Traditional authorities need a clearer role in land governance
Traditional authorities in Zambia complain that the government does not consult them when land is allocated for investment projects, while communities say chiefs are neglecting their interests. Jesinta Kunda of Zambia Land Alliance says more clarity is needed on the role of traditional authorities, in law and practice, to ensure large-scale investments in agriculture, mining and other sectors are governed better – particularly in light of the rising demand for critical minerals found in Zambia. She urges the government, traditional leaders and citizens to seize the opportunities presented by current legal reforms in Zambia to create change.
Fighting for Land and Shade
Razina is different. Unlike most people in Madagascar, his skin is pale. His hair is blonde and his eyes are a light shade of pink. Razina has albinism.
He became aware of just how different he was at a very early age. When he arrived at school for the first time, all the other children teased and harassed him. The bullying continued throughout his time at school. “They treated me as less than human, like a dog,” he recalls.
Webinar Recap: Traditional Authorities in Africa and Their Role in Land-Based Investment Governance
In a thought-provoking webinar moderated by Nolundi Luwaya, Director of the Land and Accountability Research Centre at the University of Cape Town, experts from across Africa convened to unravel the complexities of the role of traditional authorities in land-based investment governance. This event brought to light the unique challenges and strategies employed by traditional authorities in managing land-based investments.
LAND-at-scale Chad: Collective action to bring land to the national political agenda
Chad is at the verge of an emerging land tenure crisis. As observed in many countries in Africa, formal and customary tenure systems overlap. Customary tenure systems, that generally prevail in rural areas, differ from region to region, with each its own needs and practices. Land conflicts are abundant, caused by degradation and transformation of land surfaces caused by climate change, as well as land investments by domestic investors with disputed legitimacy.
What is land, and to whom? - The need for development practitioners to widen their views of land
Blogpost about the book “Power, Knowledge, Land – Contested Ontologies of Land and Its Governance in Africa” 2022 by Laura A. German. University of Michigan Press.
By Linda Engström, Researcher, Division of Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden.
What is the book about?
Grabbing land to save the planet? Why we need to safeguard legitimate land tenure rights to stay within 1.5 Degrees and protect biodiversity
This session addressed the fact that the rights implications and the social and economic consequences of current climate change and biodiversity strategies in the context of the Rio Conventions for millions of people are not sufficiently acknowledged, researched, and addressed. The presenters and participants discussed the urgent need to have public, academic and policy debates about the impact of land-based climate and biodiversity strategies on poor communities and the development trajectories of rural economies.
Promoting training of Central Africans in land governance for poverty reduction
1) Prof. Ngana, why did you launch this training unit on land issues at the University of Bangui? What needs does the training meet?
It was NELGA that motivated us. I am the Focal Point for NELGA in the Central African Republic. As part of the implementation of its structure in Central African universities, NELGA had launched a survey to revise the curriculum of land governance.
Improving Access to Open Land Data: The Role of the Land Portal and Global Data Barometer
The issue of land tenure and governance is one of the most complex and multifaceted challenges that face policymakers and practitioners in the development field. This is especially true when it comes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as there are more than a dozen land-related indicators housed over five SDG goals, with data maintained by different custodian agencies.
Civil society organizations are key to creating better land policies: lessons from Zambia
In a blog series from IIED and the Land Portal, rights defenders and practitioners in the global South reflect on their strategies to push for more responsible and sustainable land-based investments. Here, guest blogger Jesinta Kunda describes how civil society organizations were key to improving Zambia’s first ever National Lands Policy.
Indigenous Forests Are Some of the Amazon’s Last Carbon Sinks
Forests around the world play a major role in curbing or contributing to climate change. Standing, healthy forests sequester more atmospheric carbon than they emit and act as a carbon sink; degraded and deforested areas release stored carbon and are a carbon source.
Indigenous knowledge to maintain biodiversity in Colombia
From 6-18 November, Egypt hosts the COP27 Climate Summit. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Despite this long trajectory and the progress made, climate change has increasingly severe effects across the world. The LAND-at-scale program acknowledges the central role of climate change. In a short series of blogs, the knowledge management team highlights the diverse impact that climate change has on communities across the world, and how LAND-at-scale projects contribute to adaptation and mitigation measures on the ground.