Land Governance

Land Governance

You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people.
- Wangari Maathai
Land-based ecosystems are fundamental pillars of our wellbeing. However, their resilience is increasingly threatened by the growing demand for food, housing, energy and other ecosystem services. Building on the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the context of Food Security as an overarching framework, we work to promote the rights of all land users as an important precondition for sustainable and inclusive development.  
Our work involves analyzing structural barriers that hinder land users from enjoying their legitimate rights. Together with our partners, we explore context-specific solutions and innovations to overcome these barriers. This includes supporting governments in providing the necessary services to their citizens, and supporting right holders in claiming their legitimate rights. Building on the insights gained, we support the development of monitoring tools to increase transparency and accountability within the land sector, and to track the implementation of national and international commitments. Our approach can be described as multi-level changemaking to democratize food systems, end chronic poverty and food insecurity and restoring ecosystems.
We work simultaneously across the following three levels:
  • Local level: We create space and strengthen community-based organizations and sub-national governance institutions to co-develop social innovations for land tenure security.
  • National level: We work with governments, human rights institutions, and civil society networks to support the implementation of progressive national policies, also by building on progress made in global policy processes.
  • Global level: Through our broad research and policy networks we actively engage in identifying policy spaces and agenda setting to ensure that these ideas can be taken up and integrated into formal decision making and implementation. A core focus of our work is the integration of land tenure in the implementation of the three Rio Conventions.

Latest

Responsible Land Governance in Land Degradation Neutrality Programmes: Insights from Malawi
Blog Post
Responsible Land Governance in Land Degradation Neutrality Programmes: Insights from Malawi
A case study of forest protection and conservation measures implemented in Malawi’s Ntchisi Forest Reserve, and the impact of these measures on the tenure rights of communities living adjacent to the forest.

Topics

Land, Gender and Human Rights

Land, Gender and Human Rights

Improving rights-based land governance with innovative tools

It is broadly acknowledged that the lack of land tenure security is a key barrier, not only to improved food security and sustainable land management practices at the farm level, but also for the restoration of ecosystems and resilience to climate change. While most countries have legal frameworks in place to recognize claims to land, both at individual and community level, enforcement remains weak. Despite their significant contribution to food security, and farm-based livelihoods, women are particularly disadvantaged due to the dominance of patriarchy and other unequal socio-cultural values in determining the ownership of land and other productive resources.

Projects

Multi-level changemaking: Our approach to strengthening responsible land governance

Multi-level changemaking: Our approach to strengthening responsible land governance

Bringing together diverse actors to strengthen policies and actions on responsible land governance

This body of work builds on TMG's flagship Global Soil Week programme, which aims to enable the protection of legitimate land tenure rights in the context of land degradation neutrality (LDN) measures and enabling smallholder farmers and local communities to contribute to the implementation of the UN Convention for Combating Desertification.[DB1] A key objective of the work is to mobilize partnerships to translate global policy frameworks and targets into feasible actions at the local level and leverage action research to improve global governance agendas.

Projects

Sustainable Land Management

Sustainable Land Management

Exploring social innovations at community level to foster sustainable land management practices

This thematic strand focuses on understanding the underlying socio-political dynamics and other structural challenges that smallholder farmers face in investing in sustainable land management practices. Based on locally-embedded research with our partners in several African countries, we develop, and pilot, "social innovations" to overcome structural obstacles. By sharing the insights gained with our broader networks of partners, as well as at various multilateral processes, we also seek to contribute to a systemic understanding of the enabling conditions for scaling up sustainable land management, at both the local and ecosystem levels.

News & Blog Posts

Responsible Land Governance in Land Degradation Neutrality Programmes: Insights from Malawi
Blog Post

Responsible Land Governance in Land Degradation Neutrality Programmes: Insights from Malawi

A case study of forest protection and conservation measures implemented in Malawi’s Ntchisi Forest Reserve, and the impact of these measures on the tenure rights of communities living adjacent to the forest.
Grabbing land to save the planet or using the power of human rights to protect tenure rights?
Blog Post

Grabbing land to save the planet or using the power of human rights to protect tenure rights?

Responsible land governance for fair transitions
The revolution will be crowdsourced!
Blog Post

The revolution will be crowdsourced!

