The present document is one of the background papers for the fourth session of the Africa regional forum on sustainable development, which is being held in preparation for the 2018 high-level political forum on sustainable development, to be held in New York from 9 to 18 July 2018. The theme of the regional forums is “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”.

The objective of this review is to assess the achievements, identify the constraints, and make recommendations for further actions needed to address land issues in Africa. The report deals with the review of efforts being made by African countries to ensure that policies and policy instruments support the best possible land use and sustainable management of land resources.

In this document the secretariat of the Economic Commission for Africa analyses the land problem in the urban areas and housing programmes for the masses. The document is in five main parts. The first part introduces the land issue in human settlements policy and identifies areas requiring attention in the interest of an orderly use of land in urban areas.

The problem of low productivity is fundamental to the long-term deteriorating trend in agricultural and per capita food production that has characterized African agriculture during the past decades. Widespread desertification and degradation of African farmlands and the present heavy dependence on natural rainfall which are some of the causes of low productivity, reflect the inability of African member States to sufficiently invest in and develop technologies and farming systems suitable for adoption by small farmers.

The project identification, preparation, appraisal and loan negotiation capabilities of the Research and Planning Section of the MOAC should be further strengthened preferably with technical assistance from outside.

The paper deals with land tenure and economic development in Upper Volta. .The entire country lies within the savannah zone which runs down West Africa, from Cape Verde, to Chad, from the Saharan. Sahel in the North to the forest zones bordering the Atlantic in the South.

The countries in North Africa share an arid and semi-arid environment with high diversity: mountainous areas run alongside maritime areas and desert. Currently, urban dwellers in North Africa represent more than 50% of the population and are expected to be more than 60% by 2030. However, the urban system in North Africa is suffering urban primacy. The region is well known for its endowment in mineral deposits such as oil and gas. However, it is also known for being one of the poorest regions in the world in water resources.

The work presented here aims to support the Land Policy Initiative (LPI) Secretariat in spearheading the implementation of the Nairobi Action Plan, particularly the achievement of the first action related to the Assessments of large-scale land based investment (LSLBI) in Africa, in order to build the necessary evidence and analysis required for the implementation of the remainder of the actions under the Plan.

In view of the importance of land to Africa’s social, political and economic development, as well as sustainable resource management, AU/NEPAD, ECA and ADB, under the leadership of the AU Commission, agreed to work jointly during 2006-2007 to develop a land policy framework and guidelines, as well as the modalities for its implementation at country, regional and continental levels.

The lack of balanced development where economic, social and environmental dimensions are given due consideration for long term sustainable development has led the international community to consider different paradigms of development. The multiple challenges to development in Africa have necessitated the use of a holistic approach that integrates economic, social and environmental dimensions, and generates new knowledge, policies and actions.

This paper explains how maps are prepared from aerial photography to help in the consolidation and registration processes, and also to aid the Department of Agriculture in the preparation of their farm plans.

The consultative workshop, which took place 27-29 March 2006 at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC), Addis Ababa, was the first step in the process of developing a land policy framework and guidelines. The discussions were informed by an issues/discussion paper, and brought together representatives from African governments, Regional Economic Communities, Civil Society including farmers' organizations, African private sector, Centres of Excellence and Development Partners.