Integrating Land Tenure Into Sustainable Land Management: National Multistakeholder Consultations

The session highlighted the importance of integrating land tenure into sustainable land management as a means to achieve effective land restoration and land degradation neutrality (LDN). Participants emphasized that secure land tenure is fundamental to encouraging land users to invest in sustainable practices, as it provides them with the assurance of benefiting from the returns on their efforts. This approach, which integrates tenure-responsive considerations into land and water management, was presented as a strategy to enhance food and water security, support rural livelihoods, and advance climate action. Drawing on a decade of experience implementing the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT), the UNCCD-FAO joint initiative showcased lessons learned from various stakeholders at local, national, and global levels. In the first panel, country representatives and civil society actors from Madagascar, Colombia, Kenya, and Africa shared reflections on the impact of tenure integration within their contexts, highlighting the tangible benefits of tenure-secured land management for community empowerment and sustainable land use. In the second panel, perspectives from global experts and donors illustrated how integrating tenure into broader environmental and restoration policies can contribute to the global land agenda. They emphasized the need for partnerships that align local needs with international frameworks, ensuring that land users are central to decision-making processes. The session concluded with a call to make tenure-responsive land management a core priority in land restoration policies, underscoring its significance for achieving LDN targets and supporting resilient ecosystems and communities. The dialogue reinforced that secure tenure is not only a catalyst for sustainable land use but also a cornerstone of global efforts to combat land degradation and enhance environmental resilience.


This resource has been made available by the organizers of the World Bank Land Conference under the following disclaimer.