Developing new forms of reporting and monitoring for empowerment and accountability.
Harnessing Synergies and Mobilizing Joint Action: A Historic First Workshop on Women’s Land Rights with all Three Rio Conventions
Blog Post

Harnessing Synergies and Mobilizing Joint Action: A Historic First Workshop on Women’s Land Rights with all Three Rio Conventions

Reducing systemic inequalities, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and conserving biodiversity through nature conservation, sustainable land management and restoration
Engaging traditional leaders to advance environmental protection
Blog Post

Engaging traditional leaders to advance environmental protection

A visit to a revered Maasai traditional leader at the forefront of protecting the sacred Loita Forest in Kenya
Open research and consultancy positions at TMG
News

Open research and consultancy positions at TMG

Explore current openings with our food systems, land governance and digitalization research teams.

Publications

Responsible land governance in LDN programmes: The risks of decoupling forest conservation from legitimate tenure rights in Madagascar

Report

Responsible land governance in LDN programmes: The risks of decoupling forest conservation from legitimate tenure rights in Madagascar

Check Abdel Kader, Baba, Frederike Klümper, Harifidy Rakoko Ratsimba, Washe Kazungu, Jes Weigelt

Examining the challenges to safeguard and integrate legitimate tenure rights in management and policy decisions: a follow-up to the implementation of the UNCCD Decision 26/COP.14 on land tenure.

The role of community forests in national LDN and land restoration programmes: A case study of community forest parcels in Taita Taveta County, Kenya

Report

The role of community forests in national LDN and land restoration programmes: A case study of community forest parcels in Taita Taveta County, Kenya

Washe Kazungu, Frederike Klümper, Check Abdel Kader Baba

Examining the contribution of community forests to national Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and land restoration targets: a follow-up to the implementation of the UNCCD Decision 26/COP.14 on land tenure.

Responsible land governance  in LDN programmes - Malawi Case Study

Report

Responsible land governance in LDN programmes - Malawi Case Study

Washe Kazungu, Check Abdel Kader Baba, Frederike Klümper, Jes Weigelt

Monitoring the impact of Land Degradation Neutrality measures on legitimate tenure rights of forest-adjacent communities: a follow-up to the implementation of the UNCCD Decision 26/COP.14 on land tenure.

Participant Handbook: Strategy Workshop on Women's Land Rights and the Rio Conventions

Report

Participant Handbook: Strategy Workshop on Women's Land Rights and the Rio Conventions

Land Governance Team

Reducing systemic inequalities, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and conserving biodiversity through nature conservation, sustainable land management and restoration

Videos

  • Monitoring the Human Right to Land

    A tool for monitoring land-based human rights violations

  • First Governor's Day with Farmers - Kakamega County, Kenya

    A novel approach aiming to bring farmers and agricultural policymakers closer together.

  • Tem Sesiabun Gorado - An innovative model for knowledge transfer

    A novel farmer-to-farmer knowledge transfer model

  • Tem Sesiabun Gorado - Un modèle innovateur de transfert de connaissances

    Un nouveau modèle de transfert de connaissances entre agriculteur·rice·s

  • Transforming food systems from the bottom up: Social innovations for soil restoration

    A conversation around land rights and agricultural transformation

  • No Sustainability Transition Without Securing Legitimate Land Rights - TMG @ COP 15

    TMG and partners bring "Rights to Land" agenda to COP 15

  • The Human Rights & Land Navigator

    A new instrument instrument for strengthening the application of the voluntary guidelines on tenure

  • The State of Land Degradation Neutrality in Madagascar

    Just Transitions towards Land Degradation Neutrality: Tenure Rights for Soil Restoration

  • Land-Food-Climate: An African-European Dialogue on Climate Resilience

    Teaser video for the "Land-Food-Climate: An African-European Dialogue on Climate Resilience" event series

  • Building Back Better and Greener with Agroecology

    A video marking the launch of the Transformative Partnership Platform (TPP) on agroecology

  • Agroecology for Adaptation - Systemic Challenges/Systemic Responses

    A video sharing perspectives from diverse experts on how to create an enabling environment to support smallholder-led innovations for climate change adaptation

Events

Learn more about our activities

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TMG Think Tank for Sustainability consists of TMG Research gGmbH, an independent, non-partisan, non-for-profit organization registered in Berlin (District Court Charlottenburg, HRB 186018 B, USt.-ID: DE311653675) and TMG - Töpfer, Müller, Gaßner GmbH, a private company registered in Berlin (District Court Charlottenburg, HRB 177576 B USt.-ID: DE306832549).

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