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| Responsible Land Governance – a commitment to improved livelihoods |
The growing number and scale of land investments in developing countries
affect food security locally. While the increased interest in agriculture from private and public actors is necessary after decades of underinvestment, effective regulatory frameworks that above all
benefit the poor are needed to improve food security and to ensure sustainable management of land and other natural resources. The SDC supports the establishment of such frameworks by the
governments, the local populations and the private sector.Ensuring livelihoods thanks to the possibility of using the land
Governance of tenure affects if, and how, people are able to acquire rights to use and to control land and other natural resources. Many tenure problems are caused by weak governance, and the quality
of governance affects the attempts to address these problems. The eradication of hunger and poverty, and the sustainable use of the environment, depend on how people, communities and others gain
access to land and other natural resources. The livelihoods of many, particularly the rural poor, are based on secure and equitable access to and control over these resources. They are the source of
food and shelter, the basis for social, cultural and religious practices, and a central factor in economic growth.
Regulation of land investments is a necessity
The tenure rights of rural populations and their access to land and other natural resources have been weakened due to the
growing demand of investments in land. This has led to the further marginalization, deprivation and migration of rural populations to cities or even abroad. Vulnerable groups such as women
smallholders, indigenous peoples and pastoralists have often been particularly affected. Governments in developing countries and all involved actors need to set, implement and monitor regulatory
frameworks for investments in land that ensure accountability and transparency, equity, participation and non-discrimination among all social groups with a view to fostering the sustainable
management of land and other natural resources.
Why companies and countries invest in land in developing countries:
- biofuels
- mining
- conservation projects
- Foreign Direct Investments for domestic food security
- speculative financial market transactions on food staple crops
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Fostering dialogue
To create sustainable, effective and pro-poor regulatory frameworks SDC supports governments in preparing, implementing and monitoring rights-based,
land-related policies, nationally, regionally and internationally. SDC also supports civil society organizations and farmers’ organizations to enable them to participate in land-related policy
processes. Further, it engages with the private sector to establish principles, social and environmental standards and codes of conduct in land-related investments.
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 The way forwardOver the coming years, the SDC will continue to support the development of frameworks and standards on land governance and further broaden evidence-based information and knowledge on land investment in developing countries. It also intends to help improve transparency and accountability in land-related decision-making. |