The challenges to tenure security in both urban and rural areas are not only large, but they are increasing due to the different types of pressures making land more and more scarce. There is growing acceptance that only by recognizing and supporting a continuum of land rights, can tenure security be reached for all people in an inclusive way.

Land is a key economic resource inextricably linked to access to, use of and control over other economic and productive resources. Recognition of this, and the increasing stress on land from the world’s growing population and changing climate, has driven demand for strengthening tenure security for all. This has created the need for a core set of land indicators that have national application and global comparability, which culminated in the inclusion of indicators 1.4.2 and 5.a.1 in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda.

This guide examines the role and responsibilities of private sector lawyers when advising their clients on agricultural investments. It discusses how lawyers can prevent and/or address and mitigate adverse human rights impacts on holders of legitimate tenure rights when advising on or conducting their due diligence and risk assessment processes on behalf of their clients. It provides a number of key recommendations, including on how to align legal advice with the VGGT and CFS-RAI.

This primer provides an introduction to some of the key issues that arise in the negotiation of contracts linked to investments in agriculture, and practical guidance for how to approach common issues. First, it outlines the typical goals of three important stakeholders – the government, companies, and communities who live on or near land on which a project will take place – along with the risks that each type of stakeholder faces. Then, it discusses the role of contracts and lawyers, provides tips for negotiations, and includes resources for further reading.

From 9th to 29th September 2019, Land Portal, Cadasta and GIZ co-hosted an online discussion focussing on the role of open land data in the fight against corruption. Drawing on over 100 contributions from 48 contributors covering six continents, the dialogue explored the opportunities and challenges for the use of open data as a tool to address land-related corruption. 

The Community Land Value Chain (CaVaTeCo in Portuguese) is an approach that can improve tenure security and management of community lands and natural resources in the context of large-scale land investments. CaVaTeCo provides the conceptual base for the project "Piloting the ‘Community Land Value Chain’ approach in Mozambique: The delimitation and formalisation of community and family land holdings within the Portucel plantation concessions of Zambézia Province, Mozambique", implemented by ORAM and Terra Firma in the Districts of Namarroi and Ile.

The Community Land Value Chain (CaVaTeCo in Portuguese) is an approach that can improve tenure security and management of community lands and natural resources in the context of large-scale land investments. CaVaTeCo provides the conceptual base for the project "Piloting the ‘Community Land Value Chain’ approach in Mozambique: The delimitation and formalisation of community and family land holdings within the Portucel plantation concessions of Zambézia Province, Mozambique", implemented by ORAM and Terra Firma in the Districts of Namarroi and Ile.

Recording Land Ownership Claims and Land Use Rights information can strengthen land tenure rights, increase land productivity, and prevent future land disputes.

This reflection paper focuses on the baobab value chain in the north of Manica Province, and specifically on the interactions between women baobab collectors and Baobab Products Mozambique (BPM), as BPM seeks to develop its inclusive business model.

For the last three years, the commercial interactions between BPM and the communities, particularly the women who collect the baobab fruit, have taken place in the context of a LEGEND-funded project implemented by Micaia Foundation. Micaia’s project sought to address two central problems:

Moçambique tem visto muitos investimentos em grande escala com financiamento e operadores nacionais e internacionais, muitas vezes envolvendo a agricultura e a silvicultura de plantações. Frequentemente, os investimentos procuram adquirir grandes propriedades que permitem aos operadores produzirem eles próprios os produtos desejados. Antes de serem feitas quaisquer concessões a um investidor, a Lei de Terras exige um processo de consulta à comunidade para assegurar que a terra não está ocupada ou para obter o consentimento dos actuais ocupantes.

In 2014, Natural Habitats Sierra Leone took over an existing land lease from WAA2, covering theentire Makpele Chiefdom in Pujehun District,Sierra Leone. It quickly became apparent that not all communities were happy with the existing lease and that negotiations lacked free, prior and informed consent of all stakeholders.

The goal of LEGEND is to apply and test the Analytical Framework for Due Diligence in Responsible Land-Based Agricultural Investments on a large-scale oil palm plantation by Natural Habitats Ltd. The programme is active in Zimmi, Makpele Chiefdom, Pujehun District and is aimed at protecting the land rights, livelihoods and food security of vulnerable people while promoting sustainable businesses. Furthermore, Solidaridad is testing the recent adoption of the New Land Policy (NLP) on Natural Habitat’s work in the chiefdom.