Produced jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), with contributions from multiple stakeholders, the English version of the technical guide was launched in May 2022 at UNCCD COP15, opening a new chapter on ongoing efforts to combat desertification, land degradation and drought. It addresses the integration of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) within the implementation of the UNCCD and Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).

Tenure security is crucial to ensure that all legitimate tenure rights holders, including women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and those in situation of vulnerability can participate in the efforts of caring for land. Secure tenure rights are a key incentive to invest in land. 

The guide offers a flexible multi-pathway approach to support policy and decision-makers and relevant stakeholders in shaping tailor-made responses to commonly encountered land tenure challenges in strategies and programmes addressing land degradation.

The guide is now available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish. Check them out here:

Arabic version | Chinese version | English version | French version | Russian version | Spanish version

Watch the high level launch event of the technical guide at UNCCD COP15 here.