In Sierra Leone, the well-being and livelihoods of many people, particularly the rural poor, are based on secure and equitable access to land, fisheries and forests. Increasing pressure on these resources in recent years has led to an escalation of conflict over access to natural resources.

Following the financial and food crisis in 2008 the phenomenon of land grabbing through large-scale investments in land leading to forcible displacement of rural population, increasing their food insecurity and disregarding Human Rights became a hot topic on the global agenda. At the same time it became clear, that more investments were needed into the agricultural sector to increase food security and secure agricultural productivity.

“It is paradoxical but hardly surprising that the right to food has been endorsed more often and with greater unanimity and urgency than most other human rights, while at the same time being violated more comprehensively and systematically than probably any other.”

Richard Cohen, in Causes of Hunger, 1994

Sierra Leone is one of the least developed countries in the world and is still recovering from a civil war that ended in 2002. Increasingly, the Sierra Leonean government seeks to attract foreign investors through providing opportunities for large-scale land leases for the development of agribusiness. This has triggered a rapid transformation process that poses a considerable threat to food security and social stability. Despite being a pilot country for the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure, there is no real change on the ground as yet.

On the 11th May 2012, the Committee on World Food Security of the United Nations adopted the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT). Rural 21 asked Roman Herre of the human rights organisation FIAN about his views on the implementation of the Guidelines so far.

Las inversiones en la agricultura han demostrado ser uno de los medios más eficaces para reducir la pobreza en las zonas rurales de los países en desarrollo. Obrar de conformidad con las Directrices voluntarias sobre la gobernanza responsable de la tenencia de la tierra, la pesca y los bosques en el contexto de la seguridad alimentaria nacional puede servir a los inversionistas para comprender y gestionar mejor los considerables riesgos financieros, jurídicos, operativos y de reputación que son inherentes a las inversiones en activos basados en la tierra.

Supporting Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGTs) is a programme that provides countries with a framework for best practices in tenurerelated policies, laws, regulations, strategies and practices. Its Phase 1 was implemented from October 2012 to June 2016 as a multi-donor programme overseen by a steering committee and managed by the VG-Tenure Secretariat hosted by FAO.

Securing Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ land rights is an urgent matter – especially in the light of increasing resource demands and related conflicts. The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (Tenure Guidelines) provide a historic opportunity to recognize and secure tenure rights.

The purpose of the forum was to foster a mutual understanding of the challenges faced by different groups in fisheries communities and to find common ground and options for empowering fishers and fisheries stakeholders. The 140 participants from 38 countries discussed the importance of tenure and rights for responsible resource management and equitable development in fisheries. Best practices and lessons learned were identified by forum participants based on their own experiences in a wide range of fisheries.

This document was written by the Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC) with the view of increasing awareness and understanding in the context of the Philippines of the VGGT. This material draws from previous materials prepared by ANGOC as well as from the presentation and discussion during the training of trainers on “Increasing the use of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests among CSOs and Grassroots Organizations in the Philippines” held on 11-14 July 2016 in Tagaytay City, Philippines.

At its 42nd Plenary session in 2015, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) decided to hold a global thematic event at the 43rd session in October 2016 to share experiences and take stock of the use and application of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT), as a contribution to monitoring progress towards VGGT implementation. This second global stocktake on the VGGT is informed by the contributions received from stakeholders.

When finalizing the New Urban Agenda, United Nations Member States should address land as a key focus area and give attention to all types of human settlements: urban, peri-urban and rural, rich and poor. Members States should confirm and build on existing international instruments that promote the following: secure tenure for all, the public control of land use, the generation of land-based revenue to benefit everyone, and responsible land governance.