Concentration of land ownership, lack of access, insecurity of tenure and lack of efficiency and transparency in land administration services, are among the obstacles towards responsible governance of tenure of land and other natural resources in Latin America. These issues have been the subject of discussions and policy recommendations during many international forums, such as the International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD) held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in March 2006.

Through a conceptual analysis based on international treaties and instruments and through two country studies, this study explores the relationship between human rights, particularly the right to adequate food, and access to natural resources with specific focus on land.

Land administration and cadastral systems are playing a crucial global role in safeguarding the security of access to land and natural resources. Information technology systems have become basic elements of these systems everywhere. Introduction of automation to land administration has improved systems’ efficiency, standardisation and accessibility, which in turn have contributed to responsible land governance. Developing country land administrations are, however, often inefficient and poorly structured.

This is the 19th of a series of Working Papers prepared for the Pro-Poor Livestock Policy Initiative (PPLPI). The purpose of these papers is to explore issues related to livestock development in the context of poverty alleviation. Livestock is vital to the economies of many developing countries. Animals are a source of food, more specifically protein for human diets, income, employment and possibly foreign exchange. For low-income producers, livestock can serve as a store of wealth, provide draught power and organic fertiliser for crop production and a means of transport.

he guidelines are the first comprehensive, global instrument on tenure and its administration to be prepared through intergovernmental negotiations.

The guidelines set out principles and internationally accepted standards of responsible practices for the use and control of land, fisheries and forests. They provide guidance for improving the policy, legal and organizational frameworks that regulate tenure rights; for

Këto udhëzime janë instrumenti i parë i gjithanshëm botëror për të drejtat mbi burimet dhe administrimin e tyre që është përgatitur me negociata ndërqeveritare. Udhëzimet parashtrojnë parimet dhe standardet e pranuara botërisht të praktikave të përgjegjshme për përdorimin dhe mbajtjen në kontroll të tokës, burimeve të peshkimit dhe pyjeve.

Adopted by the 127th Session of the FAO Council, November 2004. The objective of the Voluntary Guidelines is to provide practical guidance to States in their implementation of the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security, in order to achieve the goals of the World Food Summit Plan of Action. They provide an additional instrument to combat hunger and poverty and to accelerate attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

A través de un análisis conceptual basado en tratados e instrumentos internacionales y dos estudios de países, en este estudio se explora la relación entre los derechos humanos, en especial el derecho a la alimentación adecuada y el acceso a los recursos naturales con un enfoque específico en la tierra.

Access to land is essential to food production and income generation. It is also a key social and economic asset, crucial for cultural identity, political power and participation in decisionmaking. Social and cultural beliefs often discriminate against people because of gender, social class or ethnic group.

Land Tenure Working Paper 16 Governance of Land Tenure Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) looks at the land governance situation in the region. It has been prepared to provide a base for discussion for the regional consultation meetings on the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land and other Natural Resources. The objective of the study is to evaluate the current land governance situation in the region and to identify main achievements as well as remaining challenges.

Land Tenure Working Paper 17. This publication identifies and assesses issues related to land governance and provides examples of good governance in the Caribbean subregion. This working paper was done in light of FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land and other Natural Resources.