The Cloudburst Group Presents at the Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty

The Cloudburst Group, a leading consulting firm serving public and private sector clients in land tenure, property rights, natural resource management, urban development, housing and community development, and public health, will be presenting information about several groundbreaking new projects at the upcoming Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty.

The Annual World Bank Conference is an opportunity for leaders in government, civil society, academia, and the private sector to share best practices and new approaches in the land tenure and resource rights field, so it is a fitting venue for Cloudburst Group to help one of its clients and partners, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), promote a new project: the Land Governance Program Database. This project is a global initiative that collects information on land and resource governance programs funded by members of the Global Donor Working Group on Land. The database features information on the location, duration, funding, and scope of 445 programs in 119 countries, allowing stakeholders to learn about the efforts of other agencies, increase knowledge sharing, and avoid duplication. Under the Evaluation, Research and Communication project, Cloudburst Group partnered with USAID to manage the creation of the database as well as an interactive map that lets users browse programs by region, enabling better coordination and resource sharing among stakeholders.

In addition to their work with USAID, two of Cloudburst Group’s experts in natural resource management Cynthia Caron, PhD (Gender Specialist) and Daniel Monchuk, PhD (Agricultural Economist) are presenting a paper entitled “The Implications of Uncertain Land Tenure on Investor Incomes and their Bottom Lines: Incorporating Local Land Tenure Insecurity into Investment Decisions.” This timely paper explores how local land tenure conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa may adversely impact the economic viability of investments in land and harm corporate brands and reputation. The paper models decision making in an uncertain environment and finds that adopting corporate policies that respect local land rights will minimize risks for investors, communities, and for government.

Finally, Karol Boudreaux, Cloudburst Group’s Land Tenure and Resource Rights Practice Lead, will be chairing a panel at the conference entitled “Women’s Land Tenure: Frameworks for Action.” The panel will cover recent work in Uganda, Rwanda, Nepal and India, and will include presentations from Tetra Tech, a leading provider of innovative solutions focused on water, environment, energy, infrastructure, and natural resources, and Landesa, a U.S.-based NGO that works to secure land rights for the world’s poorest people.

“We are thrilled to be part of the World Bank Conference and to collaborate with USAID on these important projects,” says Cloudburst Group Co-Founder and President, Patrick Moynahan. “We have worked with USAID since 2008 and have partnered with them to support the Land Tenure and Property Rights Division’s efforts over the past several years. We look forward to sharing these advancements with fellow experts in the land governance field, and hope to show other contributors to the land governance conversation how Cloudburst Group can help them jumpstart initiatives and meet long-term goals.”

Cloudburst Group will be chronicling the conference on Twitter and sharing insights from a range of panels and presentations. You can follow their coverage on Twitter @CloudburstGroup.

About Cloudburst Group
Since 2005, Cloudburst Group has worked to improve the effectiveness of programs that serve socially and economically underserved persons in the United States and around the world. With expertise in research and evaluation, data and knowledge management, policy analysis, technical assistance and training, and communications, Cloudburst Group provides services to government and industry clients across practice areas including natural resource management, housing and community development, and public health. For more information, visit www.cloudburstgroup.com.