Land and politics is intertwined and it is extremely onerous to separate the two from each other. Politics is very much integral to land in terms of not only who owns or controls it, and who appropriates resources over land. Land is also an asset or a natural resource that has been incessantly used by the state on the pretext of development, protecting the masses, using it for public purpose, preventing its misuse or protecting the rule of law.

The celebration of National Panchayati Raj Day marks a redefining moment in the Constitutional history of India to invigorate and strengthen grassroot democracy in the country, through the institution of Panchayati Raj (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992. This day is also remarkable as on 24th April 2020, the Government of India launched a central sector scheme, Survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas (SVAMITVA). Through implementation of this scheme, GoI aims at formalization of land tenure in the abadi (inhabited) area.

In Cameroon, many rural communities are unaware of their rights, in a context where they are increasingly challenged by large-scale land-based investments. Sandrine Kouba from RELUFA explains how setting up a radio programme has helped to inform indigenous communities about their rights and enable them to feel better prepared to face investors. 

Studies in forestry have predominantly focused on the degradation of forests, with significant policy attention across the global and national levels. Despite reported increases in deforestation in tropical forests (Wimberly et al. 2022) , there is scattered evidence of forest resurgence around the world (Chazdon et al. 2020) . Yet, there are limited empirical studies to explain the governance factors influencing such forms of transition.

This presentation introduces the role of patrimonial governance in capitalizing on constructed geo heritage landscapes in Indonesia. More specifically, the role this particular system of governance plays in commodifying geology through the creation of a geopark to meet nationally defined tourism development aspirations.

The 13th Annual LANDac Annual Conference is taking place in person next week in Utrecht, Netherlands, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. All the conference sessions will also be accessible online to registered participants. LANDac brings together land governance stakeholders from around the world who might not otherwise meet, including academic researchers, the private, civil society, and policy makers.

Opening remarks for the GIZ Land Governance Knowledge Exchange Workshop delivered by

Dr Arno Sckeyde, Head of Program, Strengthening Advisory Capacities for Land Governance in Africa (SLGA) 

Dr. Klaus Ackermann, Head of Global Program Responsible Land Policy

Your Excellency, Madam Minister, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Overcoming Land Disputes by Fostering Relationships in Communities: Experiences from Zambia’s Systematic Land Titling Program

Written by Dimuna Phiri and Kamiji Malasha

Unresolved disputes and disorder, can be addressed through the judicial system. However, the process is expensive, slow, unscalable, and does not focus on reconciling individuals, families and communities. Through the lens of beneficiaries, this article reveals the importance of alternative dispute resolution in land reforms, particularly adjudication committees.

Lucas Yamat and Pablo Manzano

The future of Ngorongoro has been the subject of hot debate among various stakeholders following a proposal by the government of Tanzania to relocate pastoralists from the district in order to conserve this important World Heritage site.

The proposal is based on claims that wildlife in the reserve faces extinction due to a sharp increase in human and livestock populations. Discussions about the proposal have caused concern among the residents of Ngorongoro who fear that they face eviction.