Neil Sorensen joined the Land Portal as its Communications Specialist in October 2015. He has extensive experience leading communications for international organizations and developing relationships with civil society, donors, intergovernmental agencies, the media and the private sector. Previously, Neil worked for the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) as a Governing Bodies Officer and Strategic Adviser to the Secretary of IFAD. He has also led communications for three international organizations, including the International Land Coalition, the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). He holds a Master’s degree in Global Diplomacy from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) as well as a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in German and Sociology from St. Cloud State University.
Details
Location
Bridging gaps: demand-driven research for informed policy-making
With the Voluntary Guidelines for Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGTs), the AU Declaration on Land Tenure Issues and Challenges in Africa, and other global/continental frameworks, land tenure in Africa has received much attention in the last decade. Despite a strong will, the land agenda of some countries and the impetus for reform tend to run against institutional and human capacity gaps. GIZ, through its programmes "Strengthening Advisory Capacity on Land Governance in Africa" (SLGA) and "Responsible Land Policy", is addressing these capacity issues by exploring - among other things - research as a response to land tenure security. Therefore, the Knowledge Exchange Workshop (KEW) is an opportunity to further reflect on strengthening policy-research linkages.
Objective
One of the objectives of these series of sessions is to demonstrate the usefulness of research as a tool to support formulation and implementation of land policies in various contexts and at different levels (national and continental). The purpose is also to further the reflection on the approaches for setting up platforms for political-scientific dialogues and better understand how the continental frameworks (and institutions) surrounding the land question influence research and political movements at national levels. And finally, another objective is to identify (and document) good practices for strengthening policy-research linkages.
Session Overview
Session 1: Research at the service of the implementation of land policies
This discussion will highlight the relevance of research as a tool to support implementation of land policies and reflect on approaches to establishing policy-science dialogue platforms at national levels. The session will feature case studies from Benin and Burkina Faso, elaborating an implementation model of the government policy on the sedentarisation of agro-pastoralist communities.
Session 2: Cooperation between research and parliamentarian bodies
This session will focus on cooperation between research and parliamentarian bodies and explore linkages in formulating land related-laws. The session will highlight landscapes in Senegal and Cameroon.
Session 3: Knowledge-to-policy uptake – From the continental to the national level
The 3rd session examines knowledge-to-policy-uptake, from the continental to the national level. It outlines how such uptakes on land governance issues can be improved on a continental level and how this level interacts with the national level. In this session, the African Union Commission inputs highlight how research findings make their way into the formulations of continental frameworks and guidelines and windows of opportunities this presents.
Session 4: Roundetable Discussion
This roundtable discussion brings together lessons learned, challenges identified, and proposed new ways of working as recommended from the previous three sessions towards bridging gaps for informed policy-making.
It is expected that at the end of the series, participants would:
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Appreciate the relevance of research as a tool to support the formulation and implementation of land policies is understood.
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Understand the importance of a research transition: research "traditionally" confined to the academic sector must respond to data demand and consider the land sector's practical implications.
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Identify and support good practices in the establishment of dialogue between the political and academic spheres.
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Explore the examples of mechanisms to strengthen research-legislative linkages in land law and policy-making processes.
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Share their approaches to institutionalise science-policy dialogues.
Sustainable integration of fit-for-purpose (FFP) approaches into government procedures and policy for upscaling
Many countries struggle when establishing and maintaining a functional land administration system. Due to government entities limited financial resources and capacities, large parts of their population still don't have access to legally recognised land rights. This context has led to the introduction of modern approaches popularly known as fit-for-purpose (FFP) methods and tools to meet basic needs of populations as best "fit" for achieving its purpose while building on possibilities for incremental upgrading and improvements over time.
The Knowledge Exchange Workshop (KEW) provides a series of sessions to examine and question FFP approaches and tools, especially on how to cooperate with other sectors when securing land rights to unleash potential benefits in a strongly interconnected world.
