes should be agreed upon by main stakeholders. The intern will help draft the land use plan for Foya District and will identify key environmental challenges and related socio-economic issues and how to address them. The aim of the land use planning exercise is to create a strong link between the management of natural resources, sustainable agriculture production, and community livelihoods. It will be based on participatory land use planning and management, whereby land for production, livelihoods and protection is clearly identified, and their related uses are agreed upon by the stakeholders in the region and recognized by local and national governments.