Коренные народы

Training for land management in communal lands in Guatemala


A total of 20 organizations and institutions in Cambodia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Guatemala took part in this event

24/05/2016 - 

From May 17-20 the workshop "Introduction to the use of management tools for tenure rights on communal lands" was held in the Heart Ecological Park Forest, St. Lucia Utatlán, Solola, organized by the association Utz  Che ', the University of San Carlos of Guatemala and FAO, with support from the British Government (DIFID) and the Ford Foundation.

This 4-day workshop had the objective to strengthen participants theoretical and practical knowledge and analysis capacities, building on the experience that indigenous communities and other stakeholders have regarding local governance for sustainable land management. An exchange on territorial management and local governance was also held.

The activity involved community leaders, representatives of indigenous, farming, forestry and fisheries' organizations of the countries of the Mesoamerican region, non-governmental organizations, consultants as well as technicians from government institutions in Guatemala (RIC , FONTIERRAS and SAA) and FAO experts. A total of 20 organizations and institutions in Cambodia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Guatemala come together in this event.

This workshop also sought to build, through possible contributions of all participants, an initiative that will ensure monitoring for communities interested in using Open Tenure and other teaching materials in the process of strengthening the management of its territory.

Voluntary guidelines for responsible governance

Today, 75% of the world population has no formal tenure rights to land access. In 2012, the World Food Security Committee adopted the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the context of national food security (VGGT). These guidelines are intended to contribute to global and national efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty, based on the principles of sustainable development and the recognition that the earth is the central pillar for development through the promotion of secure tenure rights, equal access to land, fisheries and forests.

Technology to support governance and tenure

Open Tenure is a free software that can support communities to document the forms of formal and informal holdings of land tenure in an environment of communally managed land.

This tool should not be seen only as a technology to map the territory, but a process of analysis and reflection on the management of land rights, local organization for administration and management of the territory in general.

Open Tenure supports an approach to raise participatory survey information on parcels and tenure claims. Its aim is to help communities around the world - and particularly in the developing world - to record their understanding of the relationship of land tenure affecting them and to facilitate self-management of their resources.

During the workshop, an induction and training was given to attendees on the Open Tenure.