Strengthening Media Collaboration for Effective Land Governance and Food Security Reporting
With funding from the #Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) through #Welthungerhilfe, Land for Life Sierra Leone has successfully concluded a one-day engagement session with heads of leading media institutions in Freetown. The session was aimed at strengthening the Media Land Alliance, a collaborative platform dedicated to promoting effective land governance and food security across the country.
The engagement provided an opportunity for open dialogue among journalists, editors, and media managers on how to improve coverage of land governance issues, promote transparency, and raise public awareness about the implementation of Sierra Leone’s landmark Customary Land Rights Act (2022).
A major highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Land for Life and participating media institutions, symbolizing a renewed commitment to use the media as a tool for accountability, advocacy, and public education on land-related matters.
In August 2025, Land for Life also signed additional MoUs with key media institutions across its operational districts, further expanding the scope of collaboration with regional and community-based media outlets. This growing network aims to ensure that land governance reporting reaches all corners of Sierra Leone, especially rural areas where land issues most directly affect livelihoods and food production.
Speaking during the engagement, Martha Kargbo, Director of Communications at the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ), reaffirmed her organization’s commitment to supporting media efforts in reporting on land governance issues, particularly those affecting women and marginalized groups in rural communities.
Other participants echoed similar sentiments, pledging to continue their advocacy for responsible and inclusive land governance. They emphasized the critical role of the media in bridging the information gap between policymakers, traditional authorities, and local communities.
The event marks another significant step in Land for Life’s ongoing mission to build strong partnerships with the media in advancing transparency, accountability, and gender equality in the land sector—ultimately contributing to sustainable food security and rural development in Sierra Leone.
