Encroaching on Land and Livelihoods examines whether national expropriation laws in 30 countries across Asia and Africa follow the international standards established in Section 16 of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGTs). Section 16 of the VGGTs establishes standards on expropriation, compensation, and resettlement to ensure tenure security and responsible land governance. The UN Committee on World Food Security officially endorsed the VGGTs in 2012.

The Guidelines promote responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests, with respect to all forms of tenure. Their overarching goals are to achieve food security for all and support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security.

It is to present the course which introduces the main concepts and principles of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure. It aims to help people understand the Guidelines and to apply the principles to practical situations in their countries, as well as to raise the general awareness of responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests.

The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security are a new international instrument that can be used by peasant, fishing and pastoralist organisations, indigenous peoples, the landless, women and youth, and civil society as a whole, to assert their rights.

This document gathers a number of case studies on the use and application of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT) in a wide range of projects, and highlights successes in these experiences. For each project, it includes a description of and information on the approach adopted, and provides additonal resources for stakeholders interested in learning more about these projects.

The *Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) are a globally negotiated and agreed framework endorsed in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) on 11 May 2012.

On May 9, 2012, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) adopted a landmark document laying out principles and internationally accepted standards on land governance and tenure security - the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT). Members of the Global Donor Working Group on Land (GDWGL) actively supported both technically and financially the inception of the VGGT and their formulation.

This paper summarizes the good practices by nine selected OECD countries that seek to promote responsible foreign investment in developing country agriculture, primarily by investors in their territory or jurisdiction. The study provides examples of the increasing trend of home countries in establishing binding legal norms and other mechanisms as safeguards that are relevant for agricultural investment.

At the request of the Sri Lankan Government an assessment was designed and conducted as part of the development of the country’s national strategy on REDD+.  The assessment involved applying criteria from the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests (VGGT) to analyze the tenure implications for a wide array of proposed policies and measures (PAMs) to address deforestation and forest degradation.  The assessment will help Sri Lanka to prioritize and make investment decisions among the PAMs.

Urbanization has increased dramatically across Asia, rising from 32% urban in 1990 to 48% urban in 2010. The highest rate or urbanization was in East Asia (2%) which was 59% urban in 2010. South-East Asia was 47% urban in 2010. South and Central Asia remain the least urbanized areas in Asia, and while the Pacific region overall has low levels of urbanization, that is changing quickly. The highest estimated rate of urban growth between 2010 2020 will be in South and South-West Asia (27%), South-East Asia (24%) and East and North-East Asia (20%) close behind.

This guide explores the legal dimensions of responsible governance of tenure. It supports the application of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure for Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security at the national level. The guide addresses the legal value of the Guidelines covering the governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests by explaining the concept of legitimacy and reviewing the different stages of legislative processes, from legal assessment and law-making through implementation of legislation to settlement of disputes.

SOLA & Open Tenure are open-source software to help protect tenure rights and support the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security.