On 20 September 2011″ Silas Siakor presented a 'brown bag' lunch talk on the current situation of concessions and land policy in his native Liberia.  Silas is the Director of the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI)” based in Monrovia” Liberia.  In 2006″ Silas and the work of SDI were recognized with the Goldman Environmental Prize.  

The presentation provides an overview of the challenges facing Liberia as international interest in its land and resources intensifies” as well as of the promising new pro-rights reforms in the forestry sector that have yet to be successfully implemented. This presentation also draws attention to the growing threat of agricultural concessions to Liberian forests and communities” in the context of government objectives to attract foreign investment. The presentation highlights some ways forward: strengthening local capacity and knowledge in negotiations with concessionaires; facilitating dialogue and experience-sharing at community and national levels regarding plantation development; and reaching out to civil society to develop alternative strategies for safeguarding rights in REDD” benefit-sharing and other processes affecting Liberia's forest-dwelling communities.

View the presentation here.