Objective
At the KEW we will discuss how FFP approaches and tools positively impact other sectors such as agriculture, forestry, urbanisation, water, gender, etc. in different countries and beyond. Especially when you look at positive impacts of secured land tenure rights on prevention and solution of land conflicts, FFP can be an argument to increase land registration and governance efforts.
The GIZ Global Programme Responsible Land Policy team and partners have developed, tested, and applied innovative FFP approaches as well as tools and adapted them to specific country contexts. Positive experiences have been gathered, but there are still challenges to address. This series of sessions will provide insights into the use of FFP approaches and tools during the implementation of the Global Programme.
The series of sessions will focus on challenges and opportunities for systematic integration of developed FFP approaches and tools into national strategies and land management systems as well as on ways for efficient upscaling based on practical experience and exchange among participants of the series.
The objectives of the individual sessions are to:
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Collect and discuss lessons learned, challenges and experiences (including risks) of partner institutions and GIZ in implementing FFP approaches and tools.
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Exchange of experiences regarding bottlenecks/obstacles for promoting the uptake of FFP approaches and tools into policies, national strategies, government systems and upscaling.
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Identify opportunities and success factors for sustainable international and national funding of land registration projects and land management systems.
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Formulate strategic recommendations for upscaling FFP approaches and tools.
Session Overview
Session 1: The discussion will provide a conceptual framing and inventory of FFP approaches and tools.
Session 2: This will focus on sustainable funding of land registration, land management and administration systems.
Session 3: A summary of the previous sessions to identify shared experiences and gaps with new and additional experiences or perspectives on the topic FFP approaches/tools are relevant.
Session 4: Brings together a panel on "How to mobilise resources for upscaling." The session consolidates the key messages from the series of sessions.
At the end of the series, participants will develop new ideas on how to use FFP approaches and tools in their national context. Additionally, success factors and risks during implementation are collected for partner countries, and participants of the series will estimate their applicability in general and in different contexts. A long-term perspective focusing on sustainable funding for land registration and land governance management systems is discussed as well as major success factors are identified. Participants will understand which benefits can be created/strengthened in other sectors, which can be used as an argumentation for updated priority setting and request additional support from national and international stakeholders. Tangible recommendations for the integration of FFP approach into policy and/or FFP tools into land management systems and successful upscaling will be elaborated and documented.
What is the state of data around the world?
To share the Global Data Barometer results, this webinar discussed the main findings and observations with some key stakeholders and the entire data community. This event also showcase the organizations that have supported this endeavor.
Building open & transparent land information systems through a global alliance
Over the last three years the Land Portal Foundation has collaborated with Global Data Barometer and Open Data Charter to embed land issues within key open data activities.
Global Data Barometer
Land, Law and Chiefs in Rural South Africa
Land, Law and Chiefs in Rural South Africa analyses contestations of power and control over land through the lens of local case studies in the densely settled former African ‘homelands’ or Bantustans. These were areas reserved for African occupation by the apartheid government and when the ANC came to power in 1994, they were the poorest and least developed parts of the country. Over the last few decades, mineral deposits have been exploited and some are located close to the boundaries of rapidly expanding cities, such as Durban, where peri-urban land is at a premium.
Wits University Press
The fundamental role of any university is to promote freedom of enquiry and the search for knowledge and truth. Wits has built a reputation for itself in this role, establishing itself at the industrial and commercial heart of South Africa as a centre for education and research of the highest quality.
UNCCD 15th session of the Conference of the Parties
The fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 9 to 20 May 2022.
Summer School on Land Governance and Development
The Summer School on “Land Governance and Development” jointly organised by the School of Public Policy and Governance of Azim Premji University, Bangalore and NRMC-Center for Land Governance (An Intellecap Subsidiary), will take place in Bhubaneshwar from 20-25 June 2022 at the Azim Premji University Campus, Bangalore.