A cross-section of participants at the seminar

^{Representatives from the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, civil society, private sector, academia and media are attending a national, multi-stakeholder seminar on implementing the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. VGGT represent an unprecedented international agreement on the governance of tenure, which places secure access to land, fisheries and forests firmly in the context of food security.}

^{The primary objective of the two-day seminar is to create a critical mass of informed stakeholders and discussing ways to effectively implement the Guidelines in Tanzania. Organized jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development(MLHHSD), the seminar target a range of stakeholders involved in the administration of tenure of land, fisheries and forests from Government, civil society, the private sector and academia. Among other things, the stakeholders discussed and analysed relevant case studies, national initiatives and their synergies together with existing opportunities for improved tenure governance in the country.}

^{Importance to Tanzania}

^{Speaking during the official opening, MLHHSD Permanent Secretary for Land, Ms. Dorothy Mwanyika said that the seminar is very crucial to the country. “In Tanzania, the majority of citizens depend on access to farmland and rangeland, fisheries and forests for their livelihoods. The way these resources are managed has a direct impact on food security, rural development, economic growth and environmental sustainability,” she said adding: “Tenure systems define and regulate how people, communities and others gain access to natural resources, whether through formal law or informal arrangements”.}

^{Global importance}

^{According to her, the rules of tenure determine how land is accessed, occupied and used and who can use its resources, for how long, and under what conditions. They may be based on written policies and laws, as well as on unwritten customs and practices and that tenure governance is defined as weak when the legal, institutional and administrative systems for the management of natural resources, whether formal or customary, can no longer cope with national demand and fail to define, regulate and protect legitimate land rights.}

^{On his part, the FAO Representative to Tanzania, Fred Kafeero, noted that since their endorsement five years ago, the VGGT have progressively become the standard for tenure related projects led by most multi-lateral and bilateral development partners. “With wide ownership by governments, civil society and the private sector, they represent an unbiased framework within which new conversations on tenure are taking place, new skills are being developed, and new policies are being influenced in participatory ways,” he said.}

^{He added that as a neutral United Nations technical organization, FAO supported efforts to bring Government institutions, Civil Society, Research Institutions, Private Sector, and other partners together to collectively identify and propose ways to improve governance of tenure. In several countries these have developed into formally institutionalized working groups, national platforms and networks that guarantee a voice to all relevant stakeholders from all levels, Mr. Kafeero explained.}

^{About the VGGT}

^{The VGGT provide the first global consensus on what it means to improve tenure and its governance. The Guidelines were negotiated in the forum provided by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in order to improve tenure security and thereby contribute to improved food security. These Guidelines were officially endorsed by the CFS at its 38th (Special) Session on 11th May, 2012. The Guidelines are based on an inclusive, transparent consultation process started by FAO and then finalized through intergovernmental negotiations led by the CFS, and which included the participation of civil society organizations, private sector representatives, academics and researchers, and international organizations including from Tanzania.}