Knowledge and Awareness
In 2017, the UNCCD’s CSO Panel published a report entitled “Land Rights for Sustainable Life on Land”. It highlights the linkages between tenure security and land degradation, offering policy and pathways to recognise and enforce legitimate land rights while avoiding, reducing and reversing land degradation. It also describes potential entry points for the consideration of land tenure in restoration activities that support livelihoods and eradicate poverty, enhance climate change adaptation for smallholder farmers, pastoralists and indigenous peoples, contribute to climate change mitigation and human security, and increase gender equality and empowerment.
Working papers on land tenure contributed to the 1st and 2nd editions of the UNCCD’s Global Land Outlook (GLO). They highlight a variety of approaches to improve tenure security while, at the same time, scaling up sustainable land management and restoration. Key issues, which link land tenure, human rights and sustainable development, are elaborated with case studies, project experiences and policy options. A GLO East Africa Thematic Report titled “Responsible Land Governance to Achieve Land Degradation Neutrality”, was published in 2019 with examples that illustrate the critical role of land governance in achieving LDN targets while improving tenure security in the sub-region.
In response to decision 26/COP.14, an options paper titled “Land rights matter for people and the planet” was published by the UNCCD and Landesa in 2022. This paper presents options for enhancing awareness of the benefits of secure tenure and responsible land governance to catalyse action towards LDN and other development objectives. It uses a gender equitable and socially inclusive approach to raising awareness, centring on the equitable representation and leadership of vulnerable groups, including women, indigenous peoples, local communities, youth, pastoralists, migrants and persons with disabilities.
UNCCD-FAO Initiative on Land Tenure
At COP14 in 2019, Parties requested the UNCCD secretariat, FAO and partners to jointly produce a technical guide on the integration of the VGGT into the implementation of the Convention and land degradation neutrality (LDN). The technical guide was developed through a multi-stakeholder, consultative process – drawing on the wealth of projects and programmes implemented by FAO and other partners. It outlines practical applications of the VGGT in the context of the design and implementation of LDN initiatives and offers multiple pathways to support policy- and decision-makers and relevant stakeholders.
At COP15 in 2022, Parties requested the UNCCD secretariat, FAO and partners to further develop specific guidance and exchange lessons learned through national consultations, in selected countries across regions, to assist them with the ways and means to integrate tenure considerations into LDN and land restoration initiatives. Over 30 Parties requested national consultations and five countries (Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Senegal and Sri Lanka) were selected for the first phase of consultations on land tenure held in 2023 and 2024, with the support of FAO national offices and external partners.
The objective of the national consultations is to explore pathways to strengthen land tenure rights, land governance frameworks, and related land administration capacities. This includes identifying potential coordination mechanisms that allow for the integration of VGGT principles and practices into LDN and land restoration initiatives to enhance multiple benefits and accelerate progress towards multiple SDGs. Specific objectives of the national consultations included:
Developing recommendations to inform national strategies and action plans that contribute to improved tenure security, particularly for groups in vulnerable situations,
Identifying approaches to design and implement LDN and land restoration initiatives at sub-national and local levels where legitimate land rights are both a means (to scale up SLM) and desirable outcome of land- and nature-based projects and programmes,
Building and strengthening partnerships and multistakeholder platforms and mechanisms to generate awareness and coordinated action around the land tenure-LDN nexus.
In 2024, a UNCCD-FAO synergy brief titled “Securing Tenure to Restore Land and Safeguard Livelihoods” was launched at the World Bank Land Conference. This brief provides an overview of tenure pathways to enhance the adoption and upscaling of regenerative agriculture, sustainable land management and restoration. It also highlights the activities of the UNCCD-FAO Initiative on Land Tenure to promote a range of legitimate land rights that can increase the uptake and effectiveness of sustainable agriculture and land restoration initiatives.
