This report provides an overview of issues related to upland smallholder land tenure. The immediate
objective of the report is to promote a shared understanding of land tenure issues by national-level
stakeholders, with a longer term objective of improving the land tenure, livelihood and food security of
upland farm families. The report is intended for government and non-government agencies, policy
makers and those impacted by policy. The report covers four main areas: status of and trends in upland

The question of land and agrarian reform has become the most pertinent post-conflict agenda at this historical juncture while the country is undergoing a restructuring process. State restructuring is about the restructuring of the economic and political power. In Nepal, the land ownership pattern still determines the economic prosperity, social status and the political power of any individual or family. Therefore, the question of land and agrarian reform has been so critical issue at this point of time.

A survey of some 3,500 households in and adjacent to land tenure regularization (LTR) pilot cells was undertaken some 2.5 years after completion of the LTR pilot. The results of the survey provide evidence on the fairness and gender inclusiveness of the regularization process, households’ knowledge of the law, and initial investment impacts. A large majority of those asked perceived the process as very fair and transparent. It was, however, more thorough and inclusive in rural than in urban areas, where more than 11 percent of certificates could not be issued because of a pending conflict.

Accroître l'accès des femmes à la terre est crucial pour lutter contre la faim et la pauvreté. Toutefois, les disparités entre les sexes concernant l'accès aux terres restent importantes dans la plupart des pays, quel que soit leur niveau de développement. Une nouvelle base de données de la FAO aide à comprendre les facteurs qui empêchent les femmes d'accéder à la terre, et à concevoir de meilleures politiques pour lutter efficacement contre cette situation.

Documento de trabajo sobre la tenencia de la tierra 18. Presenta los principales temas para caracterizar la gobernanza en la tenencia de la tierra y analiza los aspectos relacionados con la evolución de las problemáticas de política agraria en los diferentes países de América Central. Además, ofrece algunos ejemplos y lecciones aprendidas derivadas de los nuevos modelos de administración y mecanismos de acceso a la tierra que los gobiernos centroamericanos y la cooperación internacional han promovido en los últimos quince años en la Región.

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and other development partners are working together with countries to prepare Voluntary Guidelines that will provide practical guidance to states, civil society, the private sector, donors and development specialists on the responsible governance of tenure. By setting out principles and internationally accepted standards for responsible practices, the Voluntary Guidelines will provide a framework and point of reference that stakeholders can use when developing their own policies and actions.

Document de travail sur les régimes fonciers 18. Présente les principaux thèmes qui caractérisent la gouvernance des régimes fonciers et analyse les questions liées à l’évolution des problématiques de politique agricole dans les différents pays d’Amérique Centrale. Il propose également quelques exemples ainsi que des leçons apprises des nouveaux modèles de gestion des terres et des mécanismes d’accès à la terre que les gouvernements d’Amérique Centrale et la Coopération Internationale ont appuyé au cours des quinze dernières années dans la Région. Disponible en espagnol

Given the recent trend of granting vast areas of African land to foreign investors, the urgency of placing real ownership in the hands of the people living and making their livelihood upon lands held according to custom cannot be overstated. This study provides guidance on how best to recognize and protect the land rights of the rural poor. Protecting and enforcing the land rights of rural Africans may be best done by passing laws that elevate existing customary land rights up into nations' formal legal frameworks thereby making customary land rights equal to documented land claims.

Aumentar el acceso de las mujeres a la tierra es crucial para combatir el hambre y la pobreza. Sin embargo, las disparidades de género en el acceso a la tierra siguen siendo notables en muchos países, con independencia de su nivel de desarrollo. La nueva base de datos de la FAO ayudará a comprender los factores que impiden que las mujeres tengan acceso a la tierra, con lo que permitirá asimismo diseñar políticas mejores para afrontar esta situación de manera eficaz.

Indigenous peoples1 must be considered an undeniable stakeholder in a development agenda shaped by such a mandate. Recent estimates indicate that although indigenous peoples make up approximately 5 percent of the world’s total population, they comprise about 15 percent of the global poor.2 The adversities faced by indigenous peoples have grown in the last few decades, but so too have the recognition of and appreciation for their potential contributions to sustainable development and natural resources management.

Land Tenure Working Paper 18. Presents the main themes that characterize the governance in land tenure and analyses the aspects related to the evolution of agricultural policy issues in various Central American countries. It also offers some examples and lessons learned from new models of land administration and land access mechanisms that Central American governments and International Cooperation have fostered over the past fifteen years in the Region. Available in Spanish

Increasing women’s access to land is crucial to fight hunger and poverty. However, gender disparities in land access remain significant in most countries, regardless of their level of development. A new FAO database helps to understand the factors that prevent women from accessing land; and to design better policies to effectively address this situation.