Ecuador has an estimated population of 12 402 500 and is noted for its ethnic diversity. It has 13 ethnic groups and 14 indigenous “nationalities”. Recent efforts to combat marginalization and poverty and to develop the indigenous peoples and “nationalities” have focused on the conservation of their identity, on the revival and promotion of their culture and on self-determination, settlement of land disputes, access to land and selfmanagement. During the first phase of the project for the development of the indigenous population and people of African descent of Ecuador (PRODEPINE), the titling of ancestral communal land has produced very satisfactory results for these indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian communities. This article looks at the land tenure and distribution process and at the juridical basis for legal recognition of ancestral land ownership in Ecuador. It evaluates the results of PRODEPINE and explains the main lessons to be learned from the project.
