News on Land
Get the latest news on land and property rights, brought to you by trusted sources from across the globe.
DRC logging contracts suspended as audit uncovers serious violations
- The publication of an audit of forestry contracts in the Democratic Republic of Congo has exposed serious management failures.
- The audit cites serial breaches of the country’s forest code and more than a dozen violations of a 2002 moratorium on new concessions.
- The DRC’s environment minister announced the immediate suspension of forestry contracts deemed illegal by the audit, saying that where a special commission confirms the Inspectorate General of Finance’s findings, those contracts will be canceled.
- The audit is the first re
Kazakhstan to Hold Constitutional Referendum on June 5
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan will hold the constitutional referendum on June 5, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on Thursday in his video address to the nation.
Main photo: President Tokayev announces the date of the referendum in the video address. Photo credit: Akorda
Le Maroc protège le foncier contre les étrangers
Land reform can only happen by targeting private property ownership
Land reform can only happen by targeting private property ownership, says Tembeka Ngcukaitobi
Government should abandon the policy of land restitution because it is not economically or politically feasible, and rather go back to redistribution.
The concept of private property came about as a result of colonial efforts to disenfranchise African people, advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi told people gathered at The Forge’s talks on land in South Africa, scheduled to run throughout the month.
Indonesian government lagging independent effort to recognize Indigenous lands
- A total of 17.6 million hectares (43.5 million acres) of Indigenous territories in Indonesia, an area half the size of Germany, have been demarcated under an independent initiative that began in 2010.
- The mapping is seen as the first step for Indigenous communities in the long and complicated process of applying for official government recognition of their land rights.
- But government efforts continue to lag behind this initiative, with the state to date only recognizing 15% of the territories demarcated by the latter.
- At the loc
Judge blocks mine expansion: Licence to extend the Somkhele mine set aside
Mining in the former homelands in South Africa remains highly contested. At issue is the tendency of many mining companies to trample land rights, negotiate deals with elites to avoid securing informed consent while sowing division and conflict in poor rural communities.
How COVID controls hit farmers in 7 low-income countries, most in Africa
Since its emergence more than two years ago, COVID-19 has reached nearly every corner of the globe. It has infected hundreds of millions of people, and overwhelmed health systems worldwide. But its impact goes beyond its direct health consequences.
Struggle continues for landless Brazilians
Though a moratorium on evictions has been extended in Brazil, families still face forced removals. Activists are fighting for the right to land amid increasing precarity.
Zimbabwe: Chilonga villagers protest land grab threat
HUNDREDS of villagers in the Chilonga area of Chiredzi district held a demonstration at Chief Chilonga’s homestead on Sunday, protesting the government’s continue manoeuvres to proceed with the setting up of a lucerne grass-farming project by a private company, Dendairy.
The villagers, who came in seven trucks, wanted their voices heard by the authorities on the day the chief was scheduled to meet community leaders and government officials to discuss the project.
The chief was however attending other meetings in Masvingo on the day, forcing the postponement of the meeting.
Transforming Agri-Food Systems in West and Central Africa: Rwanda, DRC, Burundi to benefit from TAFS-WCA programme
Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Burundi are set to benefit from a regional initiative dubbed “Transforming Agri-Food Systems in West and Central Africa (TAFS-WCA)” which is aimed to increase food security and combat climate crisis.
Peru mine disruption to continue as MMG fails to oust protestors
MMG is facing the possibility of a prolonged disruption at its copper mine in Peru after failing to clear the site of all protesters in an operation that has further inflamed tensions with indigenous groups.
Land Cover Monitoring System For Nepal Launched
The Forest Research and Training Centre (FRTC) is pleased to announce the launch of Nepal’s National Land Cover Monitoring System (NLCMS) to mark Earth Day. The system uses cloud computing and artificial intelligence to generate consistent data on how much of a region is covered by forests, wetlands, agriculture, and other land and water types, on an annual basis.