Resettlement

Our overall approach to resettlement is that we will only move people where our business requirements make it unavoidable. We seek to minimise the effects of such displacement by exploring all viable alternative project designs.

We always carry out early and ongoing consultation with those affected, and opportunities to participate in planning and implementing resettlement programmes.

At a minimum, we conform with the World Bank's Safeguard Policy on Involuntary Settlement (OP 4.12). Where property has to be left, we assess its value and come to an agreement over appropriate compensation.

How we resettle communities

We design our resettlement programmes using baseline studies to establish an understanding of the individuals and communities involved, their socio-economic circumstance and their cultural heritage. Working with community representatives, we establish as early as possible a format for communication and consultation with all affected persons. 

A key first step is the definition of project and local community specific parameters, working within a framework of sustainable development.  Then we use these to define a Resettlement Action Plan or RAP, which includes:

• A statement of policy principles.
• A matrix indicating eligibility for compensation and other entitlements or forms of assistance.
• A review of the extent and scope of resettlement, based upon a census/survey of those affected by the project.
• An implementation plan establishing responsibility for delivery of all forms of assistance.
• A resettlement timetable coordinated with the project timetable.
• Discussion of opportunities for those affected to participate in design and implementation of resettlement, including grievance procedures.

We see our recent experience at Murowa in Zimbabwe as a testament to the soundness of our approach. In 2005, our Murowa operation relocated 142 families into the Shashe farming block in the nearby Masvingo Province.  The Department of Agriculture (Arex) prepared a layout, which included plots for 365 settlers and completed land allocation to other settlers from the Masvingo district as well as those from the Murowa community. This resettlement included extensive consultation with local families, many of whom have long moved out of the area, over the relocation of family graves. We are now working with farmers in the Shashe community in a range of livelihood initiatives including agricultural and livestock improvement initiatives, Master Farmer training, and a community-based HIV/Aids awareness programme. 

Our results

In 2006, our QMM project in Madagascar resettled 80 households into newly built homes 500 or so metres from their original homes and provided eight new wells equipped with hand pumps.  Compensation was provided to another 510 families for project impacts that did not require relocation. Also in 2006, we began discussions with six subsistence squatter families who will be from the proposed site for our Potasio Rio Colorado project in Argentina.